1. Controversial statement of the morning – Phil Holden, Director, Windows Live says that communities are too diverse and need several key apps to bring them together! Chap from Nokia shoots him down by reminding him that communities are built around people, not software apps!
2. Apparently the next big thing is commercialising open content now that open software is commercialising. Expect upset media companies and publishers.
3. Sticking with commerce, a Web 2.0 bubble won’t happen as per 2000. But be prepared for a number of micro bubbles in certain Web 2.0 niches.
4. According to VCs, search is key to commercialising Web 2.0… but its getting worse by the day.
5. I finally met Antony “Open” Mayfield.
Windows v Nokia
Surely they are both right – You can’t have communities without people, but unless you all live in the same village, you need some sort of application glue to keep everyone together – It has been true since bulletin boards. It may just be that new applications can make people collaborate better (and I have a vested interest in that as MD of mailspaces.com), but you still need both people and “glue” to make virtual communities work
Hmmm. Fair comment, Nigel but surely the ‘glue’ comes from individuals shared interests and lifestyles. The software is the facilitating aspect that allows users to connect online. Communities exist both off and online as does the glue.