Comments on: Betting the Farm http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html Thoughtful and sometimes snarky perspectives on nonprofit technology Sun, 31 Jul 2011 12:25:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Velo, Rapido: This is about a few different things. http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-8189 Velo, Rapido: This is about a few different things. Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:56:36 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-8189 [...] also started to write about Ning after Chris O’Brian wrote that I was crowing about Ning’s demise. I wasn’t. And you can file under things I never said: out of the box. I was going to say [...] [...] also started to write about Ning after Chris O’Brian wrote that I was crowing about Ning’s demise. I wasn’t. And you can file under things I never said: out of the box. I was going to say [...]

]]> By: Email is dead … long live Email? http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-8108 Email is dead … long live Email? Mon, 27 Dec 2010 23:49:13 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-8108 [...] that suggestion – putting all of ones eggs in a basket you have no control over always seems dangerous to me, even if the basket is [...] [...] that suggestion – putting all of ones eggs in a basket you have no control over always seems dangerous to me, even if the basket is [...]

]]> By: Oliver http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7588 Oliver Mon, 03 May 2010 17:37:10 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7588 Another free alternative is mixxt.com, offering functionalities very similar to Ning but with some additions. Here are the most prominent advantages of mixxt: - Strong Community Management features (e.g., newsletter system, access control) - Powerful sub-groups - Full collaboration features including wikis, image albums, file systems, event-management and CMS - Advanced customization mixxt's philosophy is different from Ning's: it is based on White Labeled solutions for large institutions and enterprises, as well as Freemium services. mixxt networks are especially popular among education, work-related and event networks. Users wanting to import their Ning network to mixxt find a useful tool in our Ning importer (http://bit.ly/ningalt). Give your own mixxt network a try for free here: (http://mixxt.com) Another free alternative is mixxt.com, offering functionalities very similar to Ning but with some additions.

Here are the most prominent advantages of mixxt:
- Strong Community Management features (e.g., newsletter system, access control)
- Powerful sub-groups
- Full collaboration features including wikis, image albums, file systems, event-management and CMS
- Advanced customization

mixxt’s philosophy is different from Ning’s: it is based on White Labeled solutions for large institutions and enterprises, as well as Freemium services.

mixxt networks are especially popular among education, work-related and event networks.

Users wanting to import their Ning network to mixxt find a useful tool in our Ning importer (http://bit.ly/ningalt).

Give your own mixxt network a try for free here: (http://mixxt.com)

]]> By: mixxt » A real Ning-Import and the migration survey http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7584 mixxt » A real Ning-Import and the migration survey Sun, 02 May 2010 22:26:00 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7584 [...] wild search for alternatives to Ning is keeping many social network creators more than busy, especially in the educational sector. [...] [...] wild search for alternatives to Ning is keeping many social network creators more than busy, especially in the educational sector. [...]

]]> By: masticable » Conocer los riesgos de las herramientas gratuitas http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7574 masticable » Conocer los riesgos de las herramientas gratuitas Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:01:53 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7574 [...] pero hay que ser consciente de las posibles contrapartidas. Traduzco un párrafo del artículo Betting the farm, del blog de Michelle Murrain, que lo explica [...] [...] pero hay que ser consciente de las posibles contrapartidas. Traduzco un párrafo del artículo Betting the farm, del blog de Michelle Murrain, que lo explica [...]

]]> By: External, alienated, busy-busy http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7559 External, alienated, busy-busy Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:41:57 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7559 [...] Although it likely won’t be on too many up-to-the-minute news items (like the recent Ning Thing) because I’ll be paying less attention to those goings on, and more attention to other, [...] [...] Although it likely won’t be on too many up-to-the-minute news items (like the recent Ning Thing) because I’ll be paying less attention to those goings on, and more attention to other, [...]

]]> By: Kevin Mark http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7551 Kevin Mark Sat, 17 Apr 2010 20:02:27 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7551 "the freedom to leave" associated with SAAS, likes to have companies provide a way to export your data, as you own it. And then you can, in the future, or at your convience, import it into the next service that comes along. http://live.gnome.org/FreeOpenServicesDefinition “the freedom to leave” associated with SAAS, likes to have companies provide a way to export your data, as you own it. And then you can, in the future, or at your convience, import it into the next service that comes along.
http://live.gnome.org/FreeOpenServicesDefinition

]]> By: Jason http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7550 Jason Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:07:13 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7550 I'm a big proponent of open source, and agree that many nonprofit organizations could minimize their risk by considering options like Drupal and Elgg when it's possible. It always feels better knowing that you have a backup of the source code, user info, and content if things go bust. Sadly, I'm afraid that smaller nonprofits often end up using free, hosted, proprietary solutions like Ning - especially for social networking tools - due to a lack of technological expertise, time, or sufficient funding for a web developer. Tools like Drupal are wonderful, but they've traditionally come with a pretty steep learning curve. Hopefully, these tools will continue to work on making development more user friendly and it will become relatively simple for an individual with even basic web development skills to build a social networking site on their own. Until then, I'm afraid we'll continue to see a cycle of "lather, rinse, repeat." I’m a big proponent of open source, and agree that many nonprofit organizations could minimize their risk by considering options like Drupal and Elgg when it’s possible. It always feels better knowing that you have a backup of the source code, user info, and content if things go bust. Sadly, I’m afraid that smaller nonprofits often end up using free, hosted, proprietary solutions like Ning – especially for social networking tools – due to a lack of technological expertise, time, or sufficient funding for a web developer. Tools like Drupal are wonderful, but they’ve traditionally come with a pretty steep learning curve. Hopefully, these tools will continue to work on making development more user friendly and it will become relatively simple for an individual with even basic web development skills to build a social networking site on their own. Until then, I’m afraid we’ll continue to see a cycle of “lather, rinse, repeat.”

]]> By: Jaume Albaigès http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7548 Jaume Albaigès Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:09:06 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7548 Michelle, just wanted to let you know that I used your third paragraph (translated into catalan and spanish) in a post I just wrote about all this Ning story. Of course, I have linked it back to your blog and article. Here is the link in case you feel curious about it: http://www.tecnolongia.org/?p=1017&lang=ca Michelle, just wanted to let you know that I used your third paragraph (translated into catalan and spanish) in a post I just wrote about all this Ning story. Of course, I have linked it back to your blog and article. Here is the link in case you feel curious about it: http://www.tecnolongia.org/?p=1017&lang=ca

]]> By: TecnolONGia» Arxiu » Ning tanca el servei gratuït http://zenofnptech.org/2010/04/betting-the-farm.html/comment-page-1#comment-7547 TecnolONGia» Arxiu » Ning tanca el servei gratuït Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:01:12 +0000 http://zenofnptech.org/?p=627#comment-7547 [...] però cal ser conscient de les possibles contrapartides. Tradueixo un paràgraf de l’article Betting the farm, del blog de Michelle Murrain, que ho explica perfectament. No hi ha res de dolent amb el [...] [...] però cal ser conscient de les possibles contrapartides. Tradueixo un paràgraf de l’article Betting the farm, del blog de Michelle Murrain, que ho explica perfectament. No hi ha res de dolent amb el [...]

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