Cites & Insights 10:5, Spring 2010, is now available.
This issue and the May and June issues (at least) are sponsored by the Library Society of the World. Don’t assume that LSW members agree with what’s being said–and please do check the masthead on page 30.
The 30-page issue (PDF as usual, but both essays are available as HTML separates) contains two features:
Bibs & Blather pp. 1-4
Sponsorship, Semi-Retired and Other Quandaries: If you regularly read Walt at Random, you can probably skip this essay, since it mostly repeats what I said in posts on March 13, March 15 and March 18, 2010. [Yes, I will be at ALA Annual, from Friday late morning through Sunday evening, thanks to LSW.]
The Zeitgeist: hypePad and buzzkill pp. 4-30
The first of a new occasional feature, The Zeitgeist. This essay considers two big Silicon Valley companies that rely heavily on the trust and good will of users–and very different recent situations with each one. The first section (pp. 4-25) is about hypePad–the level of hype that preceded and followed the announcement of Apple’s iPad. The second section (pp. 25-30) is about buzzkill: Google’s remarkably clumsy and intrusive introduction of a new social network.
Enjoy!
Walt, I’m wondering if you might spill a couple words on “content creation”–levels, types, who is (whether they think they are or not), etc. If you already have and I’m simply forgetting that you have would you kindly remind me where/when you did?
I wrote a somewhat response at my blog to the hypePad portion of this issue questioning the “content creation” vs. “content consumption” (supposed) dichotomy. Not as focused as I would have liked it to be but am out of practice blogging.
My primary concern, regarding this article, is that you didn’t pick up on that possible canard; but then it wasn’t the focus of the article either, I know. But to me the whole “the iPad is a consumption only device” is a large part of the rhetoric and hype that deserves being pulled apart. Of course, doesn’t mean it has to be you to do so!
Thanks again for making me think, Walt.
Mark: That’s a good suggestion for an actual Perspective/essay. It may tie into the feeling I have that I should expand on the distinction I see between “social media” and “social networks.”
In this case, though, I’m not sure I disagree with the notion that the iPad is primarily aimed at people who don’t really much care about creating content–and it’s really hard to refute the 99:9:1/999:9:1 “rules” for the extent to which users of social media become contributors.
This is a difficult area. To the extent that the iPad encourages greater passivity and becomes widespread as a substitute for netbooks & laptops, that may be unfortunate–but it gets into a whole bunch of areas I chose not to deal with.
Still…certainly worth pursing at a later date. Thanks for the idea.