Figuring out how to best utilize the internet, as the internet figures out how to figure itself out, is a very interesting concept to explore. It’s still the “wild west” on various levels out in cyberspace; still a very young frontier, open for the visionaries to develop. While many companies have established what seem to be solid foundations out in cyberspace, creating the new default norms of 21st culture, I can’t help but ask myself…. are these norms that we have, right now, really going to exist as we know it in years to come? Will eBay continue to be the world’s biggest open market for folks to sell their unwanted items? Will Google still be the big dog of search engines, and control so many other aspects of the internet universe? Will AOL, which was once the brightest star of the internet, ever regain it’s iconic stature?
Of all the various internet destinations out in cyberspace, the social networking sites seem to be the intriguing options for a dynamic exchange of information. In my experiences of joining various social networks, it’s been a interesting, albeit mixed experience.
My Twitter account provides a fascinating experience. This very large, albeit buggy social network of micro-bloggers is an interesting way to explore short 140-character summaries of what different people are doing right now. Where else can I read the micro-blogs of Henry Rollins, Roger McGuinn, Dick DeBartolo (MAD magazine), Leo Laporte, Soupy Sales, Ducky Doolittle, Kevin Kelly, the San Francisco Zoo and a handful of others, all in one place? I have no idea how long this operation will last, as there’s no obvious economic model to support the expensive reality of an overburdened webserver. I just don’t think advertising revenue alone will support this, but it is an interesting experiment to behold.
My eBay account is certainly a very powerful internet networking resource that provided me with the biggest payoffs. Not only have been able to establish an online garage sale to sell my unwanted items, but I’ve actually used it for research purposes. I’ve taken advantage of some of certain item descriptions, using this information as launching point to find more information.
Paypal, the affiliate financial partner of eBay, has helped me with a variety of international business transactions, bypassing the old method of money transfers.
My LinkedIn account is my online resource for connecting with fellow working professionals.
Technorati seems to be a good way to see how my blog is being tracked by other blogs.
Embracing the MySpace universe took some serious adjusting. I wasn’t a fan of the corporate owner, and I hated the interface for changing the layout. After breaking down and joining this thing over a year ago, I’m tickled to see that this network is actually useful for what I’m doing. I’ve linked up with some old friends that I haven’t heard from in decades, and I’m actually having some fun being a part of this.
Of course, I can’t forget my YouTube channel. I’m having really having a lot of fun posting a lot of my video clips online for the world to see. Recently, I changed the settings on my channel, placing a bigger emphasis on my YouTube playlists, which allows folks to see videos related to specific projects and topics. I’ve now got a playlist entitled “Meaning of LOUIE excerpts and outtakes,” as well as other playlists dedicated to “San Jose underground 1980s-1990s,” “Goofy Stuff,” and something called “Other Great LOUIEs,” which is a collection of LOUIE clips I’ve found on YouTube.
Sometime, I’ll probably spend the time to figure out Digg, Facebook, RSS, Delicious, Pluck, Feedster, Buzz, Blorp, Belch, and Spew, but not today.
Are there any other social networks you’d consider worthwhile? Feel free to add your comments.