Online Collaborations

Posted on 2002/05/21 13:00:30 (May 2002) by rob.

In general, they're crap.

An online collaboration is not a new idea. When the internet was first kicking off, there were uni types doing research online and exchanging a lot of data and information using the web. The idea of internet collaborations are essentially a good idea, differing ideas from different places in the world giving a new richness to the project (be it programming, roleplaying, artistic or web site based).

However, most of them are shit. The main reason for this is accountability, if someone does not fill their end of the bargain then others are left in the lurch. There is no way to get the useless fool to do what they promised, there is no honour in the digital age, it seems. Also, many people join with all enthusiasm and then within 15 seconds have got bored and no longer put any effort in. Why join and have big ideas to then sod off? What's the point?

In some places, it does work (the maison, for example) but normally where there is a driving force who does not care what the others in the collaboration are doing.

Sometimes in a collaboration, you might get the feeling that you're being taken for a ride, and you are. Be warned if you do something quite marvellous, then lots of people start will taking credit for the work that you have done. At times like this, you'll wonder why you bothered with a collaboration in the first place.

I like the maison, it's a community rather than a collaboration. That's probably why it works. But even still, you sometimes get the feeling you're shouting into space...

I think I agree. Any specific examples of bad collaborations though...?

Posted by john at 2002/05/21 13:50:35.

I think I see, but hey you're not shouting into space!

Posted by Simon at 2002/05/22 08:49:47.

Cheers Si!

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/05/22 09:58:12.

Ive been looking for a clue that I may find anything on this site! anything at all

Posted by Muhammad Shafei at 2002/05/23 01:35:52.

What, like the huge photo archive, the phrasebook, free software, artificial intelligence... are you blind, Muhammad?

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/05/23 09:39:48.

Oh yea, you're absolutely right Mr. Shafei, this site only contains a load of text, tonnes of pictures and some software. Unlike really good websites which contain, oh, text, pictures and software. When we find a way to put cream cakes and baby seals online we'll let you know.

Posted by john at 2002/05/23 24:33:41.

I might be able to help you with some baby seals, John, although at the moment all I have is baby mice. Lots of them. Will they do?

Posted by alex griffiths at 2002/05/29 13:07:49.

Could we have a pot bellied elephant?

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/05/30 10:54:41.

Alex has a stuffed elephant!

Posted by Jill Lang at 2002/05/30 14:29:20.

So this is beginning to get surreal then!

Posted by john at 2002/05/30 14:57:59.

We'll see if we can get a picture of Alex's Stuffed Elephant and manged 'Lamb' on the website. Without these, it has no content at all!

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/06/06 16:15:52.

Actually I have a stuffed elephant, moose, giant bunny, tiger and a polar bear called Cadwallida. I've also got two guinea pigs, 5 rats and somewhere in the region of 14 mice. Tak your pick for the Maison John!

Posted by Alex at 2002/06/06 16:16:16.

I don't know what happened to Lammy in the end actually. I think he went to the great big sewing box in the sky....

Posted by Alex at 2002/06/06 16:17:10.

Cadwallader is a welsh ice cream brand... Any connection?

Posted by john at 2002/06/06 16:51:41.

Really? That's a good one! Cadwallida was a Celtic King of Wales I think. The bear's name is actually Rhodri Cadwallida but I can't pronounce the first bit due to all the R's. Its particularly bad now that I've smashed a load of my teeth in.

Posted by alex at 2002/06/06 17:01:28.

Could be worse, could be roderic the robber rheindeer...

Posted by Rob Lang at 2002/06/06 18:00:24.

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