 | |
Type of site | Specialized website community/Internet fad andmeme website |
|---|---|
| Owner | Max Goldberg/YTMND, Inc. |
| Created by | Max Goldberg |
| URL | www |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | July 6, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-07-06) |
| Current status | Online |
YTMND, an initialism for "You're the Man Now, Dog", is[a] anonline community centered on the creation of hostedmemetic web pages (known within the community asfads,YTMNDs, orsites) featuring ajuxtaposition of an image (still or short animation) centered or tiled along with optional large zooming text and a looping sound file. Images and sound files used in YTMNDs are usually either created or edited by users. YTMND is generally considered to be a humor website, owing its tone and culture to the original YTMND and its early imitators.
YTMND originated in 2001 from Max Goldberg's original website, "yourethemannowdog.com", which he registered along with "dustindiamond.com" after seeing atrailer for the movieFinding Forrester in whichSean Connery says the line "You're the man now, dog!". Originally, the website featured the text "YOURE THE MAN NOW DOG.COM" drawn out in3DASCII text with a sound loop from theFinding Forrester trailer of Connery reciting the phrase "You're the man now, dog!".[1] The advent of zoomed text currently on the website was seen in the following months, where the website also featured a photograph of Connery. Goldberg's new creation inspired others to make similar sites with other movie and television quotations (or any other sound clip they wished to use).[2]
In 2004, Goldberg wrote apress release after winning a lawsuit filed byDustin Diamond for the "fan page" at the aforementioned dustindiamond.com. He mentioned yourethemannowdog.com, as well as a new website, YTMND, that would be ready by April 10. The website opened that day after a rushed coding and design process. The site caught on in popularity and became anInternet phenomenon when majorweblogs andInternet forums began linking to thePicard Song YTMND.[3]
On August 29, 2016, Max Goldberg announced that YTMND would likely soon be shutting down, citing ill health and the site's inability to fund its own hosting fees from ad revenue. Goldberg stated "Besides being a time capsule I don't really see a reason for it to continue to exist... It seems like the internet has moved on...And I've moved on too. I don't have much interest in the site beyond it being good memories."[4]
In May 2019, the site experienced major downtime, which led media outlets to report that the site had been shut down permanently.[5][6] The site itself partially came back online, with a page stating that there had been a "catastrophic failure" in its database, and stating that whether the site will be restored was undecided.
On March 31, 2020, YTMND re-launched, including all of the previously hosted YTMND sites and the ability to log in, create accounts, recover passwords, and post new sites. It has also been updated to work using HTML5 media playable,HTTPS communications, and includes a mobile-friendly interface.[7]
Due to the nature and format of YTMNDs, the site has garnered attention from outsidemedia sources. In 2005,Reuters wrote an article on Tom Cruise which made a reference to theTom Cruise Kills Oprah YTMND.[8]
On the February 1, 2006, episode ofAttack of the Show!, viewers were asked to "make a kickass YTMND" for the show's "user created" segment. In order for sites to qualify for this YTMND competition, members were required to add "aots" at the beginning of the site'sURL.[9] In the August 2006 issue ofWired, an article under the "Expert" column by the name of "1 Web Site, 250,000 Idiotic Clips. LOL!" was printed. In the article, five of Goldberg's favorite YTMNDs (You're the Man Now, Dog; Vader Coaster; Lohan Facial; LOL Internet; Blue Ball Machine) were mentioned, along with commentary from Max himself for each one. The article's writer, James Lee, can be quoted as saying "Repeat an image loop and a sound file – as 24-year-old Max Goldberg with You're the Man Now, Dog – and pretty soon you'll have 4 million visitors a month and 120,000 contributors uploading their own clips."[10] Also in August 2006, an effort of YTMND users to post satirical reviews on theAmazon page for Tuscan whole milk was covered byThe New York Times.[11]
YTMND was featured in an article for the July 30, 2006, issue ofThe Washington Post. The article describes how Goldberg conceived yourethemannowdog.com, its rise in popularity, and the elements of a YTMND site. The article also referred to the creators of YTMNDs as "artists".[12] Goldberg signed a release forThe Colbert Report to showStephen Colbert-related YTMNDs.[13] A select few seconds of a YTMND was shown.[citation needed] On November 23,The Washington Post reported on telemarketing pranks in which they named a number of websites, including howtoprankatelemarketer.ytmnd.com.[14] Various other news reporting sites have printed the same article, includingReuters andThe Wall Street Journal.[15][16] A Swedish newspaper,metro, also included the site in a separate article.[17]
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