The Problem With Social Software

January 01, 2004 5 | Comments (Closed)

Or, My Real Friends Don’t Have Web Sites.

I’ve been thinking about the various applications of social software lately. With all the activity happening around Linkedin, the emergence of some very interesting technologies like FOAF and XFN and other interesting ideas about social software, it’s been hard not to think about this stuff.

In my mind the Web is all about people. One of the best things about the Web is how it can bring folks together. These kind of ideas are great and with a little time and effort could be come a part of our everyday lives.

Well, at least the lives of us “wired” folks.

I was looking at XFN for example. It’s a very straightforward, very compelling way to represent personal relationships via hyperlinks. It’s easy and I think could be very powerful.

The problem with it is that I’ve not actually “met” (which is one of the key meta descriptions in XFN) most of the folks that I link to. At least not in the “real” world. Now, I hope to change that soon, but for now all I have is “online” friends to link to.

None of my “real” friends — you know, the ones who I go have a beer with, watch football with, celebrate New Years with — have Web sites. I’ve got a few work friends who do, but that’s it.

It’s not that I don’t consider people I’ve met online to be friends. Of course I do. But at the same time, knowing someone online isn’t the same as knowing someone in person. I really believe that even in a virtual space it’s important to go through the act of getting to know a person. An “about” page or “bio” page just doesn’t cut it.

The idea of social software is great, don’t get me wrong, I just wish I could make better use of it right now. I wish there were more of my friends online so I could connect with them. I wish my “real” friends had Web sites.

I guess I’ll just need to start working on turning “online” friends into “real” friends.

Filed under: Web General

Comments

1. Simon Willison said:

Part of the reasons things like LinkedIn and Friendster are so popular is that you don’t need a website to participate. I much prefer decentralised social networking solutions that don’t rely on a single company (things like FOAF and XFN) but until everyone in the world has their own website solutions like Friendster will remain much more practical.

Incidentally, although many of my friends don’t have their own website ALL of them are web-savvy enough to be able to use a Friendster account.

Posted on January 1, 2004 03:00 PM | #

2. Yvonne Adams said:

I added XFN info to my site, even though I only have 2 “met” links to date, and those were only in passing at SxSW. If there was a set of rules that accomodated more of how most of us actually relate, such as “list-css-d” or “frequent-comment” it might be more useful.

Unlike Simon, most of my friends that don’t have websites wouldn’t bother with a Friendster account. New Mexico has a few vocal people in the web world, but the vast majority don’t show any interest in social software. This was actually the main reason I did decide to try XFN – to try to force myself to connect more at those times when I have the opportunity to turn “online” acquaintances into “real” friends.

Posted on January 1, 2004 04:07 PM | #

3. Nick Finck said:

Hopfully this will change in March during SXSW. We’ll go have some beers, watch some football (or at least kickball) and celebrate another year of SXSW (and for me personally, another year in age). Your list of people who are friends online who you have yet to meet will change quite a bit just in those three or so days.

Posted on January 2, 2004 09:31 AM | #

4. Keith said:

Too true! I’m very excited for SXSW.

I guess there is something to all this stuff afterall. Here is a little update/story for y’all.

The Seattle Times had a piece on this earlier this week as well. It is a hot topic!

What’s more I got this link via Eric – who just happens to be one of my LinkedIn connections, very involved with XFN and someone I’ve actually met in person.

As to Simon’s point. He’s right. I could have my friends sign up for Friendster or LinkedIn. I just feel that something like XFN, where I can use my own site to connect with folks, is more appealing I guess.

Maybe I’m a control freak, or maybe it just seems more “personal” that way.

ANYWAY – it’s all very interesting to me and I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

Posted on January 2, 2004 09:55 AM | #