Group Presentation: Online Social Networks
By Mark MacEachern, Emma McNabney, Fiacre O’Duinn, Randy Oldham, and Ian Strang
Introduction: What is an Online Social Network?
According to Wikipedia, a social network is “…a social structure made of nodes which are generally individuals or organizations. It indicates the ways in which they are connected through various social familiarities ranging from casual acquaintance to close familial bonds.” A quintessential part of human existence is our drive to interact, our need to belong, and our desire to participate in society. Our everyday lives operate within many different social networks: our close families, our work-mates, our friends, that friendly cashier at our favorite coffee place. Before computers started to infiltrate the average family household, researchers realized the importance of ‘networking’ computers together to allow for communication and to share access to data, thus giving birth to the internet.
The advent of the internet brought with it several new communication technologies: newsgroups, discussion forums, email, webmail, network messaging, instant messaging. These communication technologies are the enabling force behind online social networks, since interacting with others requires some form of communication. With the rise in popularity of computers and, more importantly, the internet, it is no wonder that our drive to interact with others and form social networks has moved from the physical realm, to the virtual realm. Online social networks enable like-minded individuals to come together and share their similar interests in an online forum. Online social networks have communication at their foundation. Online social networks also typically include the following: support for rich media such as video files, music files and document storage; blogs
Creating online social networks which are meant to emulate their physical ‘real’ versions, should be expected to contain the same sort of ills which ‘physical’ society is plagued with: racism, homophobia, minority groups and hazing rituals. Online social networks are not without their controversy. Many schools and libraries in the US have blocked access to online social network websites, leaving students and patrons barred from participating in these important venues of socialization. An American senator has furthered the fight against access to online social networks for students in school by introducing the DOPA bill. DOPA, the Deleting Online Predators Act, would require that any federally funded facility block minors from accessing commercial online social-networking sites and chat rooms.
The reasoning behind the act is that children will be protected from potential predators if they are simply blocked from accessing these online social network sites while at school. Parents are also quite fearful that their children are sharing too much personal information on online social networking websites. Information added to these networks is essentially carved in electronic stone where it will remain for many years to come. The scope of impact for online writings is not fathomed by kids: they don’t realize that things posted on the internet today could hurt them in ten years at a job interview.
Choosing Social Networking Software
There are now a wide variety of social networking tools available and it grows monthly. While people will chose to use social networking software for a variety of reasons, there are two areas a user should look at before choosing which service they will utilize. First what is their purpose in employing the software and second, due to the public nature of online networks, what strategies should you they use to make certain that they are protected.
What does the service have to offer?
Does membership in the social network make a users life better?
First look at what the service allows you to do. Is it merely a way to maintain a “friendship flow chart” or does it offer utilities that would be useful for you and the social network that you intend to create. For example, does it have an integrated blog, or the ability to upload digital media? If so, what are the upload limits and software requirements?
What is the purpose of the social network?
Is the service focused on numbers, for example the number of people in your social network? This tends to be a more business approach to networking software. Instead you should ask does the service offer the opportunity to connect with individuals in your network in a way that is meaningful to you and allow you to achieve your collective goals. Remember the limits placed on networking by the Dunbar number and its possible effects on what you are trying to achieve.
Strategies to remember when using social networking software
What privacy settings does the site offer to users?
When you first sign onto a new service, check the privacy settings. Who has access to your profile and content? Is the material open to everyone or can you restrict access? This is important as it may influence what you decide to post online.
Remember that information can travel through the network
Even with privacy settings in place it is important to remember that any material that you post is still available on the internet and can travel across networks of people quickly and without your knowledge.
Information will remain on the Internet
Even if you remove information that you have posted, it can still remain online. As already stated, information can travel through social networks as people download and save material. Google may keep a “cached” copy of the information to aid in future searching. So, think carefully before you upload anything that you may come to regret later.
The illusion of anonymity
The internet, by its very nature, encourages a feeling of anonymity, which may persuade people to post material or engage in behavior they would not elsewhere. Consequently, it important to remember that even if you use a profile with an assumed name, your “digital fingerprints” can be traced back by your Internet service provider, university or employer.
Therefore, the best advice is to remember possible safety issues and act responsibly.
