Comments on: The Digg Economy: Socialist Bookmarking http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/ The leading source of news covering social media and the blogosphere. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:30:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Seven Digg Experts at Internet Business Blog http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-138512 Seven Digg Experts at Internet Business Blog Tue, 19 Dec 2006 08:36:14 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-138512 [...] The Digg Economy: Socialist Bookmarking [...] [...] The Digg Economy: Socialist Bookmarking [...]

]]> By: Political Dip Blog » Is Digg Social or Socialist? http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-137693 Political Dip Blog » Is Digg Social or Socialist? Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:05:18 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-137693 [...] Muhammad Saleem had a thought provoking post over at Blog Herald regarding Digg and it’s new ALGO. Saleem asserts that the new ALGO takes away the rewards of hard work and instead provides the benefits of Digg to any and all who wish to partake.“The Digg economy is the reward system for the users who contribute to the website by submitting content. This ultimate reward is the glory by way of user rankings, calculated as a function of total stories submitted by a user that made it to the front-page. [...] [...] Muhammad Saleem had a thought provoking post over at Blog Herald regarding Digg and it’s new ALGO. Saleem asserts that the new ALGO takes away the rewards of hard work and instead provides the benefits of Digg to any and all who wish to partake.“The Digg economy is the reward system for the users who contribute to the website by submitting content. This ultimate reward is the glory by way of user rankings, calculated as a function of total stories submitted by a user that made it to the front-page. [...]

]]> By: Pro Social Bookmarking » Is Digg something more than a bookmarking site? http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131830 Pro Social Bookmarking » Is Digg something more than a bookmarking site? Fri, 10 Nov 2006 11:00:06 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131830 [...] In this related post regarding changes in Digg’s algorithm, Muhammad argues that the changes are unfair to regular, high-usage posters to the service. [...] [...] In this related post regarding changes in Digg’s algorithm, Muhammad argues that the changes are unfair to regular, high-usage posters to the service. [...]

]]> By: David http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131368 David Tue, 07 Nov 2006 15:17:18 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131368 So your core argument is that the only reason anyone does anything is for a prize? Is that why a parent kisses their child? So your core argument is that the only reason anyone does anything is for a prize?

Is that why a parent kisses their child?

]]> By: vampares http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131305 vampares Tue, 07 Nov 2006 07:24:43 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131305 The freemarket model works provided that there are a finite number of articles that can be posted. Which is about the reality of it since there is no real gain in multiposting bogus articles. In a freemarket taxation is a major issue if those tax dollars are focused on a particular region since as that money spent deseminates it is further reduced by taxation (in the simple tax model) causing local price skew and market sector skew in which case subsidies are required. The taxation of posters is really non-existant in the user rank rewards. The only requirement would perhaps be that the posters read other posts to see what is popular but really this is an investment in a posters own techinical knowledge of the site making him more efficient. One model that could be used is have a static number of diggs/no diggs that someone earns from others digg his or her posts. Only problem is where do no diggs come from and what happens to them? There is really no incentive to spend diggs other then maybe to get no diggs. No diggs could act as an arbitrary taxation, taken diggs could be returned to the collective in the case of articles or articles diggers in the case of posts. The hostilities of a freemarket would be preserved and this would be the driving force of the economy. The site itself makes money through advertisements and a model that rewards unique posts that intrest readers would be best. The freemarket model works provided that there are a finite number of articles that can be posted. Which is about the reality of it since there is no real gain in multiposting bogus articles. In a freemarket taxation is a major issue if those tax dollars are focused on a particular region since as that money spent deseminates it is further reduced by taxation (in the simple tax model) causing local price skew and market sector skew in which case subsidies are required. The taxation of posters is really non-existant in the user rank rewards. The only requirement would perhaps be that the posters read other posts to see what is popular but really this is an investment in a posters own techinical knowledge of the site making him more efficient.

One model that could be used is have a static number of diggs/no diggs that someone earns from others digg his or her posts. Only problem is where do no diggs come from and what happens to them? There is really no incentive to spend diggs other then maybe to get no diggs. No diggs could act as an arbitrary taxation, taken diggs could be returned to the collective in the case of articles or articles diggers in the case of posts. The hostilities of a freemarket would be preserved and this would be the driving force of the economy.

The site itself makes money through advertisements and a model that rewards unique posts that intrest readers would be best.

]]> By: screenwalker http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131268 screenwalker Tue, 07 Nov 2006 01:37:48 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131268 We have today pointed to a situation at Digg that a story that nobody can access is "spammed" to the front page. If things like that happen this means that actual "users" have long been marginalized and have no influence at Digg anymore. And there are now already people online who offer promoting your story at Digg as a service..... So besides this 2 questions: 1. How can you recommend a story that you have never seen? 2. What does Digg do about it? Well if you follow the model that Digg is using as their current "selling point" you can't And Digg acted swiftly. It has removed our story showing that (currently) 600 Digg users - with only 20% of their users digging at all - have dugg a story they have never seen. The story nobody has seen is still going strong... The web site as well as cache or mirrors still show nothing when trying to access it. Maybe we are already at a point with web sites as big as Digg doing recommendation services they can hardly stay up with their weaponry to fight the spammers. The info is at: http://www.duvet-dayz.com/archives/2006/11/06/126/ The story in question is: http://digg.com/design/The_History_of_Windows_in_Screen_shots We have today pointed to a situation at Digg that a story that nobody can access is “spammed” to the front page. If things like that happen this means that actual “users” have long been marginalized and have no influence at Digg anymore.

And there are now already people online who offer promoting your story at Digg as a service…..

So besides this 2 questions:
1. How can you recommend a story that you have never seen?
2. What does Digg do about it?

