Community networks are the latest trend on the Internet right now. They involve organizing individuals together into groups through the use of a single website as a medium.
Sites like Friendster.com and MySpace.com put you at the center of your own social network, from which you are connected to your friends, and to your friends friend’s and so on in a very linear fashion.
Tribe.net and Orkut.com have similar principals, but allow you to join communities of different interests. The names a few communities I am a part of are: Linux, NBLUG, Sonoma State University, and Gardens and Gardening.
Communities have the advantage of being able to convey to other people a little bit of information about you and your interests. They also allow you to participate in a group setting with like minded strangers.
In my opinion community websites without the ability to participate in communities outside of your immediate circle of friends are pointless. They do not allow you to meet and converse with new people except when they are already in your friend path. You are unable to group friends, organize events, or create new community groups (something you can do with both Orkut.com and Tribe.net). The only reason for sites like Friendster.com and MySpace.com seems to be for people to try and hook-up and make some attempt at romantic engagements, something I am not at all interested in.
Once you join Orkut and/or Tribe, you can find me through these links to my profile on each respective site:
My Tribe.net profile page.
Update (2004.04.08): I am dropping the Tribe.net account.
I heard from a reliable friend that the initial purpose of Friendster was, in fact, for hooking up. The creator of the site had been dumped by his girlfriend so he created Friendster to meet women. Dunno how much truth is behind that, but given the guy’s outburst towards people who post profiles for animals or celebrities, it makes sense.
Like Hell I’m going to join a billion different services. I can hardly keep track of my actual friends without trying to make virtual ones out of tenuous links (“You know John!? My friend’s ex-roommate is his third cousin! We have so much in common…”)
Plus, it’s pretty much a given that Friendster is going to win the standards battle through their brilliant use of finding a name with “-ster” on the end. Everyone knows that stuff like that is cool and tech.
Just join Orkut. There are plenty of fun and interesting communities that you can particpate in and learn from.
I’d join Orkut if someone would invite me.
(yes, that’s a subtle hint. Or perhaps not so subtle.)
Can anyone invite me to join Orkut Service..??
awaissahmed@hotmail.com