Comments for Comparing Three Discussion Forums: Hateful, Chaotic and Just About Right at http://www.socialsphere.com , comment 1 to 1 out of 1 comments http://www.socialsphere.com Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:13:37 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.socialsphere.com/blogs/36-johns-blog/279-comparing-three-discussion-forums-hateful-chaotic-and-just-about-right.html#comment-72 I have seen those forums as well, but there may be a reason for the lack of chaos at your site. There aren't many people using it because (1) many people don't know about it, and (2) many of the ones who *do* know about it aren't using it for discussion (very much). I was pleasantly surprised when I first stumbled across the Governor's "Online Community Forum" last week. Of course, it looked very similar to GovLoop.com (for federal govt. subjects) because it was built on the Ning.com platform. After signing in (I used my existing Ning account and password), I look around for a place to talk about improving "civic engagement" through use of the Internet. But, ironically, there was no place on the Online Forum to talk *about* the Online Forum. There were only four "silos" of topics, and none of them (Lobbying came the closest) was seemed right. There was not even a space for "Other Topics You Think Should Be Here". So I left a message on the "wall" of the "Citizen Moderator" asking for guidance on where the "miscellaneous" area was. I knew that the site was only open for about a week, and seven days later, I still have not heard anything back. Not even a notice that I had been "friended" (turns out that I had). Apparently, when the site was set up on Ning, it did not have the email-alert feature installed. All the other Ning communities to which I belong tell me when someone has "friended" me, written on my wall, etc. (GovLoop.com being one example.) Also, apparently, you forgot to tell your "Citizen Moderator" to check her very own profile page for comments (because she won't get an email-alert about it). So, due to the lack of email-alerts, my first day on the forum ended up being, essentially, my last day. Fifteen years ago, I was moderator of an email-listserv of over 1,000 subscribers on the Clinton-Gore effort to "reinvent government". So I *know* about online moderation. I don't like "bulletin-board-style" websites that expect me to "check back" to see if anything has changed (like I have nothing better to do). That's what email is for. Please understand that there is nothing that I would like more than for the Governor and the President to get their respective government agencies to use the technology available (for many years now) to better engage the public. I don't know what the Governor's plans are for something that lasts more than a week, but I would like to help that happen in any way I can. I hope this is not just a flash-in-the-pan project so they can brag about it in a press-release. My contact info is at the "About Me" link at http://www.UStransparency.com vr, Stephen Buckley - Stephen Buckley Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:14:20 +0100