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.