The next 'big' online community. Your thoughts?

[Moonliner]

After my brief foray into hosting a vBulletin site, I’m now setting my sights higher and looking towards the next generation of online collaboration. Rather than take the traditional skunk-works approach to development where are the details are hidden until the full fledged project gets off the ground I thought I’d do the entire project out in the open and I do mean the entire project. So here is what I have so far.

I have some basic ideas that I think are worth perusing and I’d like to get your feedback on which one (if any) is a better use of time and resources. To start with here are my building blocks:

I have my choice of servers to use. For this project I can pick from several dedicated Windows or Linux servers. Each of them has plenty of disk space (100GB+) and bandwidth to use. Software wise I have been looking at Wiki, Sharepoint Services, PHP, .NET, etc. In essence it’s all fairly open at this point.

Big Idea #1 – The Living Guidebook
Looking at all the DLR/WDW information on this and other sites it is clear there is a plethora of information out there about the parks. Information is updated not weekly or daily but hour by hour. I would like to create a data driven site to gather and coordinate all this information in an easy to search format. For newbies they could go into a virtual park and get information on any specific attraction. This would include all the basic stuff like the back story, hidden mickeys, etc… but would also include any up to the second comments. For the more advanced user, the site would feature options like automated email notifications based on keywords (like subs or ‘soft opening’) a calendar, free photo album storage, room for files, private areas, etc…


Big Idea #2 – It isn’t Disney but…
For lack of a better term, I call idea #2 “The good ol’boys network”. This would be a more private “by invitation only” type of deal. The main idea would be to have a site dedicated to helping each member prosper in the business world. With the wide range of experiences and interests people here have there is some fairly fertile ground for development. Some of the “off the top of my head” features would be things like a capabilities database. A listing of expertise you (or the company you work for) has to offer. Looking for Web design, accounting, a fashion photographer, or help in setting up a corporate library? Check the database. The site would also include discussion forums a document library (sample resumes, business letters, etc.,..) and other work related stuff.


Big Idea #3 - Fill in the blank.
Have a better idea? Write it up and post it here.


Let me know what you think, and if you would like to help with this project.

[€uroMeinke]

I vote for #3

#1 is cool, but I'm not sure how you'd distinguish yourself from other Disney boards. Mice Chat and Mouse Pad, have a huge base of CMs, APs, and other folks in the know - granted finding the "up-to-date" info is sometimes a bit of a treasure hunt, but these site usually have the most current info. To consolidate the info, you'd need "trusted" sources and find a way to filter out the rumour and commentary to an acceptable minimum. Perhaps you've got some ideas on how to do that, I'd be a bit dumbfounded myself.

#2 a sort of talent pool is also a cool idea, but in my current situation I probably wouldn't use it. But that just one opinion.

#3 - I think you should spend some time with the vision thing, what would your Really like to do, or what do you find lacking/missing from the current choices. I know when we put LoT together, I really didn't want to create another "Disney" site with an evergrowing population, rather I wanted to create something more intimate to preserve and nurture a community that already existed that seemed to have outgrown or expanded beyond it's Disney origins. If you're looking on building a community, I'd spend some time thinking what would make yours a unique place where you'd like to hang out.

But it seems you're thinking beyong just a message board community, which I also think is a good idea, you just need to name that niche you want to fill.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I like #1. A Disney wiki. I've never fully looked into the whole wiki pheonmenon, so I don't know how it accounts for the abundance of erroneous information, but the little I've heard from people it seems to be a good model. If that's the kind of thing you're talking about, I think it's a great idea.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

I like #1. A Disney wiki. I've never fully looked into the whole wiki pheonmenon, so I don't know how it accounts for the abundance of erroneous information, but the little I've heard from people it seems to be a good model. If that's the kind of thing you're talking about, I think it's a great idea.

For planning purposes, I was thinking Wiki for #1 and Sharepoint for #2.

Using wiki you basically get a system where anyone can add or edit just about anything on the site. Most of the time this works great. Of course there are always problems. For example over at www.wikipedia.org some neo-nazi's went in and rewrote much of the holocaust topics. The typical solution is to roll back the changes, block the IP and repeat as necessary.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Mousepod has mentioned in his mousepods about starting a Disney Wiki. He wants to get an online database of all the credits for Disney rides, much like the imdb.

If you'd like to get your web designing hands on that idea, I suggest you drop him a line, as I'm sure he'd appreciate the help.

[€uroMeinke]

Okay, I yield on #1 being rather unfamiliar with wiki implementation. I'd say go for it since no one's done it yet (that I know of anyway).

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Okay, I yield on #1 being rather unfamiliar with wiki implementation. I'd say go for it since no one's done it yet (that I know of anyway).

For the $0.10 tour on what's a wiki: http://www.wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki

It's an open community on the web. For example, let us compair a wiki to a vBulletin system. You make a visit to tomorrowland and get acosted by a talking trash can. You are amazed! You take photos, perhaps a bit of video and you can't wait to tell everyone about "Push" the talking trash can.

With a vBulletin site, you get back to your PC and post a message in the DLR forum about push.

With a wiki, you can instantly create your own "push" page on the site. Complete with pictures, soundbites etc... In short you can make the site into whatever you like. Pennysmashers, Goat tricks, Churros, Restaurant reviews, meets, whatever is your thing YOU can add it to the site. No waiting for those pesky admin types to get around to it. No begging them to see things your way.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Mousepod has mentioned in his mousepods about starting a Disney Wiki. He wants to get an online database of all the credits for Disney rides, much like the imdb.

If you'd like to get your web designing hands on that idea, I suggest you drop him a line, as I'm sure he'd appreciate the help.

I've not listened to the mousepods, but he did mention something about it to me over at /^\. His plan seemed to be more historical in nature as opposed to a here and now type of thing. In anycase I'll check back with him and see if there is some synergy there or not.

[mousepod]

Wait. You haven't listened to the MousePods?

Seriously, though. I've been putting together a wiki for the historical stuff. The reason I went with wiki, is I think it's something that will never be finished. Something that I can keep developing...and adding to.

I would be delighted to join forces and design an über Disney park wiki that would encompass both history and current info/tips. Basically, designing the structure is the hard part. Once it's up, we just give the "edit" password to our favorite geeks and it will grow by itself.

...but if you'd rather fly solo, I respect that, too. Either way, you have my support.

(I was gonna PM you with this, but I'd love feedback from the Loungers, too)

[Moonliner]

Wait. You haven't listened to the MousePods?
Ohh I'm sooo busted...



Seriously, though. I've been putting together a wiki for the historical stuff. The reason I went with wiki, is I think it's something that will never be finished. Something that I can keep developing...and adding to.

Which wiki are you using? Right now I have a server configured for use but I'm looking at a couple of diffrent wiki pakckages.

Also have you hit wikipedia.org they actaully have a good bit of historical stuff on Disneyland and each attraction.


...but if you'd rather fly solo, I respect that, too. Either way, you have my support.

For me a good part of the fun is learning the new software and getting things up and running. So from that point of view I'll be setting up the server, wiki, etc. pretty much on my own. However this is the web and creating links between sites ain't no big thing. What I would like to do is see if we can come up with a shared look and feel so that we can link back and forth between the Wiki's without the guests ever knowing which site they are really at.



(I was gonna PM you with this, but I'd love feedback from the Loungers, too)

Comments anyone?