Neowin Neowin.net is a technology news website that activly focuses on Windows , PCs , Mac and Linux . Neowin runs under the slogan , `` Where unprofessional journalism looks better . `` Neowin was started as a hobby in October 2000 by Marcel Klum and Steven Parker , known within the forums as `` Redmak '' and `` Neobond '' respectively . Neowin has broken several stories , such as the leak of Windows source code onto the internet . Neowin on October 23 , 2006 ( Neowin Shift PR8 ) . On July 19 , 2006 Neowin surpassed the 5 million post mark at or around 6 : 30am Eastern Time . Versions The servers hosting Neowin were upgraded during December 2005 and Neowin 3.9s was launched . This upgrade , codename `` Swift '' , is a progression from the version 3 theme and introduces subtle visual differences as well as a major overhaul of the content management system , focusing on semantic XHTML and CSS technologies and replacing the outdated nested table design . The forum system was also upgraded to IPB 2.1.3 as part of this move . Now currently running IPB 2.1 . 7 . On March 31 , the Neowin homepage went down for a few hours , leaving the forum and IRC open . When the site went back up , it seemed to the uneducated like absolutely nothing was new . However , the backend had been updated , and the Neowin staff had secretly uploaded Neowin v4 SHIFT , a new theme which looks very similar to the proposed Neowin 5 design . On April 1 ( not as an April Fool 's joke , as odd as it may seem ) , the staff opened SHIFT up to public beta testing . SHIFT is not Neowin 5 `` Finity `` but rather , a transition version , or a shift , to the new version . Current Version : Neowin V4.0 Shift PR8 Audience Neowin is considered to be one of the great representations of the growth and concentration of enthusiastic users in computing , and of the omnipresent Microsoft Windows Operating System in all its forms . A hot topic of discussion currently is Microsoft 's eagerly awaited Windows Vista . The subject of this future Operating System is debated exhaustively on a daily basis , motivating many users to imitate the appearance of this beta OS 's GUI . Site Structure The website is composed of several areas which all provide different services : News There are three news sections that involve different areas of technology . Main - general news , featuring articles about various tech-related subjects ; Gamers - news about both PC and console gaming ; Software - features mostly Windows software , including updates and beta releases . Podcasts The NeowinCast is Neowin 's official podcast , where a group made up of staff members discuss current news events and , much of the time , debate over what was good and what was bad , and shows a more editorial point of view from the staff . The original podcasts were under the name NeoCast , but some issues arose , and the name was changed . The podcasts also originated as gamers podcasts , but no such podcast has been seen in a while , and news podcasts have taken over . Articles & Reviews This part of the site contains content that is original to Neowin and not linked from other sites . Forum & Blogs These parts of the website provide users an area to talk about technology and other topics . The Neowin forums are Powered by Invision Power Board forum software . Neowin has an active technology forum consisting of 154 , 559 registered users ( October 04 , 2006 ) and over 6 , 200 , 000 posts . At its peak ( August 5 , 2006 at 21 : 17 GMT ) , Neowin 's forum had as many as 4 , 997 users online simultaneously . According to Big-boards.com it is the 5th largest forum on the internet that is powered by Invision Power Board . While the primary topics on Neowin are generally perceived as being Microsoft and Windows-centric , the forums have a large community for other discussions , including , but not limited to : Latest electronic technology : devices , gadgets , and other hardware . Customization and tweaking of Windows , Mac , and Linux systems . Console and PC gaming . Discussion of real world issues ( politics , religion , philosophy ) . Hardware related topics , such as overclocking . Internet and Web Browser discussion , such as Opera , Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox . Sports and Automobile discussion . Linux and Mac technology discussion The blog extension of the forum , which allows Neowin users to post things they find interesting in their own personal blog , was only recently introduced with the latest update to the website 's forums ( 3.8 ) . Software Contribution Neowin has also been known for helping people to release new freeware programs to the public . Some examples of programs that started life on Neowin are AutoPatcher , HardDriveIndicator , WeatherAlert , Neowin UXTheme Multi-Patcher , Nexus Messenger , and Neowin Shift Linux See also List of social networking websites External links Neowin.net main website Neowin.net forums Interview with founders of Neowin # neowin IRC channel Neowin graphics work request system Unofficial Guide to Neowin Categories : Technology websites | Internet forums 