Less Networks. More Meaning. — from Logic+Emotion by David Armano

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Here’s what I observed this past week after scanning the reactions of people in my own networks in relation to Google Buzz. People in my own ecosystem seem utterly exhausted by the plethora of networks they manage and the number of people within those networks. E-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Yammer, Instant Messenger… just how many platforms can we participate in?

Google’s strategy is likely meant to solve this problem. To become the one “ecosystem” to rule them all. But the Web doesn’t work this way. It’s unlikely that people will abandon existing platforms or networks unless they become so polluted that we have no choice. Sure we may have wandered away from e-mail, but how many of us have actually abandoned it? Very few I suspect. E-mail like Twitter or Facebook will remain relevant as long as our friends and co-workers keep using it. When they stop, it might go away—but how likely is it that scenario?

In my trends for 2010 article at Harvard Business, I wrote the following…

From DSC:
David brings up a great point and a serious problem…at least for me. How many networks and services can I belong to and effectively filter through? As the Net continues to splinter, where do I invest my time? That’s why I don’t use Twitter…as I know myself, and I’d be on Twitter all day long. I just can’t afford to do that; and I’m not sure how others are manuevering throughout this splintering space.