hackertube.io

What is a Browser?

Ji Lee · other · Watch on YouTube

UX & UI designWeb developmentInternet culture & memes

What it is

Street interviews of over 50 passersby in Times Square, asked what a browser is. Many answers show people confuse browsers with search engines or the internet.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Cited as evidence that ordinary users often don't understand basic technology like browsers, as a reminder for designers and developers.

  • 2 people recommended it
  • 2 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2009, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “Watch it if you haven't. It will lend perspective.”

    Google asking random people on the street to explain a browser

    wturner, 2014-05 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: How do you deal with inferiority complex?”

  2. “there is this great video of Google employees asking people in Times Square what the difference is between a browser and a search engine”

    Times Square interviews on the difference between a browser and a search engine

    michaelbuckbee, 2016-03 · Recommendation · in “Why Tesla Motors Finally Acquired Tesla.com”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: browsers, user research, street interviews, google, ux

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