Kevin Rose's site was the first user link pool to produce a compelling front page: there is usually more of interest on Digg's list of popular stories, certainly to the geeky reader, than appear on the front of most traditional news sites. And the number of registrations even if one discounts for users with multiple or dormant accounts, is testament to the desire of readers to suggest stories.

It is, however, an inflated measure of Digg's growth. Techcrunch notes Digg's user base has increased fivefold since this month last year. has captured much of the audience of Slashdot, a tech-heavy message board which became popular in the 1990s. But, as Slashdot itself found, Digg's content is too esoteric to capture readers much beyond the enthusiasts.

About 2.2m US internet users visited Digg.com in February 2007, up from 600,000 a year before, according to Comscore Media Metrix. The measurement service fails to count properly some Firefox and Mac visitors, and likely understates Digg's reach. But it's the reference source for advertisers; and the trend line is probably accurate. Digg's still growing fast. Though at a slower rate, since last April, than before. And it remains to be seen how the site can appeal to the broader population.