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What Is a Lens?

Everybody Will Have a Different Answer

From the lens Squidoo's Beginnings: A Look Back.

Squidoo lens graphicObviously, the definition of "Squidoo lens" has changed and expanded since the early days. It's unfolded in ways that Seth Godin and his original team couldn't have anticipated.

But despite the games, the rise of social communities, the integration of Facebook and Twitter, and a lot more advertising, Squidoo still remains, primarily, a site for publishing lenses.

So, what is a lens? Every single one of us will have a different definition, or several. I think as a lensmaster, it would help every one of us to write down what, exactly, we think a lens is, and what it's for. Revisit the question every year or so and see how your own views change.

Question: What Is A Lens? (Note: This form is just for this question... there's also a guestbook at the bottom of the page for more general comments and observations! )

  • Mickie_G Jul 1, 2011 @ 3:25 pm | delete
    A lens is about focus--something that I am getting better at doing. (Still not perfect, but working on it. What is perfect focus? 20/20?) Zoom in on the details and go from there to create more lenses.
  • greenlife17 Apr 24, 2011 @ 8:46 am | delete
    a mirror, a retrospect, of what you've been through that's worth sharing to others. we write because not all person experienced what we've experienced, and we didn't experienced what they've been through. it's a circle in the learning process. you must give what you have received for others to learn too.
  • skiesgreen Apr 18, 2011 @ 5:06 pm | delete
    This is a great record of Squidoo and much appreciated. Looking back over it shows that people respond to quality and there is certianly a lot of that here. Featured this on Squidoo Knowledge Extra
  • hunksparrow Apr 15, 2011 @ 12:41 pm | delete
    A lens is my view on what's important to me that I want to share with others. I came to squidoo because it was free and I could put anything I wanted on a page (lens), while maybe making a few bucks. I quickly realized Squidoo is a great community and crafting lenses is addictive--but fun. I wish I would have started Squidoo earlier.
  • MelissaInTheSky Apr 15, 2011 @ 6:41 am | delete
    Great lens!
  • flowergardener Apr 10, 2011 @ 12:46 pm | delete
    I see you've referenced Kim's lens on the Giant Charter Members. She only lists the 16 lensmasters that had 100 or more lenses. There are 55 total Giant Charter Members, 39 of which didn't have 100 lenses, notably SethGodin, MeganCasey, and KimberlyDawnWells, recorded on http://finest.lensmasters.ever.com/
  • Ener-G Apr 7, 2011 @ 6:29 pm | delete
    Hmm, I think the question is wrong. It's not "what is a lens?" but "why are we doing it?" If we lose the why...the what is going to just be one more lackluster product on the internet. In my opinion of course.
  • spirituality Apr 7, 2011 @ 6:18 am | delete
    I still think of a lens the way it was defined back then in 2007 (in my own words): as a webpage on squidoo which gathers information about a topic so people can learn more.

    Haven't seen that definition around for quite a while though.
  • lizziehumphreys Apr 7, 2011 @ 6:10 am | delete
    cool lens! :) really interesting xx
  • Flynn_the_Cat Apr 7, 2011 @ 1:02 am | delete
    A lens is the disc of clear material over the eye, and a man-made lens is a disc of ground glass used to focus light. This generally has a magnifying effect. Lenses used to be very expensive because they had to be perfectly hand-ground, but with the rise of mechanical alternatives, are now commonly found in spectacles, telescopes, and magnifying glasses.

