http://www.newsome.org/2006/01/can-web-be-community/ Kent Newsome on technology, music and life Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.newsome.org/2006/01/can-web-be-community/comment-page-1/#comment-5010 jr Fri, 27 Jan 2006 05:40:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/newsome/?p=2616#comment-5010 A web community? Yes, if the site is focused on local issues and events. I think the problem with Bayosphere was not having enough postings about its local area. First, start out as a discussion site, talking about local news and events reported by the local media. Message board-like but displayed in the blog format. In other words, a localized version of MetaFilter.com.Eventually, the founders of the site will have to lead by example and attend local public meetings and events and report on them. Others see this behaviour and get involved too. It takes time. It cannot be forced. Let it happen naturally. Bayosphere is less than a year old. A local community site needs to exist for at least a year and maybe two before deciding whether to continue it or kill it.Think local, post often, and have patience. We know our backyards best. Think of the local community site as a kind of community service that's trying to get more people involved with their physical community.The occasional discussion on a national or world event is fine, but if a local community site has too many postings of that type, it loses focus. Plenty of other sites exist for discussing the national and world issues. But how many sites are discussing the latest hot topic in your local community? A web community? Yes, if the site is focused on local issues and events. I think the problem with Bayosphere was not having enough postings about its local area. First, start out as a discussion site, talking about local news and events reported by the local media. Message board-like but displayed in the blog format. In other words, a localized version of MetaFilter.com.Eventually, the founders of the site will have to lead by example and attend local public meetings and events and report on them. Others see this behaviour and get involved too. It takes time. It cannot be forced. Let it happen naturally. Bayosphere is less than a year old. A local community site needs to exist for at least a year and maybe two before deciding whether to continue it or kill it.Think local, post often, and have patience. We know our backyards best. Think of the local community site as a kind of community service that’s trying to get more people involved with their physical community.The occasional discussion on a national or world event is fine, but if a local community site has too many postings of that type, it loses focus. Plenty of other sites exist for discussing the national and world issues. But how many sites are discussing the latest hot topic in your local community?

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