Month: January 2004

Collecting humans

I have been thinking about social networks for a while now. It is very nice to see my friends pondering these issues too:
Sooz

I think most of us need to be reminded that it’s important not to worry so much about how useful someone can be for you. I’d rather concern myself with just getting to know someone as a human and not worrying about the person’s usefulness in my life whether personally or professionally.

Doug

Social networks should ideally emerge first from sincere interest in others as fellow humans, not simply as nodes which exist solely to serve some agenda. The business and productivity implications/advantages of new social networks are, in my experience, directly derived from the trust established by getting to know someone first. So, let’s not put the cart before the horse. Thanks to Sooz for helping me polish my thoughts on this topic.

I agree with these sentiments and also with Jon Udell’s take. I wonder how iI will keep it all together? I collect humans was coined by Sooz, btw.
The augmented social network: Building identity and trust into the next-generation internet

Pacification by trade

At a summit meeting of 7 regional leaders, including those of India and Pakistan, it was clear that the global economic environment was forcing change on South Asia. The 7 leaders spoke of their concern about how to cope with new trade arrangements, and the need to resolve differences to enable formation of a regional trade bloc. Pakistan agreed to join a regional free trade agreement the leaders signed Tuesday, which would lower tariffs over 10 years. Previously, Pakistan had resisted regional economic cooperation until its dispute with India was resolved.

another instance of the lexus changing the old ways of the olive tree (for better)?