Long Island WIKI (LIWIKI): Part One

So what's the first step towards a collaberation between the various Long Island entities? Perhaps a Long Island WIKI? A simple chart and definition may be of some assistance.

A WIKI is defined as "a website that allows visitors to add, remove, edit and change content, typically without the need for registration. It also allows for linking among any number of pages. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for mass collaborative authoring. The term wiki can also refer to the collaborative software itself (wiki engine) that facilitates the operation of such a site, or to certain specific wiki sites, including the computer science site (the original wiki) WikiWikiWeb and online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia."

We're taking about something much more advanced and interactive than this.

Obviously there would need to be some ground rules in place to prevent the entry of "non-productive data" and the ability of any group to alter another groups data, but these are reasonably simple fixes. Additionally, it is possible the entire project could be self-sustaining through corporate and foundation sponsorships.

1. Level one is to identify organizations in a number of diverse fields capable of providing both primary source data and analytical skills. This intitial set of organizations will have the duty of "de-bugging" the process and laying the groundwork for additional organizations to be added. Agree on the design of the LIWIKI and the methodologies to be employed.

2. In addition to the data, arrive at a number of prescribed formulae to initially analyze incoming data. "Ad hoc" reporting capability in "virtual" real time is the ultimate goal.

3. Level two of the LIWIKI is an "ideas" forum for those not yet admitted to level one, but believe they have important information that should be included as a level one participant. Level two participants always have the option of participating through Level One participants or informally on the LIWIKI.

4. Identify external data (data not generated by Long Island organizations) and determine how to integrate it into the LIWIKI process.

Obviously, a LIWIKI is just one idea for beginning the collaberative process. We will expand upon this idea as well as others in upcoming entries.

Long Island WIKI (LIWIKI): Part Two

We talked some time ago about an advanced Long Island WIKI (LIWIKI) which would be a segment of our Long Island 3.0 concept and pointed to a good initial attempt to create a basic Long Island WIKI already underway.

The New York Times magazine had a good article this past weekend which I encourage you to read. It demonstrates how there is a large, mostly voluntary group of folks who constantly check facts and attempt to block inaccurate information. This, to me anyway, indicates a hunger for the "truth" and the scale of the project demonstrates a dissatisfaction with depending solely on "traditional" sources although they remain a large part of the news gathering effort (especially Google News).

What if we could take the WIKI concept and expand it to essentially create a "universal" information exchange for Long Island? What would we need to do?

As we stated before, multiple open standard data structures are required so that all Long Island data has the opportunity to be included, vetted and analyzed. This does not mean there is only one data method or one main database for the information. As we have stated before, we must make the information exchange flexible and easy to accomplish. I have no doubt we have the brainpower here on Long Island to accomplish this and I know there are models already employed that we may emulate and modify.

If we make the process flexible and easy to accomplish and we get some of the "major" players on Long Island engaged in the process (some of whom have already expressed an interest), we can create the type of synergistic model that will propel Long Island and Long Islanders to create an environment for positive change.

More in part three. Stay tuned.

Meta-Editorialism:Part One

How do editorial writers (editors/producers) stay relevant in the new Web 2.0 environment ?

Question. Why does the public care what an editorial writer thinks when there are so many bloggers and others out there with an opinion? Isn't their opinion as valid as the traditional editorial writer/producer?

There is a lot of content on the internet but how much of it is relevant content that furthers the public debate in a productive way?

Web 2.0 is content driven and has an insatiable need for new content every day. How can a traditional editorial staff provide this content? Maybe the answer is that it no longer can.

Perhaps editorial writers/producers must morph into "meta-editorialists" (A meta-editorial is "a researched and evaluated contribution") who act as gatekeepers, moderators and sometimes collaborators with the "best and brightest" minds in the region. This way there should be an endless stream of productive ideas, thoughts and opinions to draw upon and utilize.

