Catchup: Google Chat, CSU Chat & Skpe.

Ok, I'm a little (read: big) bit behind right now and the exercises are inaccessible on the day I was going to do the lot. So for the sake of getting something done here's a rundown of my experiences with the last three applications we used.

Google Chat:
First impression for this one is that it is really NOT designed for large scale interaction. By that I mean, the way we assaulted it with a dozen people trying to chat in the teensy window in the bottom right hand corner of the screen. It's true you could float the window out to make viewing easier though. Getting the chat started was a little confusing as I wasn't even quite sure how to start a conversation with anyone, but my fallback plan of "click stuff until something happens" got a chat window open with Ash. Then we invited a few more people into the fray, and I have to say the ability for anyone in the chat to invite more people in made it easier to keep things flowing (otherwise I would have had to moderate the whole bloody thing).
Sound and video operated like I thought it would. Some people seemed to have trouble finding the buttons to push; they were just in the config menu of the chat window.

I think google chat will probably only ever rest in the private casual domain. Email and chat: text, audio and visual is an attractive compilation. Web based interface with multifaceted user ID is less attractive. I for one prefer my interaction methods to be external of a browser.

CSU Interact Chat:
MESSY! Messy messy messy. I think the main issues I have with this chat program can be softened with the knowledge that we simply had too many people in there. In this day and age that isn't really an acceptable excuse though. The refresh rate of chat messages was too slow and as such, with so many people in there, sometimes when it did refresh you would end up with a dozen new messages to read in a matter of seconds. Useful for small scale collaboration within the CSU pen, but there are much better alternatives out there.

Skype:
I wasn't able to be there for the meeting last Wednesday but I do use Skype very regularly and I have nothing but praise for the handy little app. I keep a subscription with it to make international phone calls to 40 different countries at no additional cost (/end sales plug). My partner and I use it to keep in contact on a daily basis while we're apart. We also leave each other messages using the chat feature built into it. It's pretty much the cream of the crop when it comes to chat programs. Comparatively I've used AIM, Windows Messenger and ICQ. Skype does all the rudimentary things each of these other clients does (sans the myriad advertisements) and is the best option for video audio and voip telephone.
So obviously I like skype...

Will get the topic exercises up when the page resurfaces.

Topic 1: Question 2 Folksonomy

What is a folksonomy?
An internet enabled way for many people to contribute to the categorization of content.
Ironically, I found out what a folksonomy was from Wikipedia.

As for constructing one I honestly don't know where to start. Without the need or a reason to start one I'm at a loss...

Etherpad

I thought I'd write up my experience of Etherpad before it gets too stale in my mind.

My initial impression of it was that it reminded me of the old telnet games I used to play in high school. I remember people describing them as "multiplayer notepad". That's basically what etherpad is.

I've already said a few time (in etherpad and the forums) that etherpad would be great for group project work in software development: load in a module of source code and let several coders go to town on it touching it up.
Or it would also be useful for editing pieces of literature.
Pretty much any collaborative piece of writing.

To summarize: I like it.
It's lightweight and powerful.

Trying to get through topic 1

As you may have noticed I posted my responses to topic 1 question 1 just before this.

I'm working on the others as I write this (well not simultaneously, I only have two hands).

So far I have to say I really like how this subject flows: Learning by experience. Instead of studying endless manuals and readings about online communities and social networking. There is a bit that goes with it obviously. I love playing with new pieces of software and imagining their possible applications.

T. Banks

OLR Task 1

OLR Exercise 1:

What is social networking? How does it compare with your ideas about online communities?

A dictionary definition of social networking, obtained from dictionary.com:
“The use of a website to connect with people who share personal or professional interests, place of origin, education at a particular school, etc”

I know, “way to captivate an audience, use a dictionary definition as your opener!”

What do I know about social networking? I’ve been participating in social networks and online communities since I was 13 years old. It’s a little bit like asking: “what do I know about the things I do on a daily basis?” I take a lot of it for granted.

A history off the top of my head:
I used to play online multiplayer flash games on a 56k modem.
Multi User Dungeons via telnet clients.
ICQ & MSN Messenger to keep in touch with people I knew (and some I didn’t).
We got broadband at home then I started playing more bandwidth intensive games online. Granted this didn’t lead to much social networking initially.
I started using STEAM a gamer’s social network program developed by VALVE which gave gamers many more social networking options. I still use STEAM, almost exclusively for games nowadays.
My circle of friends use Teamspeak, a VOIP program that allows us voice communication regardless of what we are doing.
I played World of Warcraft for a couple of years during which I met many different people from many different countries, some of which I still have contact with even though I don’t play anymore.
I’m presently in a relationship with a lovely lady from Seattle whom I met through a geek oriented dating site. We converse daily using skype.

So you can see I’ve had a pretty online community saturated life so far.
What I hope to get out of this subject is opportunities to apply aspects of social networking to whichever field I end up working in. Hopefully teaching, but I’m open to possibilities.

The article I read for reference sake is:

Motivations for Social Networking at Work

Joan DiMicco, David R. Millen, Werner Geyer,

Casey Dugan, Beth Brownholtz, Michael Muller

This article is about using social networking tools within the workplace to enhance morale and productivity. A particular focus is on the difference between internet and intranet communication. This article paints social networking as a facility for social growth in the workplace. Co-workers that wouldn’t necessarily see each other in a typical workday have the opportunity to communicate. More ideas get circulated and the strength of the team may be enhanced.

A Life-Cycle Perspective on Online Community Success

ALICIA IRIBERRI and GONDY LEROY

Claremont Graduate University

This article examines what makes an online community tick. How they start and how and why they deteriorate. The factor that seems to play the biggest role in an online community’s lifecycle is its ability to evolve with the users to continually facilitate the social needs in accordance with the technology available at the time. I.e. Technology evolves our interactions. There are boundless opportunities for sociology studies wrapped up in this concept.

The process of social networking leads to the establishment of online communities.

The first facilitates the second.

I know it’s not enough to say that just having the technology means the demand will be there though. When using social networking to form an online community achieves a useful or at the very least, entertaining, end is, I think, the catalyst.