Technology for Community

CPsquare is holding an online mini-conference in January 2005 to focus on 5-6 major technologies (or tool groups) that reflect the qualities of what is being termed "Web 2.0," probably staying on each one for 2-3 days in an online discussion that's introduced by a telephone conference.

For each tool we'll consider how it's actually used in a community of practice (or speculate how it could be used). The tools that are being considered are in the table at the bottom of this announcement, along with the people who've stepped forward to lead the discussions so far.

Note that the schedule (found here: http://www.cpsquare.org/News/archives/000060.html) will change and items may be dropped or added, depending on people's energy. We're inviting non-members to join us in our discussions. The conference fee is set so as to give people a glimpse of CPsquare and encourage them to join. CPsquare events combine online discussion and telephone conferences. Register for the Web 2.0 conference now! (http://www.cpsquare.org/CP2Events/)

A range of new tools, architecture, and applications loosely aggregated under the label "Web 2.0" have the potential to change how we use the Web and offer specific opoportunities of rcommunities of practice. For each tool, we intend to ask a set of questions such as:

* What actual tools are included? What are good examples of the tool?
* How would the tool help an existing communities? Is it useful for launching a community? Do we see a substitution, an incremental add-on or fundamental shift?
* What potential might the tool have to create new social forms, aggregations, or interactions?
* Are there significant tool combinations or interactions that increase the tool's use to communities?
* Does the tool require technology stewardship to leverage it? How? Why?
* Does the tool have a differential role or effect in open or public communities compared to internal or closed or private ones? How? Why?
* How easy or difficult is the tool to connect or interoperate with other tools?
* How does the tool observe common notions such as "community boundary" -- or not?
* How would a community leader or leadership group use the tool to keep the community together or stimulate a community or whatever?

When? We will launch the conference conference to discuss goals and processes on Tuesday January 3rd at 20:00 GMT (noon on the west coast of the US, 8 PM in London, 7 AM Wednesday in Sydney). Teleconferences will b