Social Groups

[deathfxu]

I was looking around in the Social Groups section and am interested in starting a new group. However, I could not find options to create one. Is it a restricted/semi-functioning feature?

If it is restricted, can we look into getting that changed?

Thanks guys.

[brad jones]

You need to be a power poster to create a social group. If you are not a power poster, then feel free to suggest a social group and one of the power posters might be willing to create it.

We need to look at the rules for joining and posting to groups. I think everyone should be able to join groups and I'm not sure we currently have it set up that way...

Brad!

[Nightwalker83]

deathfxu,

What social group do you want created? I can create it for you.

[deathfxu]

I would like a group for vb6 overacheivers. For people "determined to bend the limitations of vb6 to their breaking point". I have been trying to think of some clever name, but nothing has come to me yet.

Thanks tons NightWalker!


Also, I completely agree with brad jones. Social Groups are a great feature that I think could really catch on if made available to everyone.

Reply to this thread if you agree!

[Nightwalker83]

Done! If you have a picture you want for the social group image just post the url here and I'll add it to the group.

Here is the group:

VB6 Overachievers

[deathfxu]

Thanks tons nightwalker! Much appreciated!

[deathfxu]

If you can use this as the image for the time being, i'd really appreciate it. Thanks tons again!


http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_3...75866Uc1r1.jpg

[Nightwalker83]

If you can use this as the image for the time being, i'd really appreciate it. Thanks tons again!

Done! Just had to reduce the size of the image I used was 175*175pixels instead of the original 300*300pixels and is a gif instead of a jpg.

[dclamp]

Also, I completely agree with brad jones. Social Groups are a great feature that I think could really catch on if made available to everyone.

Reply to this thread if you agree!

I actually disagree. Because then we will be having uncommitted forum members create groups that may not be necessary. I think that all the groups should serve a purpose.

The first thing that comes to mind is a young (<14) member joining, making some posts, making random groups that no one joins, and posting threads in forums for people to join them.

Just my opinion.

[penagate]

I believe Brad meant that everyone should be able to join groups, but only privileged members would be able to create groups.

[brad jones]

I believe Brad meant that everyone should be able to join groups, but only privileged members would be able to create groups.

correct sorry for any confusion.

[deathfxu]

Have you guys seen how social group systems are managed on www.ning.com or www.myspace.com? Groups on there have become massive, very active communities because they opened the flood gates and allowed anyone to make them.

If the worst case scenario is that there will be some dead groups, is that really so bad? People just won't join dead groups (or they will and revitalize them). Websites like Ning were created because of the popularity of the sub-feature of social groups on other sites, and it now has over 8 million users.

This issue is like the difference between it being a "pretty ribbon" feature on the site, or it being it's own active community aside the forums. The only way you can lose here is to underestimate the market trend.

But it's not up to me. Just throwing out my two cents as someone who cares about the website.

[brad jones]

Yes, I'm fully familar with Ning and groups on other social networks. Check out my interview with Gina Bianchini in my book Web 2.0 Heroes. She is the key person at Ning.

The reason we limit who can make them is to make sure the person starting the group is going to stick around. If we opened up groups to everyone, then you'd have groups started tomorrow on using "Product XYZ" and "going to Spammer site ZYX."

The main forums are the primary focus here. In many ways, our forums are like basic gropus

In summary - we hear you. The moderators can bring this up internally and suggest changes. If they suggest changes, we will take them seriously.

Brad!

[JPnyc]

Have you guys seen how social group systems are managed on www.ning.com or www.myspace.com? Groups on there have become massive, very active communities because they opened the flood gates and allowed anyone to make them.

If the worst case scenario is that there will be some dead groups, is that really so bad? People just won't join dead groups (or they will and revitalize them). Websites like Ning were created because of the popularity of the sub-feature of social groups on other sites, and it now has over 8 million users.

This issue is like the difference between it being a "pretty ribbon" feature on the site, or it being it's own active community aside the forums. The only way you can lose here is to underestimate the market trend.

But it's not up to me. Just throwing out my two cents as someone who cares about the website.

well actually that's not the worst case scenario. The worst-case scenario is that, if everyone including brand-new registrants is allowed to create groups, you will see a massive spam fest, because it's much harder to moderate groups. Each one is almost like a separate forum category onto itself, and they are hidden from our sight until we actually specifically go to view them. It's not like forum categories where we can view them all by loading the main page.

[deathfxu]

That all makes sense.

Maybe I just over-stated my point. I just had a group made and it was group number ten (ten groups made in the entire life-span of this website, which is over a decade now). So it would seem this feature is just a tad under-utilized.

Maybe, as with most things, there is a happy middle-ground here.

Regardless, just bringing it to your attention. Thanks guys.

[FunkyDexter]

This site isn't MySpace and I don't think we'd want it to be but I do agree with this:-

this feature is just a tad under-utilized

I'm not sure what the solution is though. Maybe advertise their existence a bit better (I wasn't even aware they were an option until I stumbled upon this thread). I suspect, though, that what it would take is for some freindly moderator to create a dozen or so approriate groups and then push them to the rest of us - just to get the ball rolling.

[brad jones]

The feature was only added with the last upgrade of the forum software.... It hasn't been around all that long.

Yes, 10 isn't that many, but it is new here. You've brought attention to it, so I'm guessing its use will grow with time.

Brad!

[DeanMc]

The other reason they are not used i feel is that there sometimes no real reason for a group. For instance myself Chris, Techgnome and Mendhak are playing with WPF or WCF yet I see no advantage of a WPF lovers group other than the fact that we could now have a group.

[deathfxu]

The other reason they are not used i feel is that there sometimes no real reason for a group. For instance myself Chris, Techgnome and Mendhak are playing with WPF or WCF yet I see no advantage of a WPF lovers group other than the fact that we could now have a group.

What is WPF? o.O

[Nightwalker83]

What is WPF? o.O

From the main Forum .NET section:

Discuss Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Communication Foundation, and Windows Work Flow.

WPF = Windows Presentation Foundation
WCF = Windows Communication Foundation
WWF = Windows Work Flow

[DeanMc]

Actually its Windows Pig Feed, its a new feed that promises less fat and more meat!

[brad jones]

Actually its Windows Pig Feed, its a new feed that promises less fat and more meat!

This is the Feedback forum, not chit chat, let's keep it relatively close to the thread topic

Thanks.

[DeanMc]

Sorry brad couldn't resist. Back to topic, I think that groups will mature but at there own pace!

[minitech]

What's a PowerPoster?

[dclamp]

someone with 2048+ Posts