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The Social Networker

Covering all things in the Social Software industry and networks


TheSocialGeeks Episode 12 - The Return of the UnexpectedJanuary 5
Going live tonight for year end TheSocialGeeks podcastDecember 30 2008
Join in and listen and interact live, details inside for Talkshoe
Virtual Gratification Syndrome (VGS) - Social Network RefugeeDecember 10 2008
  • You have become lost and disoriented.
  • You are not sure where to log in and where to create a new account.
  • You are unsure what to do with all this content you have published and gathered over the past year to longer.
  • Where did your friends go?
  • Will you be able to find them?
  • Could you make new friends?
  • Holy crap I lost my status as king of that network !!

You are now officially a refugee from a closed and shuttered social network and an immediate sufferer to Virtual Gratification Syndrome (VGS).  The recent closing of Pownce prompted me to consider this emerging area.  Many people are currently being left stranded without a home after their social network folds and closes or worse yet moves to some bizarre paid account scenario when everyone thought it would be ad supported at best.

So what happens to your content?  You either find some way to download and export it, have it already saved locally and have to re-import or another site comes along and offers a migration toolset to get you on to their platform.  This goes back to something I have been preaching about data stability (announcement coming shortly in that area).
  • What responsibility does the network have to give us notice and proper access to obtai




TheSocialGeeks Episode 11 - The OverachieverDecember 5 2008
DimDim - easy online meetings for those not brightDecember 4 2008
With the numerous enterprise meeting applications out there, from Webex to Lotus Sametime, all companies are looking for a way to streamline the ability to have good quality online meetings.  Now I am not saying that DimDim is the answer for everyone, but a recent move they made makes them a smart choice.

I tested DimDim some time ago, and the personal account remains free (up to 20 attendees) now that they are not in beta.  DimDim provides all the features you want:
  • screen sharing
  • video
  • broadcasting
  • VOIP
  • multiple presenters
  • private and public chat
  • recording and archiving
  • this list really goes on....
sheesh, go look at the long list of things you can do with it.

Here is the kicker to the whole thing.  While you can buy an enterprise hosted model. they decided to also release an open source version you can install on your own servers and manage in house.  Tap that on with Claroline, an open source education tool, and you can stick this product into any company or school for a winning result.

I have used it now a few times with great success and to see an open source model really strikes against items like Lotus Sametime and it's