Social software: Difference between revisions

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== Definition ==
== Definition ==


* Social software enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities. ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_software Wikipedia]], 16:06, 6 July 2006 (MEST))
* Social software enables [[social computing]], i.e. it enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities.
 
See [[social computing]] for conceptual issues.


== Types of social software ==
== Types of social software ==


In a way, any sort of [[CMC]] can be called social software since communication is inheritantly social, e.g.
In a way, any sort of [[CMC]] can be called social software since communication is inheritantly social, e.g. any sort of [[groupware]] (e.g. simple [[forums]]s, [[project-management software]]), educational webservices like [[LMS]]s, [[virtual environment]]s, [[MMORPG]]-like games, ....
 
However, we prefer a more narrow definition of social software that includes applications that add an "extra touch" in the spirit of what some interpret as "web 2.0".
 
=== Sharing of links, pictures, videos ===
 
Such applications are not just indexed uploads/downloads (e.g. like in more traditional [[portal]]s. Included are features like:
* A [[tag cloud]] (or weighted list) that can be used as a visual depiction of content tags used on a website.
 
;Examples:
 
* Social bookmarking like [http://del.icio.us/ del.icio.us] or
 
* Picture sharing like [http://flickr.com/ FlickR]
 
* Social libraries like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folksonomy Folksomy]
 
=== Social citations ===
 
This is huge and fast growing area of use to researchers.
 
=== Social web construction and maintenance ===


* Any sort of [[groupware]]
Relation web services and sofware like
* Virtual environments
* [http://www.foaf-project.org/ FOAF]
* [[MMORPG]]-like games
* [http://www.friendster.com/ frienster],
* ....
* [http://switzerland.tribe.net/ Tribe]
* [http://www.linkedin.com LinkedIn]
* [https://www.orkut.com/ Orkut].  


We prefere more narrow definition of social software that includes application s such as:
These website usually specialize on some kind of relations (professional, interests, dating, ..)


* Shared links (social bookmarking) like [http://del.icio.us/ del.icio.us] or
There are also associated social network search engines.


* File sharing like [http://flickr.com/ FlickR] (pictures).
=== Blogspheres ===


* Relation web services and sofware like [http://www.foaf-project.org/ FOAF], [http://www.friendster.com/ frienster], [http://switzerland.tribe.net/local?guess=true Tribe], [http://www.linkedin.com LinkedIn], [https://www.orkut.com/ Orkut]. These website usually specialize on some kind of relations (professional, interests, dating, ..)
* [[blogs]] (under the condition that they make use of networking features like [[RSS]] feeds, backtracking, etc.


== Social software in education ==
=== Large Wikis ===


=== To enhance [[social presence]] ===
* Projects like [[http://en.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia]] that involve a few hundreds of people, that have features to categorize information etc. could be considered (to be discussed).


* Garrison and Anderson developed an according model of e-learning that they refer to as the [[Community of inquiry model]]
([[User:DSchneider|DSchneider]] doesn't consider ''this'' wiki to be social software).


== Links ==
== Links ==

Revision as of 12:24, 14 September 2006

Draft

Definition

  • Social software enables social computing, i.e. it enables people to rendezvous, connect or collaborate through computer-mediated communication and to form online communities.

See social computing for conceptual issues.

Types of social software

In a way, any sort of CMC can be called social software since communication is inheritantly social, e.g. any sort of groupware (e.g. simple forumss, project-management software), educational webservices like LMSs, virtual environments, MMORPG-like games, ....

However, we prefer a more narrow definition of social software that includes applications that add an "extra touch" in the spirit of what some interpret as "web 2.0".

Sharing of links, pictures, videos

Such applications are not just indexed uploads/downloads (e.g. like in more traditional portals. Included are features like:

  • A tag cloud (or weighted list) that can be used as a visual depiction of content tags used on a website.
Examples

Social citations

This is huge and fast growing area of use to researchers.

Social web construction and maintenance

Relation web services and sofware like

These website usually specialize on some kind of relations (professional, interests, dating, ..)

There are also associated social network search engines.

Blogspheres

  • blogs (under the condition that they make use of networking features like RSS feeds, backtracking, etc.

Large Wikis

  • Projects like [Wikipedia] that involve a few hundreds of people, that have features to categorize information etc. could be considered (to be discussed).

(DSchneider doesn't consider this wiki to be social software).

Links

Web Sites, blogs, etc.

References