Comments on: Friends, networks, and escape from “e- 2.0″ http://www.daveswhiteboard.com/archives/634?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=friends-networks-and-escape-from-e-20 Dave Ferguson's interests, ideas, notions, tangents Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:23:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dave http://www.daveswhiteboard.com/archives/634/comment-page-1#comment-9817 Dave Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:57:10 +0000 http://www.daveswhiteboard.com/?p=634#comment-9817 Michele, it's not really pain -- this was no criticism of Ning as a choice. It seems like a good fit because of how it can integrate different forms of communication. I do find it -- not hard, but an effort -- to keep track of the different forums, and thus far the options I've seen on the Forum page ("sort by latest / newest / most popular") seem too in-the-moment. Why isn't there a "list alphabetically" or "list by some logical grouping?" (This is a rhetorical question, not a critique of what the organizers have done.) If each week is going to have half a dozen or more forums, then after six weeks there'll be 36. That's a lot of stuff to keep track of, and frankly I find myself missing the old threaded-discussion format. I'm not <i>daunted</i> by new networks, at least not usually. I do think I tire easily of newness for newness' sake, and I <i>still</i> don't see the point of another standalone group of friends. Within the environment of the Ning site, well, okay, fine -- but (for example) now I'm friends with you in at least three venues. (If I hit ten, do I get a toaster? A free drink?) This post was really just puzzling out loud about <i>why</i> there's "friending." I'm not against it, any more than I am against sushi -- another popular item with even less appeal for me. Michele, it’s not really pain — this was no criticism of Ning as a choice. It seems like a good fit because of how it can integrate different forms of communication.

I do find it — not hard, but an effort — to keep track of the different forums, and thus far the options I’ve seen on the Forum page (“sort by latest / newest / most popular”) seem too in-the-moment. Why isn’t there a “list alphabetically” or “list by some logical grouping?” (This is a rhetorical question, not a critique of what the organizers have done.) If each week is going to have half a dozen or more forums, then after six weeks there’ll be 36. That’s a lot of stuff to keep track of, and frankly I find myself missing the old threaded-discussion format.

I’m not daunted by new networks, at least not usually. I do think I tire easily of newness for newness’ sake, and I still don’t see the point of another standalone group of friends. Within the environment of the Ning site, well, okay, fine — but (for example) now I’m friends with you in at least three venues. (If I hit ten, do I get a toaster? A free drink?)

This post was really just puzzling out loud about why there’s “friending.” I’m not against it, any more than I am against sushi — another popular item with even less appeal for me.

]]> By: Michele Martin http://www.daveswhiteboard.com/archives/634/comment-page-1#comment-9816 Michele Martin Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:25:32 +0000 http://www.daveswhiteboard.com/?p=634#comment-9816 Dave, I definitely understand your reluctance to join yet another network--although as you pointed out, you haven't been shy about participating. :-)I was the one who pushed on us using Ning to host the course because I wanted to really see how things would play out there. I'm not necessarily seeing it as a completely ongoing venture once the course is over, although it might be nice if people still hung around and helped newbies who might come along to try out the modules. It is a lot to take in and absorb, though. I feel your pain. Dave, I definitely understand your reluctance to join yet another network–although as you pointed out, you haven’t been shy about participating. :-)I was the one who pushed on us using Ning to host the course because I wanted to really see how things would play out there. I’m not necessarily seeing it as a completely ongoing venture once the course is over, although it might be nice if people still hung around and helped newbies who might come along to try out the modules. It is a lot to take in and absorb, though. I feel your pain.

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