Comments on: How social networking sites are like Christmas cards in May http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/ Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:48:57 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: David Murray http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-84 David Murray Thu, 24 May 2007 18:27:02 +0000 http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/#comment-84 Tom-- Agreed: The spat is dumb. I'll look into your good suggestion regarding comments. Would welcome commentary on MyRagan from anyone who's experienced it, David Tom–

Agreed: The spat is dumb.

I’ll look into your good suggestion regarding comments.

Would welcome commentary on MyRagan from anyone who’s experienced it,

David

]]> By: Tom Keefe http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-83 Tom Keefe Thu, 24 May 2007 18:01:38 +0000 http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/#comment-83 That's good to hear, David. I know how hard you and everyone at Ragan have been working on the MyRagan site (you might think of it as being fun, but it is a lot of work, nevertheless). Because this is "your baby," you're going to look at it differently than someone like me, who is a less-invested participant. That's another way to look at this: A parent of a newborn is going to put in long hours and get both physically and emotionally tired. But most parents brush off the tiredness as being inconsequential in exchange for the miracle of the child for which they have been given responsibility. However, have that parent drive the kid three blocks away, knock on a stranger's door (forget about DCFS temporarily, okay?) and ask them to change the diapers, make the formula and keep the kid alive for a while…the strangers won't have the same emotional attachment to keep going when the batteries start to run down. Even if the child is brought to a day-care center where the workers would have made a conscious decision to care for the child, and, after-hours, you would get an earful if you sat next to the day-care worker away from the job. It's going to work the same way at MyRagan, The Communicators' Network and any other social networking site that pops up. People will participate and feel satisfied so long as the rewards they receive for their participation are greater than the energy they need to give to participate. As a total outsider, I have been turned off by the spat that I refer to in my post. It isn't enough to drive me away, but I don't want to hang around a place where I feel that people are being too selfish, self-seeking or self-involved. That holds true in my workplace, my church, my neighborhood and certainly in any social networking site. Anyway, keep going, because the potential is great for MyRagan. One small suggestion: Can you find a way to show more of each comment or post, so that we can quickly scan the content of each message without having to open each one in turn? That’s good to hear, David. I know how hard you and everyone at Ragan have been working on the MyRagan site (you might think of it as being fun, but it is a lot of work, nevertheless). Because this is “your baby,” you’re going to look at it differently than someone like me, who is a less-invested participant. That’s another way to look at this: A parent of a newborn is going to put in long hours and get both physically and emotionally tired. But most parents brush off the tiredness as being inconsequential in exchange for the miracle of the child for which they have been given responsibility.

However, have that parent drive the kid three blocks away, knock on a stranger’s door (forget about DCFS temporarily, okay?) and ask them to change the diapers, make the formula and keep the kid alive for a while…the strangers won’t have the same emotional attachment to keep going when the batteries start to run down. Even if the child is brought to a day-care center where the workers would have made a conscious decision to care for the child, and, after-hours, you would get an earful if you sat next to the day-care worker away from the job.

It’s going to work the same way at MyRagan, The Communicators’ Network and any other social networking site that pops up. People will participate and feel satisfied so long as the rewards they receive for their participation are greater than the energy they need to give to participate.

As a total outsider, I have been turned off by the spat that I refer to in my post. It isn’t enough to drive me away, but I don’t want to hang around a place where I feel that people are being too selfish, self-seeking or self-involved. That holds true in my workplace, my church, my neighborhood and certainly in any social networking site.

Anyway, keep going, because the potential is great for MyRagan. One small suggestion: Can you find a way to show more of each comment or post, so that we can quickly scan the content of each message without having to open each one in turn?

]]> By: David Murray http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-82 David Murray Thu, 24 May 2007 16:15:52 +0000 http://www.commakazispeek.com/blog/2007/05/23/how-social-networking-sites-are-like-christmas-cards-in-may/#comment-82 Tom: Thoughtful post. As MyRagan's managing editor, I'm troubled to hear this report re. your emotional energy. We have lots of evidence that your feeling isn't universal--I think for many of our members, this is and will for sometime remain the ONLY social networking site they're participating in, while you're a big blog reader and blogger--but I will take this into account as I make decisions about organizing the site. MyRagan should feel like a conversation, not like a job. I can assure you, however, the love ain't gone. We are having a blast with this! Best regards, David Murray, Managing Editor MyRagan.com Tom: Thoughtful post. As MyRagan’s managing editor, I’m troubled to hear this report re. your emotional energy. We have lots of evidence that your feeling isn’t universal–I think for many of our members, this is and will for sometime remain the ONLY social networking site they’re participating in, while you’re a big blog reader and blogger–but I will take this into account as I make decisions about organizing the site. MyRagan should feel like a conversation, not like a job.

I can assure you, however, the love ain’t gone. We are having a blast with this!

Best regards,

David Murray, Managing Editor
MyRagan.com

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