Social referral

Was thinking to myself that there's an odd thing about dominant social media companies in our time: they are content focused.

For instance, to really dominate on YouTube? You need to produce videos.

Want to wow people on Facebook? Then you need to post stuff.

Wish to rule Twitter? Then you need, well, I'm not as sure, but you do have to tweet something!

But for most people, how much content do you generate for others, even friends and family, on a daily basis?

That question is one for each individual, but for software developers, like me, and people looking for the next big opportunity, yeah, like me there too, it could be an opening to an entirely different approach to social media.

Just brainstorming this morning along these lines, which resonate with prior ideas, where I started thinking about something I call as a working title: CommunityRules

In CommunityRules you have groups, which people voluntarily join, which they can quit at any time, where you have to match by alignment, which you choose as well.

I posted about using alignment before, where the idea is for people to self-identify in ways that don't play into nasty prejudices, which is kind of hard. I already had to go back and edit as I think more on this issue. Here are some test alignments, which I think would belong to different groups:

conservative, religious, pragmatic

liberal, free spirit, creative

It's actually harder than I thought. Further brainstorming, I'm wondering if a twin-test process might help. With the twin test, imagine two identical twins, where one is a possible alignment, like religious, while the other is not. And to me that passes the twin test, indicating "religious" as a possible alignment, without an anti-alignment.

In contrast, if one twin aligns as conservative, and the other as liberal, that passes the twin test with those being anti-alignments, so the conservative twin could be in one group that aligns conservative, but could not join one that aligns liberal.

But his choice of alignment can be changed at any time, so if he wished to change it, then he could join the liberal group.

People can have natural groups, based on alignments, and formed groups, where individuals suggest a group and people can join. Those groups can vote on things, with consensus rules. That is, if the majority, as in greater than 50% of the group agree then the group agrees on majority, but if 2/3 of the group vote for it, then it's overwhelming support.

So what's the point of all this activity? Referral

Rather than focus on individual opinion about content, I'm brainstorming towards a group opinion about content, where groups can vote on things, like movies or television shows. Or books, or other things, but the focus is on the web.

The idea is to get great content, where people with known alignments tell you what they like.

Oh yeah, so with voting, your vote only counts while a member of the group, so the system automatically drops any votes with a particular alignment if you change it, or leave CommunityRules.

That way people can't just switch to something to try and force things against some other alignment and then switch back to their own. Also, like if you're conservative and switch to liberal to go mess with them, you'd be bounced out of all your conservative groups, automatically by the system, or vice versa, and would have to rejoin, after changing back.

To me alignment seems to offer some weird protections against some of the ways people try to mess with each other. And since it is public and by choice, where you can switch at any time, it's a very free and voluntary process.

So enough brainstorming out details. The gist of this path is to focus on referral versus producing content, as most people do the former not the latter, while current social web is focused on the latter. But referral has problems: how do you connect like-minded people? How do you limit people messing with each other? How do you stay away from dangerous things like racial, gender, or sexual or other prejudice?

And I've brainstormed a few approaches, which may or may not work, but I have a feeling I may have noticed something here.

Producing content is hard. Producing world class content is harder still.

Could the content-focused approach of the current web be sidelining people who can be brought into the conversation with a simple shift?

After all, everybody has an opinion, or so I've been told.

Oh yeah, I also have other ideas more specific about a social network, which goes back to my Globloc concept.

What would be needed to get all of this off the ground? A lot.

So I'm just throwing it out there open source.

That's enough typing for now. I emphasize it is brainstorming as part of that process is trying to NOT be too critical as the ideas flow. And that creative flow of ideas is a thrill. It's hard to explain, but it actually feels good. But I've had enough fun. Let's see, getting myself to stop typing, in a bit. Will add name and stop. Yup, after this sentence.


James Harris

Why some people call me Steve

When I go home my name is Steve, which is one of those interesting things which is all about parental decisions, which I explained on my Google+ profile, but decided I should probably stick here, so copying from there to here, and posting just in case there are classmates out there searching for Steven Harris.

