Clay Shirky on social software

[annemehr]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" 
<drednort at a...> wrote:
> On 6 Jul 2003 at 16:08, David wrote:
> 
> > You can argue that some of the post-reading strategies recently 
> > discussed can achieve much of that, in effect by selecting posts 
by 
> > author rather than topic, but I'm not sure it works for everyone.
> 
> I also wonder what they do to the rest of the group. When people 
seek out 
> the posters they enjoy reading using the search engines, over 
time, it 
> seems to me you can end up with very cliquish behaviour on the 
list. 
> Where certain cores of people are discussing things among 
themselves, 
> and a large group of people circle around listening, but are never 
heard 
> because they're not on peoples lists of worthwhile posters - and 
never will 
> be because those people are not reading what they have to say.
> 
> I can certainly understand why people need to use certain 
strategies to 
> read such a high volume list, but I think there is a potential for 
real 
> problems there.

I'm not too worried just now (listen to me, I'm 2000 posts behind on 
the main list...), because I figure both the memebership and post 
volume are bound to drop.  After all, some will decide this group is 
just not their cup of tea, and soon enough the avalanche of messages 
will slack off as the rest of us pause to dig deeper than our first 
thoughts on OoP.  I hope people will not be unsubbing just because 
there are too many messages.  Hang in there, it will get easier!  
And keep in mind, just because someone's message may not get a reply 
doesn't actually mean that no one was interested -- they just may 
not have had anything to add or argue with, or these days, they may 
have seen much the same idea already posted in the avalanche!

I just think it's too soon to worry about changing the parameters of 
the group.

Annemehr
off to the main list to see how much further behind I've gotten