Well if you follow the model that Digg is using as their current “selling point” you can’t

And Digg acted swiftly. It has removed our story showing that (currently) 600 Digg users – with only 20% of their users digging at all – have dugg a story they have never seen.

The story nobody has seen is still going strong…

The web site as well as cache or mirrors still show nothing when trying to access it. Maybe we are already at a point with web sites as big as Digg doing recommendation services they can hardly stay up with their weaponry to fight the spammers.

The info is at: http://www.duvet-dayz.com/archives/2006/11/06/126/
The story in question is:
http://digg.com/design/The_History_of_Windows_in_Screen_shots

]]> By: Dave http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131259 Dave Mon, 06 Nov 2006 23:40:41 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131259 I agree with Haasim and Mathew, but I would like to add to their comments. Digg offers a forum for people to express (through submitted stories) their interests. As a majority, people like it when others agree with them (digg their stories). and like to see their stories hit the front page (egoism). I think that to grow a bigger, more satisfied audience, Digg is trying to level the playing field. Purist will disagree, but to make Digg a success with a wider variety of people they need to make it appeal to a wide range of users. For example, I believe that MySpace is so popular because almost anyone can publish their own content then sit and wait for the masses to befriend them and partake. No one ever looks at my MySpace page, but I could fool myself in to thinking that my 150 "friends" care about my ranting and pictures. Digg is catering to the masses by making it easier for users to feel like they are part of the group. I agree with Haasim and Mathew, but I would like to add to their comments. Digg offers a forum for people to express (through submitted stories) their interests. As a majority, people like it when others agree with them (digg their stories). and like to see their stories hit the front page (egoism). I think that to grow a bigger, more satisfied audience, Digg is trying to level the playing field. Purist will disagree, but to make Digg a success with a wider variety of people they need to make it appeal to a wide range of users. For example, I believe that MySpace is so popular because almost anyone can publish their own content then sit and wait for the masses to befriend them and partake. No one ever looks at my MySpace page, but I could fool myself in to thinking that my 150 “friends” care about my ranting and pictures. Digg is catering to the masses by making it easier for users to feel like they are part of the group.

]]> By: Mathew Ingram http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131215 Mathew Ingram Mon, 06 Nov 2006 17:42:05 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131215 That's a good overview, Muhammad -- although I think you are making it a lot more black and white than it really is. I think Digg is trying to balance inherently conflicting impulses or desires -- one of which is to have users who are engaged and who want to spend the kind of time required to post good links and vote others up or down, and the other being a desire to keep the system open and prevent a small group (including Digg's own founders and friends) from hogging the limelight. I think Digg, like a lot of other "social media" enterprises, is trying to find the appropriate balance there. That’s a good overview, Muhammad — although I think you are making it a lot more black and white than it really is.

I think Digg is trying to balance inherently conflicting impulses or desires — one of which is to have users who are engaged and who want to spend the kind of time required to post good links and vote others up or down, and the other being a desire to keep the system open and prevent a small group (including Digg’s own founders and friends) from hogging the limelight.

I think Digg, like a lot of other “social media” enterprises, is trying to find the appropriate balance there.

]]> By: Denis Krukovsky http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131210 Denis Krukovsky Mon, 06 Nov 2006 17:00:44 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131210 Shall Digg propose ad revenue share to its contributors? Shall Digg propose ad revenue share to its contributors?

]]> By: Jon Tillman http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131204 Jon Tillman Mon, 06 Nov 2006 15:11:49 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131204 Premises: 1) Digg wants an audience, and it wants that audience to be as large as possible. 2) Given that Digg trades in information, that audience must want information. 3) Not everyone is interested in the same types of information. 4) In order to have as large an audience as possible, the variety of information presented must be as wide as possible. Given those three reasonable premises, Digg must take action to preserve as wide a pool of information as possible, and avoid narrowing that pool to the opinions and interests of a small minority. That is exactly what the new algorithm is designed to accomplish. Perhaps it is flawed in accomplishing those goals (I have not looked at it), but it is fairly obvious to see what the purpose is - to keep and build a larger audience than would be possible under your "Case 1". Premises:
1) Digg wants an audience, and it wants that audience to be as large as possible.
2) Given that Digg trades in information, that audience must want information.
3) Not everyone is interested in the same types of information.
4) In order to have as large an audience as possible, the variety of information presented must be as wide as possible.

Given those three reasonable premises, Digg must take action to preserve as wide a pool of information as possible, and avoid narrowing that pool to the opinions and interests of a small minority. That is exactly what the new algorithm is designed to accomplish. Perhaps it is flawed in accomplishing those goals (I have not looked at it), but it is fairly obvious to see what the purpose is – to keep and build a larger audience than would be possible under your “Case 1″.

]]> By: Haasim http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/comment-page-1/#comment-131199 Haasim Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:50:28 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/11/06/the-digg-economy-socialist-bookmarking/#comment-131199 Interesting analysis, but are you saying this new algorithm is already in place or is it coming soon? And to take your metaphor further... which would you prefer: case 1: a small number of big companies (digg users) control everything (front page digg stories) New companies can't compete (newbie digg users) because the big companies have a strong immovable foothold. case2:small businesses and large corporations competing with each other thanks to limiting the the size of "big corporations". The large companies still have a big slice of the pie, but customers don't have to be at the mercy of all powerful corporations who control everything. Interesting analysis, but are you saying this new algorithm is already in place or is it coming soon?

And to take your metaphor further…

which would you prefer:

case 1: a small number of big companies (digg users) control everything (front page digg stories) New companies can’t compete (newbie digg users) because the big companies have a strong immovable foothold.

case2:small businesses and large corporations competing with each other thanks to limiting the the size of “big corporations”. The large companies still have a big slice of the pie, but customers don’t have to be at the mercy of all powerful corporations who control everything.

]]>