Current Major Online Social Networking Sites
We have chosen the following networks to evaluate: MySpace, Multiply, Digg, Facebook, Faceparty, Secondlife, Plentyoffish, and Sharepoint. Our aim is to present the main features of each network, paying particular attention to file storage capacity (if applicable), who is eligible to join, how communication and social interaction occurred between users, what, if any, media the site supports, and whether or not the site was used for purposes other than personal social interaction. We have also made note of anything else that makes the tool unique and interesting.
Founded by Peter Pezaris in Boca Raton, Florida in 2003, Multiply is a social networking service with an emphasis on sharing media, such as photos, videos and blog entries. Due to the emphasis on digital media, it has no upload limits. It is distinguished from other social networking services in that it focuses on networking with the people users know and are connected to in real life. Participation requires registration on the site. Users are encouraged to specify the nature of their relationship with one another, making it possible to control who they share their content with. A user can divide access groups into three categories, “Everyone”, “Your Network,” and “Your Contacts.” A Network can be defined by the user to include friends, friends of friends, and so on. Contacts can be either “Close,” “Medium,” or “Distant,” with those outside of Distant excluded from “Your Network.”
Another distinctive feature is a message board that alerts users to new material posted within that user network. These messages are referred to as multi-messages, as they reach people “multiple degrees away from you.”
The site also uses “tag clouds” to identify popular topics being shared. Rather than focus on the most popular tags of all users on the system it focuses only on those that are popular among the users own network.
Digg.com was founded by former television host Kevin Rose for the relatively modest goal of sorting the Internets’ news into piles good and bad. The site uses a simple thumbs up, thumbs down system for determining the value of any of the submitted news stories or web sites. Newly submitted stories are placed on holding pages where active users can go and vote on them. Only when a story has reached a certain threshold of votes, determined algorithmically by the Digg computers, does it move from the holding page to the digg.com front page. Stories both on the front page and on the holding pages are sorted into a variety of categories based on choices made by the user at the time of submission.
None of this sounds like a social network and originally it wasn’t meant to be. Digg was supposed to be a classic social tagging site, similar in design and intent to Flikr. Subsequently however, Digg has added the functionality to allow the assigning of friends and the creation of increasingly detailed profiles. Users can add each other as friends and view the stories “dug” (voted on) or submitted by each other. Users cannot communicate directly, but can comment on the stories and digg each other’s comments. In addition to tracking the votes of users directly, members can also view lists of the users that have voted for any particular story. While Digg’s profiles are not as rich as some sites and its methods of communication indirect, inter-user relationships have become critical to the sites operation.
As a social networking community Digg is minimalist. User content is limited to the stories they submit, the little information that can be included in the profile form and short, story-specific comments. The site is fundamentally about taste and interest. Digg allows members to find those that share their interests and harness those individuals as editors for the constant stream of stories flowing through the site.
Facebook is essentially a clearer, gentler, safer Myspace. Originally created as a online replacement for the traditional print “face book”, the site has grown into a full fledged social network. The site, which once limited user interaction to only those within various academic institutions, has since opened membership to various groups . The only requirement for membership is an ‘institutional email address’. This fundamental user restriction has meant that Facebook has largely escaped the controversy that still looms over many of the other major social networks.
The communication and community building features of the site are well developed. Users can create home-pages designed to their specification, with certain technical and stylistic limitations. Users can also post photos to online albums which can be shared with other users. There are also a number of avenues for direct communication between users: users can post notes and leave messages for each other as well request friendship or indicate an interest through the ‘poke feature’. A ‘newsfeed’ feature allows users to keep track of the actions of their friends without having to follow each friend individually.
Further to its safer, cleaner image, Facebook has a wide variety of privacy options and levels. Users can limit other users’ access to almost every aspect of their online persona. Users get to choose how open they want to be about their photos, their online behavior via the “newsfeed”, or even their entire profile. In addition to choosing what to share, users can also indicate detailed preferences about with whom they want to share. Users can limit their network from just their friends or just their friends of friends to everyone on the site.
Facebook has worked hard to create an social network that addresses many of the popular concerns leveled at other networks, but has done so without interfering with the connectedness on which social networks rely. Combined with the relatively few technical restrictions on user data, the clean minimalist user interface and well explained options, make using the software easy and natural. Facebook is ideal both for the novice, wary of online communities, and the intense experienced user.
