My Blog

OK October 18, 2010

Hi Suresh

I was interested in your latest video blog especially your thoughts about a platform for collaboration - something a bit like face book but for people's projects to come together.

I wonder if you have come across this - The Confluence Wiki. At least two more of the participants at the 10.10.10 event are already familiar with it  - the "waterguy" from Appropedia and Tav who, I understand, had "some involvement" in the programming (apologies to Tav if in fact he is the main person programming this - I have no idea who did what, only some of the people connected with it.)

I love what I see regarding its potential but confess I had some issues about actually using it - so needed help as described below

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Confluence Wiki

The Conrads and The Confluence Wiki
Leon Conrad - and his family - have been helping me cross my personal barrier about  "I can't face joining another online group - especially one with an unfamiliar interface" (in this instance the Conflence Wiki). Thanks to Leon I have  had direction and encouragement with support via phone, skype, and then face-to-face at his home  - combined with superb family hospitality. Wonderful.

I met Leon (to talk to) last Monday at David Pinto's Summer of Opportunity meet-up. I'm not sure if this grew out of his "soon to be leaving London" event two weeks earlier (which I also attended) or if it has a longer history. Anyhow, David has gathered an interesting group around him, and I am intrigued by what he is planning and its mix of Face to Face and online.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, thanks to Leon I experimented with the Confuence Wiki and was very impressed by its potential . However I didn't get into using it seriously. The other problem, as I see it, preventing me from using the Confluence Wiki  in practice is lack of a critical mass of users. I outlined an idea to overcome this vicious circle of lack of critical mass (and therefore lack of motivation to improve on its "friendliness" etc) here:

We did do some practical follow-up. I wrote some of it up, but not all.

We have another possible stage in mind, and I would enjoy the opportunity to try this, in what is a reasonably local F2F situation. It would be interesting to do, but it's not central to the UK-Nigeria collaborative work that I do - and as I'm a bit stretched at present I haven't chased up the next possible stage for #Brixvill - Confluence pop-ups yet.

However I think the Confluence Wiki is well on the way to being what you are describing and wonder what you think of it - certainly it has a lot to offer and is much more what I want for collaboration than Facebook or any other social software that I know.

Pam


On 18 October 2010 20:21, Suresh Fernando <suresh2323@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi Everyone,

Please check out the latest video blog!

In this post I introduce the idea that the technology revolution of which we are all a part makes it possible to provide visibility into a system of relations between projects and people that makes it possible to create innovative solutions for pressing problems.

I feel that it is important to introduce these ideas into the mix for the following reasons:

  • Central to the OK Ecosystem Pooled Fund idea that I have been talking about is the idea that we fund projects that are a part of an ecosystem which has relevance only in the context of a real time technology infrastructure. Hence I want to provide context for the solution that I am proposing - suggest that the time is right for us to think about this today!
  • I want to connect the general themes upon which OpenKollab was founded - open collaboration, technology infrastructure etc. to the social finance model that I am proposing. It`s important to me that those that have been working on the OK project realize that I am not pulling a bait and switch and just veering off in another direction.
I look forward to any thoughts you might have.