My full name is James Steven Harris, but in my hometown I grew up as Steve, which is very common in Southern towns. At least I got my actual name--some people get called things like Bubba. And before I moved to San Francisco I got a job with a temp agency, so was called Steve, in my hometown.

Went with the same temp agency when I arrived in San Francisco, and for that reason was called Steve on the job in San Francisco, while I was James everywhere else.

Again, not really complicated as to how it happened, but I started thinking of myself as two people: Steve and James.

Steve was the quiet worker who paid the bills by working my "day job".

While James was the karaoke singing party animal, who had all the adventures.

Every once in a while the two would cross paths. Kind of felt like a superhero with a secret identity, not really secret. Or, um, like a certain character in a Disney show, some may know. And I remember stumbling across it once, and finding myself guiltily watching it thereafter, like, hey, kind of know how what works!

How would people react? It's hard to explain, like when co-workers would ask people why are you calling him "James"? And I'd explain, or others would ask, who is this "Steve" person?

It's kind of weird how small things can dramatically affect your life, like why didn't my parents just name me Steven James Harris?

My Mom says she didn't like the way that sounded.

And I'll add that when I grew up--not sure they do that now--you were in school what your parents called you. So if your name were Sherlock Moriarty Smith, and your family called you Bubba, then in school you'd be Bubba Smith, which is what you'd write down when your name was needed.

So I was Steven Harris growing up, as if "James" were just not there. It was recorded somewhere but absolutely no one called me that, and I forgot about it until college. Of course off you go to college and everyone calls you by your first name, or at least they did me.

Way I figure it, you got two names, so why not take such an opportunity to get use out of both of them? Besides, it was kind of like getting to be a new person, so most people in the big wide world probably know me as James. It's also how I almost never got called any James diminutives. Though at times some people call me Jim, which I get a kick out of.

And that's the story. Back home I'm Steve, and with certain people I worked with in San Francisco, while everywhere else, I'm James.

Oh yeah, so call me James, or Jim, if you prefer. All the people who call me Steve know to do that without getting this story.

James Harris

Fostering community helps us all

One word gets tossed around quite a bit which is "community" but does that have anything to do with profit? No. Is community about getting as much as you can for one's self? Nope.

So to me it's important to never ignore the importance of those things that help us all, and push back against people who think exploitation is ever a good thing.

Making money is ok. And our world requires that people work, and do things that are not for the good of us all, but may be for the good of an employer, who will pay accordingly.

But SO MUCH of our lives is NOT about trying to impress ANY boss.

In the best communities, people support each other for the good of all. And exploitation is wrong. People who exploit can tear apart communities, and for what? So one person can have more than he or she actually needs?

So yeah, doing things for community is not about money, and I've grown quite a bit through the years as I've appreciated how much we rely on community. Like roads.

Ever think about roads you use? Most people use roads all the time without worrying too much who keeps them up, or how they're paid for, unless a toll road, which shows the opposite. What if every road were a toll road? That would be horrible. You'd have to pay just to leave your own property.

Communities support us in many ways. It pays, figuratively, to pay attention to when money isn't the thing. And having money is great! I plan on probably having a lot of it down the line, but even then, most of what will be most important in my life, will have nothing to do with it.


James Harris

My fan opinion on support

To me the web is just so unbelievably awesome it's hard to express how wonderful it is, which has meant a lot more great content where I love being a fan. And every freaking time some entertainment executive insinuates that most people are naturally thieves it irritates me, so I have sat down and pondered things like money, and recently wrote about limited social trust on one of my other blogs. Money lets us have limited social trust and is a great system, but we want our money to actually support our favorite artists and not mean or ruthless people exploiting them.

And the web lets you know how that's done with plenty of documentaries where I've just been flabbergasted often watching how brilliant artists, where I've mostly seen ones about musicians, could have major hits, which I'd loved, not make much money, and even owe record companies!