On Long Island, there is a wealth of talent and many organizations and individuals who have much to add to the public discourse. The problem is access to traditional media and the built in audience it provides. One can build a large audience over the internet for not a lot of capital, but that still takes quite awhile to accomplish.

By giving a productive voice to a wide range of organizations and individuals, (not just the usual bulletin board "raves" and blog "flames" and YouTube "gotchas") to offer ideas and collaborate in a real way (LIWIKI etc.) traditional media can still serve its function of "neutral observer, dispenser of facts and opinion generator" while playing an active role in the reorganization of Long Island into regional powerhouse and a coordinated entity: Long Island 2.0.

Social Networking Theory and Long Island: Part One

"Social network theory look at the social structure between individuals or organizations. It investigates the ways in which they are connected through a variety of social commonalities. ... Social networking could also refer to a category of Internet based applications working to connect friends, business partners, or others using online interactions, forums, newsgroups, blogs, and a variety of other means..."

What is the composition of the social network or social networks of Long Island? How do we, as a region communicate with one another and with the "outside world?" Is there a Long Island "collective mind?" Will this "collective mind" eventually supplant traditional information and news sources?

Long Island is a diverse region and we protect our diversity and our individuality. No matter the community organization, government or media outlet, we strive to be the best. That should be a good thing and for the most part it is. But perhaps we, as a region are so competitive with one another we miss the greater opportunities cooperation offers.

Our previous posts on a LIWIKI and LI Metadata project and Virtual Community Congress are attempts to begin to forge the dichotomy between autonomy and coordinated efforts for the public good. In future posts we will try to tie this all together in a simple format.

Because as we all know, if it isn't simple to use and understand, it's probably doomed to failure. Not because of a lack of intelligence, just from a lack of time. Even with the best intentions these types of projects are difficult.

Can't hurt to try however.

Some additional current readings here, here, here and here.

Meta-editorialism: Part Five

A logical outgrowth of the Long Island 3.0 concept is a virtual mass communications network.

This would include all of the elements we have previously talked about including LIWIKI, Long Island Metadata Portal, Long Island Alert System(s) and the Long Island Congress (Virtual Community Congress, Long Island Citizen Media Network/Long Island Citizen Alert Network) inclusive) among the major concepts.

What does this mean for the traditional forms of mass communication? As the semantic or knowledge based web advances it obviously allows more choice not only in the type of information available, but how we receive it.

Traditional sources will still maintain a level of respect, but people will expect more from them. As the web 2.0 is beginning to demonstrate, there is an explosion of information and ideas available and the manner in which we interact with one another is becoming more and more sophisticated.

What is needed now is more structure to, what seems to be, chaos. It isn't really chaotic, its just that we have not fully developed the tools or the conceptual approach to use the abundance of information at our disposal in a consistently productive manner.

Long Island 3.0 in all its various current and yet to be developed forms, is an attempt to give some structure to the chaos so that we may use all available information for productive purposes.

LIWIKI Update

I came across this idea for a secure peer-to-peer WIKI Engine which may be a good model to use as a basis for a Long Island WIKI.

Peer-to peer WIKIs may be integrated into standard WIKIs as well as other web-based and xml based solutions including the Semantic Web.

I'll keep digging. The answer is out there somewhere.

Getting Started with Long Island 2.0

Perhaps the quickest way to get underway with the Long Island 2.0 concept (although maybe we will call it Long Island 3.0 before too long) , including LIWIKI, LI Metadata, Virtual Community Congress, Public Alert Systems and all the other elements we've examined over the past few weeks, is to get some of Long Island's "big players" to create the framework for a successful enterprise.

Perhaps organizations like Cablevision, the Long Island Association, Keyspan/LIPA, Stony Brook University, Long Island Forum for Technology, our Library System(s), New York State and local government in partnership with other significant organizations with the financial and technical ability to put together a comprehensive system and have the "clout" to bring it to a great number of individuals and organizations quickly and effectively is an intelligent way to proceed.

Long Island 2.o could serve as a model "private-public" partnership demonstrating a region's ability pool its resources for the common good.