[theforum] A sound of silence

ekm at seastorm.com ekm at seastorm.com
Fri Nov 21 04:40:05 CST 2008


Matt wrote:

> What is our common purpose anymore? Why, other than history and
> stubbornness, are we even bothering with evolt anymore?

For me, there is also *potential.* I look at all the amazing stuff we have
published, the recognition we have received, the people I've met, and I
don't want to throw those babies out with the bathwater.

Also, I have articles published on the site that I'm still pretty proud
of; and I'd like them 1. to be displayed nicely and 2. to be displayed in
the context of all the awesomeness evolt radiated when they were first
published.

Also, I am seeing that we are now at a place where we can seriously move
toward becoming the international and even multilingual site we have
talked about for past six or seven years...

> People join a community because they are passionate about the common
> purpose.
> People join a community because the community offers value to them
> personally.
> People join a community because they wish to feel a part of something
> positive and bigger than themselves.

absolutely!  important.

> We don't have a community because we no longer meet any of the above
> conditions. We have no defined common purpose. We have no articles. We
> have 10 softball posts per day on thelist with an answer and question
> quality that could be found anywhere on the web. We are not something
> bigger and we are usually not positive. (Yes, it's a little ironic for
> me to be so negative about not being positive.)

All really valid, important points, IMO.  Re: common pupose, I think that
essentially goes deeper to almost a philosophical approach, especially
when you're dealing with a leaderless organization.

That's why I keep harping on the things that first attracted me to evolt,
the fact that we could do everything the corporate sites could do, and
more, under the philosophy of open-source/consensus/internet freedom. 
Maybe it is a bit quaint now to rave about "the power of the Internet" but
I think that it's worth keeping in mind.  Not sure we're fully using that
"power" anymore.  Maybe for some it's become just another way to make a
paycheck.... I hope not.

I am excited for Martin's map to be implemented... of course, we'll need
people to have a sense community to make it work... but it will help add
to community building...  Same goes for every other site feature, back to
ye olde tip harvester.

> I'd be willing to do a weekly "ask tom"-style SQL column. And I bet I
> could get some db gurus from the past to do guest articles, which
> could perhaps pique their interest in evolt again.

Yes, please!  Anything I can do to help make this happen, let me know.

Erika




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