Iamthefallen's Journal: Thoughts on Multiply

Yes, I created an account. Same name as here, no linky, because I can't visit it from work.

Strike one. Not starting off well here. Not being able to use the site from work means reading it only at night. Odds of that happening on a regular basis are fairly slim.

But I created an account, at least to reserve the name, and I'll give it a shot. I'm not planning to move over and quit Slashdot, because well, I read Slashdot anyway.

For all our complaints, Slashdot's suckage is a topic of conversation. It's like talking about the weather, "Hey look, Wednesdays update broke the server again". There are a lot of garbage articles, poor editorials, and trolling, but there are still enough tech discussions with knowledgeable posters to keep my interest. People also pull articles from the front page and bring them into the journal for discussion.

I think this external input is important to sustaining a community.

The Slashdot journal system has served not just as a blog, but as an extension of other Slashdot articles. It's the private discussion after the town hall meeting is over. But if the discussion instead comes largely from random external sources like news sites or aggregators, I very strongly doubt they will gather much interest. I don't want to visit 20 different sites to read whatever you're posting about. Again, the whole at-work thing.

I know my life isn't interesting enough to warrant daily updates, and while some you live a life of minute-to-minute non-stop never ending action, I think the same holds true for many in the circle. An update every few weeks or months is good enough.

Strike two, Slashdot provides a place where I can read tech news, articles, and reviews, and keep up with the lives of friends. Multiply is one more site to keep up with.

The basic problem is that if there isn't a critical mass of readers on Slashdot, posting here is just me talking to myself.

Strike three, if posting on Slashdot is pointless, and using Multiply at work isn't an option, this means that I and I'm sure some more with me, will pretty much go quiet except for the occasional "Hey look at what my kids did last week" posts.

I'm not posting this because I want people to beg me to come over. Nor do I have the delusion that my situation would change the direction the circle is going. This is just a heads-up not to expect to hear much from me anymore if indeed Multiply becomes the new home.

I think the end result of Multiply will, ironically enough, be a divide in the circle that will lead to atrophy.

Maybe I'm wrong and just fear change, it's a possibility too.

Also...

[Otter]

I'm not digital enough for Multiply to be of value for me. It's for youngsters who post photos and video of themselves every day.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

well

[stoolpigeon]

i'm not leaving -- so at the worst, you'll be talking to yourself and one other.
 
i set up an account over there, but the more i think about it the less i am inclined to use it.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

i agree...

[ak3ldama]

slashdot despite flaws still works. and it definitely works well enough to keep visiting it. too be honest though: i think for many /. people multiply is a great outlet for their typical blogging needs. I know I've dropped people from being friends cause they made dumb JEs all the time. But the single greatest aspect of /. is the discussion system is probably the best you're ever going to see (at least for another 5 - 10 years).

Too be honest I am surprised that most of these people stayed here so long, w

Re:

[Iamthefallen]

To me what's appealing is the mix of the two. The social blogging and the technical discussions. There are better places for each, but I don't think there's any other place that supports both and has such a large contributing user base.

I like it for posting photos.

[Some Woman]

But beyond that, it doesn't have a lot of value for me. I also can only read it at home. Granted, I might be able to do that more often now that we cut our cable off and the only needy creature with whom I live really enjoys sitting at the computer with me. Probably because that's where I eat my post-work snack.

I concur

[NeMon'ess]

If we cut ourselves off from slashdot, there's going to be very little left of the journal circle after a few years of people disappearing.

Re:

[donatello]

Social networks, be they electronic or meatspace are dynamic. Things change, people change. Whether by force or the natural ebb and flow of life, who used to be your friends are no longer. People you used to not care for are less offensive for whatever reason. If it splits, and one half dies... Sad, but inevitable.

Re:

[NeMon'ess]

Yes, but at least on slashdot there's new people who are tech-inclined who find the journal circle to replace those that have left. Hopefully enough people will dual-post on both sites to help new people join and migrate.