As the web destroys that old system, some of these people turned to the law to try and hold on to ways of keeping the money flowing where thankfully that has been for the most part rebuffed. But I want to also put out there that yeah, if I love a musician's work, and notice that person is associated with an entertainment company which has a demonstrated history of screwing over artists there is a real hesitancy to buy anything.

Not a problem lately as I have no money, so have been relying on web radio, where I have talked about how I love radio, and have my own bought music collection. So yeah, talking about wanting to support my favorite artists but can't do it with money now, but will later as I notice songs I like and will buy when I have money again.

But thankfully I have a decent collection of bought songs, you nasty music executives who push the notion that fans are mostly thieves. Which is SO much a relief, when you have all these restrictions, and feel weird listening to the freaking web radio as if you're wrong, and can just go to the calm, controlled arena of your own bought songs--screw you if you're a nasty, mean executive, if you hate fans we fans don't like you!

Being a fan is great, where the web is making it better. And I think these issues will be worked out soon enough, where the right people will make the money and the mean people will at least have to shut-up versus irritating fans like myself. Even better if artists of all kinds work with people who yes, can get them paid, but also can do it without insulting their fanbase.

And that's my rant for the day. Felt good. Think I'll actually post this thing too.


James Harris

Traveling to South Georgia, USA

As someone who grew up in the Deep South, which is a historic region of the United States, I've had any number of feelings about the area, but as I grow older am appreciating the positives more than at any other time in my life. So thought, why not toss out something for people thinking of visiting this area? From an insider's perspective.

To me the most important thing to consider when coming here is the climate, which it turns out is humid subtropical! And for most of my life while growing up here, you got used to very hot, humid summers, which are epic enough for lots of fiction. If heat is not your thing, you might prefer Winter, Spring or Fall months.

My own view when I left here and considered times to come back was that Fall was best, and October is one of my favorites. But for instance, now in April is a great time as well, when temperatures are more mediterranean.

I'm going to focus now on the state where I grew up which is Georgia, where most people traveling here from elsewhere will come anyway as Atlanta is home to one of the biggest airports, well, in the world! And yes, am very proud of that reality. It is a busy hub of awesomeness, with a vast history all its own, and the full metropolitan flavor, but that is North Georgia, which is deservedly the most well-known anyway.

Getting from there to here is about a three hour drive if you go the fastest way down the interstate highway. Somewhere around four hours if you decide to take scenic routes or as long as you want. There are small airports in various places though too.

As you're heading south you can find quite a bit of farmland, and where I grew up is a farming community. Which means tourist attractions are focused on farming, like the Georgia Agirama, in my hometown.

If you like, fishing, got that. Hunting. Got that too. Those are things where it helps to do your research to see how you would go about doing such things. Snowboarding? No way. No where.

Water skiing? Yeah. Just do your research as to where and how to go about doing it. Will admit haven't done it yet! On my to-do list.

Just be prepared for bugs. Have all your shots. Bring your mosquito repellant. Make sure it works very well. Need I remind that the area is subtropical?

If you like the woods, we got'em. It can be so breathtakingly beautiful and vegetation shifts wherever you go in the world. Here there are so many beautiful ones like dogwoods, pecan trees, peach trees. I know some people even have their own tangerine tree.

There actually is a tradition of Southern Hospitality which can be oversold to some extent, but I just think of it as being polite, and why isn't that a tradition everywhere? Actually I think people are nice as well in other places, like New York City, though I haven't been yet. Also on my to-do list.

And oh yeah! Lots of famous people from South Georgia. Feels kind of weird. You know who they are, or if you don't can look them up. Um, if any want me to plug them just let me know! Will happily add your name here for an autographed picture!

To me really the best advice is knowing when to come here to beat the heat. Don't get too overwrought about negatives in history either. Times have changed, and this state is changing with them. It's got its problem areas still though. But I see it as a constant work in progress. Obviously this post is not the place to discuss such things, so I will not.

This area maintains its agricultural roots, while staying connected with the rest of the world. It's where I grew up.

Though I kind of mostly had my head in the clouds.

From a backyard in Tifton, GA, USA

Yeah, big fluffy clouds in South Georgia. Got that.


James Harris