December 02, 2003

Building Online Communities - This was posted at the bottom of an older thread and I thought that it was worth a FPP. It's a little more formal than we are, but I think these ideas are good to think about earlier rather than later.
posted by Kimberly 20 years ago
  • OK, so Kimberly and I must be on some weird common wavelength. I beat her to the punch the Santa blog, and then she beats me to the punch on Online Communities. Even weirder, I check my referrer log on my personal blog, and there are referrals from her personal blog when she posted a link to my site. That, even with no mention anywhere here in monkeyville of my site or even the same email. *checks for hidden cameras and spyware, starts building tin-foil hat*
  • It's amazing how much of this can be applied to metafilter and even to here. I love the section about users, their (our?) sense of ownership and shared history. That there is exactly what's happened at metafilter - the prime indicator being the vast quantity of injokes. It also gives me some ideas for the FAQ, which I'll stick in my blog when I feel productive.
  • Excellent post, Kimberly. (Send a copy over to MeFi)...
  • Lines beg to be crossed by their very existance. "Look," they cry out to the viewer, "suddenly the world is divided into two, with every good, fun, thing on the far side of me. Oh, and a few bad things as well. But you can ignore those, look at the nice candy I have. Closer, closer, yes that's it. Ha! Now you have gingivitis!"
  • A tinfoil hat won't save you Scott. Mwooohahahahaha!!! Seriously though, I think this is a realistic look at how online communities develop and respond and I think the guidelines included will help us develop FAQ's and a general sense of purpose. I hope everyone reads it--if only to think about the community with a little more depth.
  • An interesting commentary for IRL communities and committees as well. /obvious
  • Hmmmm Pez, Monkeyfilter comparable to the joy of gingivitis? Much better than a burning rectal itch.
  • MonkeyFilter: Much better than a burning rectal itch. [sidenote] Is it time to start the obligatory slogans or shall that remain within the MeFi universe? [/sidenote]
  • Well, we've got overlap between the two. Go with what feels right. I guess I've always felt that the general purpose of things is to be. Maps are for people who think getting hopelessly lost and running from crazed eldritch figures at midnight as the moon darts in and out of view from behind the clouds is a bad idea. Half the fun is in the getting there, blah blah blah. MonkeyFilter: Cheap, but not as cheap as your mother.
  • "Exist For a Reason" oh my. far too zen for me.
  • Great article, Kimberly! I did get a kick out of this line, though: I'm not a professionally-trained sociologist, nor is this formal research. I do find my conclusions accurate, though.
  • Some interesting points, but this fellow is a tragically awful writer. His Perl, on the other hand, is probably lovely.
  • Just take a quick nap...
  • Just take a quick nap... Excellent said the tortoise.