07-29-2003, 04:37 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Taking a Bird's-Eye View of 'Social Cyberspaces'
"Have you ever joined an online message board or newsgroup discussion only to find yourself struggling to decide which participants' advice to heed, whom to ignore, who are the experts, and who is simply making noise or "flame-bait?" Trust and identity are at the core of any well-functioning community, online or in the real world. Researchers at Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) are creating tools to help computer users understand these dynamics -- and get real value from what research sociologist Marc Smith calls "social cyberspaces."
According to Smith, social cyberspaces include e-mail, e-mail distribution lists, chat rooms, buddy lists, instant messages, message boards, weblogs "blogs"), and discussion groups such as Usenet. Today, most of these virtual spaces offer little or no "social accounting" data or information that helps users get a big-picture view of the community they are interacting with. Yet the role of social cyberspaces is becoming increasingly important.
"Technology no longer consists just of hardware or software or even services, but of communities," said Howard Rheingold, author of "The Virtual Community" and "Smart Mobs." "Increasingly, community is a part of technology, a driver of technology, and an emergent effect of technology."
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07-29-2003, 05:00 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 739
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I'm not sure if there is a need for technological fixes for this problem. To me, it seems like online spaces such as forums and blog comments (the two with which I am most familiar) function much like real life. Users build up a reputation, one which is not marked by anything tangible, but with which one becomes familiar as one becomes better acquainted with the group involved. I'm sure we can all think of PPCT forum members who regularly make helpful and/or interesting comments, as well as those who merely add noise.
I think the fewer rules or technological fixes, the better. Communities without such rules tend to become "self-policing" and give regular drubbings to their less-helpful members (I'm thinking specifically of Metafilter).
The role of human moderators also cannot be underestimated. (Thanks Kati and Steve!)
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07-29-2003, 05:03 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,264
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I don't know that I want Microsoft telling me who it thinks I should trust on a message board. "Social Accounting" just has a bad ring to it, very big brotherish. Trust is can only be earned through the social interaction that is required to reach that comfort level.
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07-29-2003, 05:06 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 183
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What about something like eBay's evaluation system? For newbees I can see where message board or newsgroup postings can be intimidating.
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07-29-2003, 05:07 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by fmcpherson
What about something like eBay's evaluation system? For newbees I can see where message board or newsgroup postings can be intimidating.
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Indeed. And sometimes the number of posts a person makes doesn't mean they're helpful - it just means they like talk a lot. :roll:
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07-29-2003, 05:11 PM
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Sage
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 784
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Quote:
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Originally Posted by fmcpherson
What about something like eBay's evaluation system? For newbees I can see where message board or newsgroup postings can be intimidating.
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Indeed. And sometimes the number of posts a person makes doesn't mean they're helpful - it just means they like talk a lot. :roll: |
*cough* Mr. 6664 posts *cough* 
__________________
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07-29-2003, 05:23 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 37
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As someone who reads and doesn't post much...
As someone who reads a lot and doesn't post much, :roll: I have something to add to this discussion and I'll keep it short.
It seems to me that the value offered by the more frequent posters, who provide useful information (not the ones creating noise), should be recognized. However this recognition should not and I think will not come from M$. Everytime M$ does something such as propose a system like this, the conspiract theorists come out of the woods to yell and scream, "BIG BROTHER".
Lets face it, the scheme on E-Bay works (to a certain degree). On the other hand, users who often get bad ratings come back and sign up with new name. So, in order for this to really work, there has to be some sort of solid identification scheme behind it all. In my mind, thats the real sleeping dragon that M$ wants. Passport!
There are very few organizations who can successfully pull of something on this scale. The US Government (read the US Post Office with their identity mgmt initiatives) and Microsoft. Because they are the only ones with enough visibility and enough users regular users. There will always be people who say passport like services = BIG BROTHER. But if we can agree that conceptually it is a good thing, than I think we're off to a good start.
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07-29-2003, 06:00 PM
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Oracle
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 952
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All the information you need to make those decisions are already available
All people have to do is read the boards. This whole push for instant gratification/validation is just lazy. What's wrong with plain old research?
Don't Panic!
Bobby
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07-29-2003, 06:05 PM
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,998
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I think this is overly complicated.
I think this analogy fits for most social situations (not just those in cybersapce): Lurk for a while and get a feel for the group, who the players are, etc. and then jump in!
Or:
:lurking: -----------------------> :soapbox: (which of course invariably leads to :nonono: )
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07-29-2003, 06:38 PM
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Thoughts Media Review Team
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 749
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I have to agree... this sounds a bit like a 'white tower academic' with far too much time on his hands.
As in real life, communication and experience with people will tell you pretty quickly which ones you go to for information, which ones you can 'just socialize with' and which ones to avoid. Trying to put technology in place to do this basic social skill seems a bit Orwellian to me.
Reading through the forums, contributing when you can, having some innocent fun when appropriate -- seems to be the whole point of the venture. Let's not turn this into someone's doctorate thesis social engineering project.
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/drt
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