Faceparty was created by Dave Bamforth in 2002. Since then, more than 6 million people have become members and 35, 000 new ones join every day. And with a tag line like “…fall victim to the odd one night stand!”, why wouldn’t one join Faceparty? A popular British site used by people the world over who are looking to interact with others, Faceparty is a hit with the late-teen to mid twenties crowd (”Faceparty”, Wikipedia); however, people of all ages are members. Registration is open to anyone who wishes to join. Open registration allows for many weak ties to be formed within this online social network.
Anyone travelling through cyber-space can view members’ profile; however, only registered members may post comments or rank the profiles. Although there is no blog, Faceparty furnishes communication between members by offering instant messaging to notify when a comment has been posted on a profile, the messaging service is part of CoolTools, one of the few features on Faceparty that requires payment.
A neat and useful feature of Faceparty is the Browse by Group option. Members and non-members alike can use controlled vocabulary to find people who have identified like interests. Categories include Travel & Holiday, Beliefs & Cultures, and Events & Nightlife.
Faceparty is free to join for anyone aged sixteen or over. After the initial sign up process, users are given a web page (essentially a profile) on the Faceparty space. Most of the websites follow a template format that allows them to fill in the blanks on such stats as favourite food, body type (as in describe your own), and personal preferences when it comes to drugs and alcohol. It also has a space for members to include links to their friends’ profiles.
Faceparty also has a paid section, which members over 18 can join. A major criticism of online social networks is the lack of policing that exists. Faceparty was investigated earlier this year for allowing young girls to post “erotic” photographs of themselves on the network. Faceparty now uses Adult Verification System to prevent underage members from viewing inappropriate material. It also has a staff of five that approves any photo posted in the “free” portion of the network in order to prevent unsuitable photos from reaching the masses and it employs software that searches postings for offensive language. Faceparty might not be everyone’s cup tea, but if one is looking for the chance to meet saucy young people, this is the place to go. It’s a social network whose participants are looking for fun and exciting pursuits.
Markus Frind launched PlentyofFish in 2003. 250, 000 to 320, 000 registrants login each day and the number of registrants is growing by 7.5% a month. PlentyofFish does not charge a fee to register, many other online dating sites suchs as eHarmony.com and Match.com charge their users a fee for the services. Anyone is eligible to join and registered users can filter who sees their profile by blocking individuals or entire groups. Groups include people who identify themselves as Married, Drug Users, or Smokers. Upon registration, one chooses the relationship they hope to be in. PlentyofFish’s settings allow users to filter messages according to the relationship that potential matches are interested in.
While PlentyofFish does not have a blog, there are many forums that run through the web site. Members can talk about a range of topics from Relationships to Poems & Quotes to Single Parents. The forums are monitored by volunteers and offer a place for users to communicate with people that they might have missed on a search of potential matches. Many registered users have photographs attached to their profiles, but other than the photos there are no other media.
Like Faceparty, anyone may search PlentyofFish, but only registered users can post comments, participate in the Forums, and post personal profiles. There are several searching options including an advanced search that allows people to search by Relationship Status, Location, and Height among many other qualities.
PlentyofFish is an online dating network for a crowd that’s more mature than the one using Faceparty. People using PlentyofFish are looking for relationships outside of the online network. PlentyofFish creates a network of people looking to find a relationship. The relationships vary from friendship to casual romance to people looking for someone with whom they can spend their lives.
MySpace is likely the most popular online social networking site in the English-speaking world. The over one hundred million user accounts and the current American legislation that seeks to eliminate its presence in public institutions both attest to its resounding popularity. Like many other online social networks, MySpace allows users to create and search blogs, user profiles, friends’ lists, and groups. Anyone with Internet access and a desire to become a part of the social network is free to join. The site allows users to embed photos, music files, and videos in to their personal pages, thus providing them with a space that is relatively customizable.
Because of its popularity and its ability to support different forms of media, MySpace is an effective medium for commercial advertising. Various popular artists have taken advantage of its large-scale visibility; for example, MySpace Music allows bands to embed their songs into their MySpace page, which in turn provides users (and they do not have to be MySpace members) with another medium through which to fulfill their musical needs. Not surprisingly, one of the increasingly popular aspects of MySpace is its thriving artistic community, for the social network allows musicians and other types of artists to reach much larger and audiences.
Stepping away from online dating and socializing networks, we will now take a look at Second Life. Second Life is a 3-D virtual world created by Linden Lab and was made available to the public in 2003 (“Second Life”, Wikipedia). Avatars are the characters that populate this virtual world. They are the virtual form of the registered users. Anyone can join Second Life, but there are various subscription fees. Each fee-tier allows users to accomplish different things within the virtual world. The fees that the “real person” pays are converted to dollars for their avatar to spend in Second Life. October 18, 2006 marked the “birth” of the one millionth resident of Second Life.
