XZIST.org Blog

Twitter is blogging for the masses.

Except, there is no requirement to write anything long, or that what is written should be of any great value. They are throwaway posts to be lost in the ether. Likewise, myspace etc.. were somewhat like websites for the masses. The user’s page on the web.

So can other geek-only things can be brought to the masses?

Criteria to identify suitable things:

• a thing that expresses a person’s identity on the web, allows them to communicate, voice their ideas
• and yet is geeky: requires high levels of technical skill, or great investment in time to use

Bringing those things to the masses:

• make the user generated content throwaway. Quick to create (with many avenues for creation, e.g. mobile devices)
• make the concept watered down and very easy to use, following the conventions of other systems
• easy to use “following” mechanic. Social links, a “friends” or “contacts” system.
• user followed content is easily accessible. All content from friends in one place. *Readable* from many avenues.

Ideas for things:

• forums? A simple way of mass discussions? Can they be made any simpler? (somehow simpler even than the Yahoo Answers types of things…)
• does a twitter-of-video exist? One would expect so… But is it as simple to use as Twitter? How can it be improved? (especially the act of creating videos – ease of use and different avenues…). Video blogging for the masses.
• a stat gathering system for social network websites. Would have to use embedded images or something, so stats would be limited. If the visitor uses the system too, maybe can get actual names…

Other thoughts:

• With Twitter, the throwaway nature of content is expressly enforced with the character limit. Anyone can achieve one line of text, nobody feels left out. No one can feel that their comments are inferior, with everyone limited in the same way.
• text based is the most common form of user generated content as everyone can write. Maybe that is required for mass appeal.
• Voice and video? In the real world, these are better than text, but in the world of computers they require the appropriate hardware, which may be difficult to set up. Thus they do not have *mass* appeal (although numbers could still be high).
• Surely, one day there will be a watershed when every gadget has a microphone and camera built in. When that day comes, there should be a lot of new possibilities. Then again, maybe a “killer app” is required to drive the gadget manufacturers. Something that’s amazing to use, but requires a camera. It’s a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. But progress will continue in its usual schizophrenic spurts.
• it is implied that there would be many avenues for creation or consumption of content. The main reason for this is so the user can use the avenue they are most comfortable with.
• different avenues, along with convenience, may be tied in with ease of use: content creation using a device the user is more familiar with, or a device that is designed for ease of use. A telephone to make voice posts. Updates by txt msg.
• there’s an interesting google talk about game mechanics in software
• it’s all simply about making technology more accessible
• Creation and consumption on a clear one-to-one basis. No overwhelming friend-me-friend-you malarkey, no interactions with non-friends, and thus no spam and less cruft.