Bob Jacobson says in the comments of this David Weinberger Many 2 Many post about SmartCommons:<blockquote>…the idea that we socially network online better with those with whom we socially network offline: why is that novel?</blockquote>My response would be I don’t know why it is but, sadly, I think it may be, at least in the way we have approached “social software” thus far..
I like what Dan says today:<blockquote>Social Software can be a daunting label that means very little. The social in “social software” just means that your friends are involved. In actual fact the software is the junior partner in the whole social software thing.
Community is the human killer app. We survive, reproduce and thrive in communities. We create and distribute actual social software (“culture”) through communities. We cannot know ourselves outside of the communal narratives that are the raw materials we use to individuate ourselves.
I am in community therefore I am.
Friends are the substrate that make up larger communities. Social software is about optimizing, whenever digital facilitation is deemed useful, what already occurs between friends.</blockquote>Again, cribbing from Dan’s post…Friends:<ul><li>Searching for friends: Click on the Friends tab and, once you are logged in, proceed to the bottom right corner of the screen where you can search for people you know and, if they are located, tap the “Add as friend” button to add them to your commons (the other person has to agree of course).</li><li>Inviting friends: …by email is an easy way to include your family and friends in your commons. Again, you simply click on the Friends tab and, once you are logged in, proceed to the bottom left corner of the screen where you can enter a friend’s first name and email address. A short email will be sent off to them and, should they accept your invitation, they will be added to you Friends list automatically.</li></ul>Bob continues in his comments on Many 2 Many:<blockquote>…while I’d like for all my offline friends to be online-accessible, I don’t think I’d like to tie them together quite so ruthlessly. Many (I’m sure) like me for one aspect of my self, not necessarily the whole package.</blockquote>Oh shazam, the segue! Tomorrow: SmartCommons “Personas” …