Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Frank — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 15:14:15 -0000

Cumulative advantage?

During the late 90's, we spent all our time talking about Ebay's network effects. Cumulative advantage seems like the same idea, just with pejorative connotations.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Pete Cashmore — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:38:57 -0000

Hashim,

In what way?

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Hashim Warren — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:49:42 -0000

Wired is a victim of groupthink just like Digg is. What's the difference, and what's the danger?

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Phil Butler — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:40:59 -0000

This is good. I am not sure that we are doing justice to true geeks by classifying what often gets to the top of digg as either news or fodder for geeks.

The "moo cow" mentality that has driven the Myspace engine is exactly the same variable that Pete described. Sure, some traditional media and ads go there to turn that barn into Walmart online, but when is the excellence going to arrive?

Somehow I did not expect our voyage into Web 2. whatever to be primarily focused on carnival type dog and pony shows. Maybe time for act two.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Ilya Berelson — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:43:03 -0000

Myspace started out with bands but who listens to the music, all of us. Musicians market to their fans, So there you go.

Digg is different, the prescence of geeks makes the promoninence of geek related stories rise to the top, other communities simply will not prosper because when they login to the front page of digg they will see a one sided view of what it is. In Myspace, this effect is completley not present because of social clusters where there is no direct correlation to myspace the band network when you are logging into your account and your world is directed by you and your friends.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Pete Cashmore — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:29:45 -0000

James,

Hmm...so you're saying they invited non-technical white middle-class Americans who like music, and the whole network is now full of...non-technical white middle-class Americans who like music? ;)

Also, don't forget that MS invited over a million users from a dating site run by the same company.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

James — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:21:43 -0000

I tend to disagree. Let's look at myspace... didn't it start out for bands in california? then it spread and now we all use it. so that doesn't necessarily mean that digg.com will always remain JUST for geeks.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Dave — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:05:10 -0000

I totally agree, Web 2.0 has become the "in crowd 1.0"

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Roachcoach — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 23:02:24 -0000

Duh. I love athe NYT explaining the obvious, but rather than uplift success they try to demean it. "Hey the masses didn't get it right, it was rigged by a small group of powerful friends." Considering this goes against the NYT's best interest as the sole leader in what's important (for a profit I migh add) no wonder they're not down with success stories such as Digg. Hey, power to the few is better than the many, right NYT. They'd hired Paul Krugman... need I say more.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Phil Butler — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 21:57:13 -0000

Superb, and I seldom use that word Pete.

Nothing more can be added, that is rare.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Mike S — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 21:24:37 -0000

Excellent analysis. I do not think it could be put any better.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Matt A.* — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:51:54 -0000

It seems very plausible that this theory could be true in this "Web 2.0" era.

Re: Is Digg the Result of Cumulative Advantage?

Higheredchat — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:35:45 -0000

Indeed. Web 2.0 is still at the mercy of People 1.0

http://higheredchat.blogspo...