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NetSquared enables social benefit organizations to leverage the tools of the social web.
FMA (Four More Answers)
What's *really* new on the Web, as opposed to buzzwords and soundbites?:
- Virtual communities have progressed (e.g. SecondLife) to the point (realism, complexity, economic structure) where people can deeply connect to anyone, anywhere on any level (social, personal, business, etc.).
- Rich, dynamic web applications (many of those 2.0 websites) are changing the fundamental pattern of software delivery. Much of the cool, new software doesn't come in a shrink wrapped box anymore.
- OpenSource is not a dirty word in the corporate world anymore. Many companies are contributing OpenSource projects, and using them.
- Wikipedia is becoming one of the world's most comprehensive sources of knowledge.
Which tools best embody the new opportunities from your point of view and why?:
- Ruby on Rails offers the most systematic potential for future opportunities. I've built the tutorial app, and I'm designing on my first project. It makes controling complex applications so straitforward.
- Social Networking web apps, in general, are ripe for radical, game changing improvements, that can't be predicted.
- My OpenSource Open Taxonomy project has the potential to achieve enormous increases in findability. If you've ever spent more than an hour searching for something on the web... you know. (http://barcamp.org/f/OpenTaxonomyBarCampHouston.ppt)
Who's doing the best work with the new tools (technically or in terms of social benefit or both)?:
- 37signals is a showcase example for how to leverage tools they built for themselves (Ruby on Rails), and then shared with the world.
- Rollyo has a great ability to quickly and easily share large chunks of personal experience. The more that can be accomplished with minimum effort increases the overal standard of living on the web in particular, and ultimately, the world.
- I agree, BarCampHouston was amazing. Tons of great ideas getting shaped, polished, and tested.
What's the bad news? What are the greatest barriers preventing web-based technology from producing social change?:
- The same kind of abuse that keeps people from free exchange of attachments in E-mails, could morph into a new form that attcks other technologies (e.g. social networking) in as yet undertermined ways.
- Spyware/Adware is also getting worse. If it continues, people may become afraid to surf the web, or sign up for a new service...
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