[VBbuilders] why NING after all?

[Franz Nahrada]

In a discussion with Markus I wrote up some points that I find essential
about NING. 

a) the potential to form groups of individuals that have thematic
coherence; a very good balanced relation between community spirit and
embeddedness in a larger space where individuals can move freely (you can
bring your friends from other networks) , fractal in its approach that
gives us sense of belonging. (*)

b) in the framework of this:  the ability to request theme specific
profiles and not just general profiles like in Facebook or Wiser Earth.
This is very important to understand the degree and kind of motivation
that people have from the beginning.

b2) in the framework of this: the ability to add one level of fractal
subgroups in a theme, with its own membership and discussion fora. 
*** I wanted us to do this in the videobridge NING, so we can identify our
technological etc. capacities.
*** I wanted us to do this in the globalvillages NING, so we can identify
our research base

c) a very good and fine tuned email notification system that allows me to
leave the community and only be drawn there only when it is necessary.

d) a very flexible way to upload files in thematic contexts. I lack that
for example in even similar systems like MIXXT.

I gladly learn from others how they feel about this. I think its important
to think about ways of organizing cooperation online that are realistic
and coherent.

And I know tons of things are missing in NING. But I feel we need a kind
of center or several types of centers to group other patterns around them,
like Skype, GoogleDocs, Facebook,

The natural centers for me are mailing list and social network.

Franz


(*) Wiser Earth is not fractal enough, it gives me endless lists of people
and solutions and does not carry through even its internal order system
which would provide ordered fractality. The internal order system is
detailed but it lacks some categories.
Also, WE is still extremely buggy - I tried a test network there also and
it behaves weird. http://www.wiserearth.org/group/globalvillages