One of my deepest regrets in writing my Wired article on crowdsourcing was that I wasn't able to delve more deeply into the ways in which Linden Lab, the company that operates the metaverse Second Life (don't call it a video game please), has employed crowdsourcing. Simply put, without the crowd, Second Life couldn't exist. If evidence of the crowd's ingenuity and limitless imagination were lacking (and I'd argue it's not), a quick tour through the fantastical world of Second Life would provides it in spades. Now a prominent Second Life citizen by the name of Gwyneth Llewelyn (that's her SL handle) has begun a compelling analysis of how crowdsourcing is being employed in the field of software development in general and by Linden Lab in particular. While there may be some overlap between people following the crowdsourcing phenom and those interested in Second Life, I'd like to do what I can to promote more of it. I consider Gwyneth's blog required reading for anyone interested in the subject. I've got a bone to pick with certain elements of her analysis, but I'll have to wait to articulate those in another post.
Macroblog
About Me
Crowdsourcing: A Definition
- I like to use two definitions for crowdsourcing:
The White Paper Version: Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call.
The Soundbyte Version: The application of Open Source principles to fields outside of software.
The Rise of Crowdsourcing
- Read the original article about crowdsourcing, published in the June, 2006 issue of Wired Magazine.
« Summer Blackouts ... | Main | Sellaband - Crowdfunding Music »
August 11, 2006
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c4cdf53ef00e5505e1af88833
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Second Life, and Gwyneth Llewelyn:
Comments
The comments to this entry are closed.
widget
The Trailer
Click here to watch the Crowdsourcing trailer and then pass it on.
Recent Posts
- Badges: And Then There Were Three
- One Book, One Twitter: The Lab Notes
- Ready, Set, Read! The One Book, One Twitter Discussion Schedule
- And the One Book, One Twitter Winner Is ...
- Voting for One Book, One Twitter Extended by One Day
- What If Everyone on Twitter Read One Book?
- One Book, One Twitter: Let the Voting Begin!
- And the One Book, One Twitter Winners Are ...
- One Book, One Twitter: A Status Update
- One Book, One Twitter ... aka #1b1t
Wow, I think you blew it - totally missed an opportunity. Here you are, coining a term, getting published in Wired... it's the next "hot" thing...
So you wait weeks before blog entries.
You need to be making a DAILY entry, and milk this thing! See techcrunch.com
Posted by: A friend | August 20, 2006 at 02:56 AM
Blew it? Dunno. Maybe. Depends on the yardstick. I'm congenitally suspicious of next-hot-things, a product of covering tech through the last boom-and-bust cycle. I started the blog as more of a lark than any premediated attempt to milk the interest surrounding the article. I'm happy to have the occasional forum for my thoughts. The phenomenon of crowdsourcing existed before I attached a term to it, and the longevity of the term will be determined by the crowd. If it proves useful, I'm happy to have been of some (limited) service. That said, I do consider myself remiss for letting weeks, plural, lapse between posts. My present ambition is to post at least weekly. Thanks for the nudge, at any rate.
Posted by: Jeff Howe | August 25, 2006 at 07:04 AM
The application of Open Source principles to fields outside of software.
Posted by: tercüme | June 19, 2007 at 12:51 AM
hello friend excellent post I think that The phenomenon of crowdsourcing existed before I attached a term to it, and the longevity of the term will be determined by the crowd.
Posted by: buy viagra | February 17, 2010 at 05:24 AM
yeah truly a great site.I really enjoyed my visit.
Posted by: Health News | March 18, 2011 at 11:36 PM
I am a blog beginner. I am also interested in such kind information. You provide me a good example. Thanks very much. I will keep on reading your blogs.
Posted by: Air Jordan 1 | May 15, 2011 at 10:58 PM
Wonderful illustrated information. I thank you about that. No doubt it will be very useful for my future projects. Would like to see some other posts on the same subject!
Posted by: Turbo fire | May 15, 2011 at 11:04 PM
It's good that we are able to receive the personal loans and that opens up new chances.
Posted by: FREEMAN34Janell | August 14, 2011 at 05:48 PM