Like the name of the network suggests, Second Life is designed to be an alternate reality in which people exist in a virtual 3-D world. Participants in Second Life are “residents” of their 3-D world. They can upload music and vocals to be played from their homes on Second Life. Companies such as Reebok, TELUS, Reuters, and BBC Radio exist in Second Life. These organizations have signed deals with Linden Labs to offer bring services to the residents of Second Life. For instance, Reuters delivers news headlines to residents.
The people who manage Second Life use a blog to communicate with the residents of the virtual world. It addresses questions that have been sent in by participants and disseminates information and updates about the product. SL Census is an independent organization that helps to avatars’ real-world counterparts. Residents can use the census to access the actual contact information about real-world participants, provided they have chosen to register with the census.
Second Life blurs the line between reality and the virtual-world. Members of Second Life meet, socialize, entertain, govern, work, pay taxes (the monthly user fees), and generally go about daily life in the virtual world. A popular activity in the virtual world is to buy land and open a business. Residents can buy and sell anything they want and can also choose which groups they want to belong to.
It is difficult to imagine a use for Second Life outside of its current niche. It certainly is an online social network of a different order. Nonetheless, as Matthew Williams discusses in his article Myspace and Facebook: What higher ed can learn from social computing, if we can learn anything from these online social networks, it is that people will commit to activities if they are given a chance to truly be a part of something. Second Life offers the chance to create a life from scratch and this might just be what some people need.
Sharepoint is a free application created by Microsoft which enables users to share information, collaborate on documents, and collect team knowledge over the internet or an internal secured corporate network. Think of sharepoint as the ‘business’ version of an online social network: like a Myspace or facebook for businesses and organizations. Sharepoint is used to enable collaboration, communication and knowledge management within organizations.
Sharepoint Services can be deployed by either installing it on your own physical hardware, or by signing up with a ‘sharepoint hosting site” for a fee. The fee is often based upon how many users you require and the amount of disk space you require for your installation. The fee also covers the licensing costs for SQL server and windows 2003. If you have your own hardware, you can download sharepoint services from Microsoft for free and install it. Sharepoint requires Windows Server 2003 or greater, IIS 5.0 or greater, SQL server, and disk space for installation. Whether you go with a hosted service, or install your own version of sharepoint, authentication can be either wide open, or locked down using Active Directory, LDAP, certificates or certain third party identity management solutions. Typically, sharepoint is integrated within an already existing Active Directory infrastructure and uses this directory to authenticate users against.
Sharepoint includes many features out of the box: document libraries which support checkout and document versioning. When you enable collaboration on files, you are also creating the potential for documents to be edited by two people (or more) simultaneously, which could lead to multiple versions of the same document. Checkout capability coupled with document versioning enables users to keep tabs on how many revisions a given document has went through: if the team decides that a previous version of the document was better than a newer one they can easily revert back to the older version. The document libraries are theoretically capable of holding any file type, however, the tight integration with the Microsoft Office family of products clearly indicates that document libraries are meant to house documents: Word documents, excel documents, Visio documents, InfoPath forms, PowerPoint slides etc. Administrators are also free to block any file extension they wish, and some file extensions are blocked by default (.exe for example).
Powerful discussion forums, a survey component which enables users to create simple-but-rich surveys are included within sharepoint services. Users can also create alerts for any component of a sharepoint site so that they are notified when changes/additions/deletions occur. Each new site also includes an event calendar, an announcements section, a way to share contacts and links with the members of the site, tight integration with Microsoft’s Outlook. Users can put as much information as they would like into their profile, address, telephone number, mobile number, fax number, picture… the information is limited to more ‘contact’ type information, and not what your favourite sport team is, or your favourite colour, but nothing is stopping you from creating your own sharepoint site within your organization to show off your likes/dislikes and creating a more robust online profile, except maybe the sharepoint administrator. Sharepoint includes integration for instant messaging by utilizing MSN messenger, Microsoft Windows Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger. Whenever a person posts something to the site, it is ‘stamped’ with their name. Their name gives you complete access to all of their contact information, and will even show you their online Messenger status as well.
