Comments on: Web 2.0 and Communities http://www.onemanwrites.co.uk/2008/04/23/web-20-and-communities/ musings on technical communications Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:58:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Janet Swisher http://www.onemanwrites.co.uk/2008/04/23/web-20-and-communities/#comment-2999 Janet Swisher Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:36:06 +0000 http://www.onemanwrites.co.uk/?p=127#comment-2999 I've gotten a bit <a href="http://www.janetswisher.com/?itemid=132" rel="nofollow">overloaded on networking sites</a>. I'm fairly restrictive about my contacts on LinkedIn, but much less so on Plaxo and Ning. I agree with Tom that Web 2.0 doesn't necessarily add much to building online community, especially among product users. People were doing this way back in the 20th century with mailing lists and online forums. What builds community is give-and-take, and people helping each other out. The technology that supports that is secondary. I’ve gotten a bit overloaded on networking sites. I’m fairly restrictive about my contacts on LinkedIn, but much less so on Plaxo and Ning.

I agree with Tom that Web 2.0 doesn’t necessarily add much to building online community, especially among product users. People were doing this way back in the 20th century with mailing lists and online forums. What builds community is give-and-take, and people helping each other out. The technology that supports that is secondary.

]]> By: tom johnson http://www.onemanwrites.co.uk/2008/04/23/web-20-and-communities/#comment-2978 tom johnson Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:14:38 +0000 http://www.onemanwrites.co.uk/?p=127#comment-2978 "I’m in the midst of trying to build an online community for the technical users of our product." I'm in the same situation. I want to create a community for my users. I've run into some challenges with software -- my users are all behind a corporate firewall, which also restricts PHP and MySQL solutions, so SharePoint 2007 is the only authorized tool I can use. I interviewed Alan Porter about how WebWorks is using different Web 2.0 communities. I'll publish that podcast on Monday. It seems like they had the most success with wikis, but they have forayed into Linkedin, Facebook, blogs, wikis, and other areas. I think SnagIt's Visual Lounge and forum are successful examples of Web 2.0. Certainly having a good blog that shows active content, with tips and tricks, troubleshooting, and other useful, energetic information is a good step in the right direction. I don't really see the social networks or other social networks doing a whole lot because it requires too much initiative and contribution from users. For all the hype about Facebook, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do in there. Tom “I’m in the midst of trying to build an online community for the technical users of our product.”

I’m in the same situation. I want to create a community for my users. I’ve run into some challenges with software — my users are all behind a corporate firewall, which also restricts PHP and MySQL solutions, so SharePoint 2007 is the only authorized tool I can use.

I interviewed Alan Porter about how WebWorks is using different Web 2.0 communities. I’ll publish that podcast on Monday. It seems like they had the most success with wikis, but they have forayed into Linkedin, Facebook, blogs, wikis, and other areas.

I think SnagIt’s Visual Lounge and forum are successful examples of Web 2.0. Certainly having a good blog that shows active content, with tips and tricks, troubleshooting, and other useful, energetic information is a good step in the right direction. I don’t really see the social networks or other social networks doing a whole lot because it requires too much initiative and contribution from users. For all the hype about Facebook, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do in there.

Tom

]]>