Social Computing

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Social Computing Connecting, sharing and
collaborating
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What does it all mean?

• Social Computing is a term used to describe Web
  based tools which allow people to work across
  physical and organisational boundaries
• Broadly, community based
• Anyone with Internet access can join in!
• Gives a voice to citizens and terrifies big
  business and Government?!

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How is it different?

• People discovering and inventing new ways to
  share relevant knowledge with blinding speed
• Language is natural, open, honest, funny, direct
  and often shocking the human voice
• Is in direct contrast to the command and
  control hierarchies of many traditional
  organisations

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Blogs

• Online journals (Weblogs)
• Simple to publish
• Free (or cheap)
• 27 million on the Web and rising
• Covering a cornucopia of subjects
• Anyone got one?

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Forums

• Online discussion groups
• Also known as bulletin boards / newsgroups
• Post a question get an answer
• Knowledge sharing is the key
• Heavily used by local groups and like-minded
  individuals
• Big companies often post messages

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Wikis

• Collaborative written online documents
• Wikipedia the online encyclopedia
• Enables greater collaborative working
• Can be used by home workers without the need for
  expensive IT infrastructure
• Slightly more complex to set up

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Other Web tools

• RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
• Tagging Flickr
• Folksonomies
• Chat / Instant Messenger
• Video and Web Cams
• Podcasting
• My Space

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Possible uses in Glasgow?

• Virtual graffiti site?
• Community pressure groups?
• Knowledge sharing no need to phone a friend
• Connecting disparate groups and keeping them
  informed
• Good fun?!