Are there distinct classes of social software?
I discovered that Jspad commented on my previous post via del.icio.us:
Thor points out Ethan Stock’s user contributed content and the classifications associated with it. I am not so sure it works as it seems more of a how much of each element is it rather than distinct classes.
He makes a good point–there are no hard lines between these types (i.e. selfish, social, selfless). But it doesn’t detract from their usefulness in defining the critical success factors for various projects, and in understanding the discrete motivations that drive the adoption of new products.
Whenever I engage in the classification game, I try to remember that the duck-billed platypus, egg-laying though it is, is still best termed a mammal. Rarely perfect, any classification is only as good as it is useful.