Comments on: Structural Social Network Theory http://www.centernetworks.com/social-network-theory Web 2 and Social Media News and Reviews Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:50:56 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Nick Bouton http://www.centernetworks.com/social-network-theory/comment-page-#comment-18432 Nick Bouton Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18432 Excellent point. Establishing value aside from just the U2U interactions is key in maintaining interest in a social network. This is why I think niche-market social networks and edge communities that are built around a specific task (*cough*, like writing collaborative fiction - http://www.protagonize.com) are built to last. The more traditional social networks that don't have a huge amount of added value are prone to fads and trends. Though I think they're also more affected by Metcalfe's Law in this case because they create less dependency in their users. In this case, Facebook's hook/pillar is probably a combination of the ability to send mass mail to friends, and events management... that's a value-add that is hard to replace on other systems (like Evite.com, for instance) due solely to the amount of friends most people already have on Facebook. -nick / protagonize.com Excellent point. Establishing value aside from just the U2U interactions is key in maintaining interest in a social network. This is why I think niche-market social networks and edge communities that are built around a specific task (*cough*, like writing collaborative fiction – http://www.protagonize.com) are built to last. The more traditional social networks that don’t have a huge amount of added value are prone to fads and trends. Though I think they’re also more affected by Metcalfe’s Law in this case because they create less dependency in their users.

In this case, Facebook’s hook/pillar is probably a combination of the ability to send mass mail to friends, and events management… that’s a value-add that is hard to replace on other systems (like Evite.com, for instance) due solely to the amount of friends most people already have on Facebook.

-nick / protagonize.com

]]> By: Greg Schnese http://www.centernetworks.com/social-network-theory/comment-page-#comment-18435 Greg Schnese Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18435 @Nick I question whether Facebook's mass email/events management features are pillars. Are they useful because they perform a task well or are the useful because your friends are on FB (which makes these features convenient)? If users leave, do these services become less useful? If so, they probably aren't pillars. They sound more like base features that social networks need to have, because users expect them. @Ian I having a hard time understanding your comment. I'm certainly not claiming that a network's value increases and decreases at the same time. Think about it like this, you're at a party (to use Andrew's example) and people start to leave. As people leave, the value of the party shrinks because there are fewer people to talk to. How can you prevent people from leaving? Maybe you offer free food/drinks or get a cool band; these act as pillars. These pillars provide a reason for people to stay. Sure, some might leave, but the rate at which they leave should be decreased and you might even attract some new people. The goal of pillars is to prevent people from jumping ship. @Nick

I question whether Facebook’s mass email/events management features are pillars. Are they useful because they perform a task well or are the useful because your friends are on FB (which makes these features convenient)? If users leave, do these services become less useful? If so, they probably aren’t pillars. They sound more like base features that social networks need to have, because users expect them.

@Ian

I having a hard time understanding your comment. I’m certainly not claiming that a network’s value increases and decreases at the same time.

Think about it like this, you’re at a party (to use Andrew’s example) and people start to leave. As people leave, the value of the party shrinks because there are fewer people to talk to. How can you prevent people from leaving? Maybe you offer free food/drinks or get a cool band; these act as pillars. These pillars provide a reason for people to stay. Sure, some might leave, but the rate at which they leave should be decreased and you might even attract some new people. The goal of pillars is to prevent people from jumping ship.

]]> By: Seb Benthall http://www.centernetworks.com/social-network-theory/comment-page-#comment-18443 Seb Benthall Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18443 Seriously. Ian Kemmish is right on the money. What's ironic is that the writer could totally have gotten away with it if it hadn't been for the half-hearted appeal to authority of mathematics/science/whatever. "OMG maths. This article is way serious." But wait! It's really an argument by analogy! Also..."FaceBook." Really? Seriously. Ian Kemmish is right on the money.

What’s ironic is that the writer could totally have gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for the half-hearted appeal to authority of mathematics/science/whatever. “OMG maths. This article is way serious.”

But wait! It’s really an argument by analogy!

Also…”FaceBook.” Really?

]]> By: Ian Kemmish http://www.centernetworks.com/social-network-theory/comment-page-#comment-18659 Ian Kemmish Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-18659 Make your mind up. Either the value grows and shrinks quadratically, or it does so exponentially. Not both. And CERTAINLY not both in the same sentence. This is shoddy work. A schoolchild would be ashamed to hand it in. Make your mind up. Either the value grows and shrinks quadratically, or it does so exponentially. Not both. And CERTAINLY not both in the same sentence.

This is shoddy work. A schoolchild would be ashamed to hand it in.

]]> By: Abhishek http://www.centernetworks.com/social-network-theory/comment-page-#comment-21604 Abhishek Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-21604 The central argument to explaining why social networks are so successful now is that users get to create content; not just passively consume it. Even the process of consumption now has discussions and views and arguments and counter arguments. This level of engagement is what powers the social networks to grow.. The central argument to explaining why social networks are so successful now is that users get to create content; not just passively consume it. Even the process of consumption now has discussions and views and arguments and counter arguments. This level of engagement is what powers the social networks to grow..

]]>