    Do I get a prize? :D
  • flowergardener Apr 6, 2011 @ 8:04 pm | delete
    Ellen, your information about the original 2007 giant squid challenge is incorrect. The deadline was August 30, 2007, but in July, those that were near 50 lenses got an email from HQ. It seems at that time, there weren't many that had the 100 lenses for the challenge, so they dropped it to 50. Starting on June 9th of that year, I only had 4 lenses to create to meet the challenge.
  • Greekgeek Apr 6, 2011 @ 8:13 pm | delete
    Oh! Thank you. I was looking at the original Squidblog post where it was announced, and missed the update. I wonder if I could've made it if I'd known! Oh well, let me fix that.
  • aesta1 Apr 6, 2011 @ 7:01 pm | delete
    What I really like and why is tick to Squidoo until I get the hang of it is the publishing platform. My husband and I are in education systems development consulting and we think this format is going to be the classroom text of tomorrow, maybe more. It is just fascinating to follow and participate in some developments. Change is good and if Squidoo looks different now, that is something to celebrate. Great lens, lots of respect for you.
  • kitty222 Apr 6, 2011 @ 4:51 pm | delete
    I like to tell people, "Some people treat it like a blog. Others use it to educate people on stuff they care about. Some come here to earn money and others are okay with donating their earnings to their favorite cause. Whatever works for you as long as you play within the rules."
  • fanfreluche Apr 6, 2011 @ 3:11 pm | delete
    I joined in 2007, part of the massive eBay sellers invasion from back then (I don't remember who lead me here, but we were many. We even had a page made for all of us). At first I thought squidoo was a place just to promote our eBay business, but I ended up ditching the eBay part and concentrate on making page on what I found interesting. Like on eBay, I say sell what you know/know what you sell. I think here it's the same: write about what you know or love, know and love what you write about.
  • luvmyludwig Apr 6, 2011 @ 2:47 pm | delete
    This seems like such an easy question, but it's not when you really think about it. I will have to think about this.
  • makingamark Apr 6, 2011 @ 2:45 pm | delete
    I'm tickled pink you dug up that reference to my first blog post about Squidoo! I'd forgotten all about that. However I am pleased to tell you that five years later I'm still working to the same model and I'm still trying to improve those three lenses I referenced in my blog post!

    I use Squidoo to create compendiums of information about a specific topic - that's links to places on the internet where people can provide yet more information and advice. I provide mini digests within the lens but I leave it up to others to do what they do best.

    In my case 99% of my makingamark lenses are art-related. That way I get to remember where I keep the information I reference from time to time and I also get to share it with other people.

    Along the way I learned how to create compendiums which can be jolly useful and expert in their scope - while also offering books to buy!
  • LadyLovelace Apr 6, 2011 @ 2:22 pm | delete
    A lens, in my most humble, uneducated and possibly confused opinion, should be a focused look at a small area of a wider topic. Y'know. 'cause it's called a "lens". It also makes the most sense to me within the infrastructure Squidoo has set up. So you build lots of lenses to give tiny, focused views on the areas of a broader topic that matter most to you, and you know the most about. There's no pressure to know absolutely everything about everything, because your lens can still do well if it's about the one aspect of a topic you do know a lot about.
  • DinosaurEgg Apr 6, 2011 @ 2:16 pm | delete
    I joined Squidoo after reading Seth Godin's Everyone's an Expert eBook. It was posted in 2005 but I read it in 2010 (I was busy before that ;) It says a lens says “Here’s my
    take on what you need to know about this topic.” That appealed to me. And that's exactly how I see it. I have a reader in mind when I write and I tell them what I think they need to know about the topic - that applies to sales lenses (and that eBook certainly talks about selling), informational lenses and resource lenses.
  • mountaincabinmercantile Apr 6, 2011 @ 2:13 pm | delete
    I think of the term lens like on a camera - it is a smaller, focused piece of a bigger picture. Personally, I learn more when I can review a specific thought or product vs. dig through exhaustive text to find information. I love the whole lens concept and really enjoy reading them, too!
  • PaulOnBooks Apr 6, 2011 @ 2:04 pm | delete
    Firstly: superb job done here!

    A lens is an updatable repository of thoughts and opinions with supporting material and links in varying degrees.

by

Greekgeek

Storyteller, former Latin teacher, student of mythology and the ancient world: I've worn many hats, but always I've dabbled in computers and the web.

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