Comments on: The private messaging divide.

By: colinwalker

colinwalker — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:32:26 +0000

I agree that services shouldn't try to be all things to all people but, by the same token, I think there is a convincing argument for some form of basic functionality to avoid the need to go elsewhere.

By: stephanmiller

stephanmiller — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:37:27 +0000

I think services like gnip and ping.fm are going to make a lot of sites not necessarily need other features because they will eventually make all sites with API pluggable. I for one recognize right away when a site is adding new features that other sites already do better to keep people there. One too many and the complexity gets to be too much. I like Twitter because it is simple and Friendfeed because of comments. I don't go to Amazon when I want to buy something at an auction. I go to Ebay. And I never go to a brick and mortar Walmart because in an effort to shove everything in, they eventually can't and must appeal to the lowest common denominator.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:08:32 +0000

nice blog

By: colinwalker

colinwalker — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:00:05 +0000

You'd expect it to be in the room settings – nope!
Doesn't look like it's possible at present.

By: Mark Dykeman

Mark Dykeman — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:53:54 +0000

I was trying to delete a room, but I haven't figured out how to do so. Other than that, good idea.

By: MikeQW

MikeQW — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:29:41 +0000

the big question here is whether these services will ever break into the mainstream. is there a big enough need for a friendfeed for my mom? she needs email…and now she needs IM…will she ever need twitter/FF? If so, she'll need some kind of private messaging function even if part of her activity is public. she won't want to dive into chaotic conversations happening across multiple sites…she'll need some easy way to dive in without opening herself up to the judgment of the community. so it can't be straight up private messaging, but it can't be the regular comments we all use now.

By: Julian Baldwin

Julian Baldwin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:05:38 +0000

I am just wondering how rooms currently work, but the ability to set up a temporary room would be cool. Maybe when you create the room one of the criteria could be the lifespan of the room – 1hr, 24hrs, 1yr, undetermined – and it would automatically disappear

By: colinwalker

colinwalker — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:55:09 +0000

In my idea above the room would be destroyed when you end the conversation – totally ad-hoc. Or were you asking in general terms?

By: Julian Baldwin

Julian Baldwin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:53:01 +0000

What happens to rooms on FriendFeed if/when you're done with them? Do they exist with no administrator or disappear altogether?

I can see why an internal messaging system makes sense, especially if users are going to migrate from Twitter. I'm sure the feature could be added in an unobtrusive manner, however, I don't want to see FF adopt feature after feature and begin to lose the simplicity an openness that creates the unique experience we all enjoy so much.