The feature set of sharepoint is extended even further by the ability for users/administrators to add (often free) third-party ‘webparts‘. There are literally hundreds of free webparts which can be easily added to enhance the features available within sharepoint. The newest version of sharepoint, v3, is due out any day now, and includes Blog and Wiki functionality out of the box, without the need of adding in a third-party blog/wiki webpart.
If the administrator permits, users may create new sites for whatever they require: perhaps you are beginning a new project and require a place for everyone to store their documents, be kept up to date on project deadlines, a place to post important announcements for team members and a way for the project members to collaborate and communicate with ease. The same is true for social committees, interest groups, departments and so on; a site can be created for any reason to bring people together who share a common interest. Our own FIMS at UWO uses sharepoint for many of the program’s course websites to bring students, the professor, course documents, announcements and due dates together in one location. In fact, we even used a hosted sharepoint services site to collaborate on this group project.
Libraries and Social Networks
Social Networks can serve any number of different functions, both for individuals as well as for organizations and groups. Recently some of the larger online social networking sites have seen a dramatic rise in the number of contributing and participating corporations. Just like Coke or CBS, libraries have been finding a place for themselves on a variety of social networks. Libraries are often the center of a physical community. They often serve as a gathering place for community members to share ideas, make plans and generally enjoy the company of others. Many libraries have taken this role into the virtual world and are building a place for themselves in any number of the rapidly expanding online social networks that have appeared over the last few years. Libraries are using social networks in a wide verity of ways, from recreating their real world role as a community center, too simply strengthening and reenforcing their real world presence.
Social networks are also providing libraries an avenue for expanding the services they provide. The library web site has and often still is an online island on which any number of services may be accessed, but without connections to the rest of the online world. Libraries are beginning to use social networks not just as tools to inform or facilitate community gathering and communication, but as means of providing basic library services, bridging the gap between the island that was the library website and the rest of the virtual world.
Social Network Profiles As Advertisements:
As google would say, “its all about the eyeballs”. Many libraries are establishing a presence on popular social networks simply to advertise their services be they online or in the real world. Libraries that take this route tend to focus only on the largest of the networks, creating profile that directs members to the library’s web site or physical location. These profiles may also include announcements of new services, changes in collections and up coming events. Their tends to be little two way communication between the library and other members of the community.
Social Network Profiles As Virtual Community Centers:
Many libraries are taking their participation in social networks one step further and recreating their role as a place of community gathering. These libraries are using their online space as a forum for library visitors to communicate not only with the library itself, but also with each other through allowing the posting of pictures and messages. These libraries also often offer more direct tools to facilitate the communication of library related information such as favorite books and authors.
Social Network Profiles As Virtual Libraries:
A more active and participatory approach to the use of social networks that some libraries are taking is to build a virtual library within the networks. In addition to providing basic information about the library and its events these libraries are including access to traditional library services. These services often include access to the catalogue, new additions to the collection and even virtual reference. Libraries taking this approach also often allow the posting of pictures and short messages and generally take full advantage of the multidirectional communication tools the network makes available.
Each library has different needs and circumstances and not all libraries are suited to full participation and emergence in online social networks. Likewise each social network has its own strength and weaknesses, some of which create an ideal environment for full library participation while other do not. The key is for each library to choose a model that suits both them and their social network.
The Future of Online Social Networks
In his book about the values of librarianship in the 21st Century, Michael Gorman writes that “change is happening, and more change is coming. There are two ways to deal with certain change. One is to be passive and reflexive, allowing whatever happens to happen. The other is to plan for and, insofar as is possible, to control change” (3). And, although Gorman is speaking of change in a general sense from, of course, a library perspective, his emphasis on ‘control’ is particularly prescient in relation to the future fate of the use of online social networks in libraries; that is, the future viability of online social networks as social, cultural, and educational forces depends largely on their relatively open and accessible nature. Unfortunately, legal attempts to control this “openness” jeopardizes the future of online social networks in libraries.
But in an ideal, uncontrolled environment, libraries can actively adopt and implement online social networks into their operational structure, rather than passively watch online social networks consume large segments of its user community.
Danah Boyd observes that online social networks are foundational to the social life of modern youth. Providing access to such networks in the future will not only help the library remain relevant to this increasingly technical user community, but it will also reaffirm the library’s role as a centre of economic equality, providing access to resources that many patrons may not have access to otherwise.
Furthermore, online social networks provide libraries with a means of effectively enhancing its educational and instructional methodologies. In his blog, Henry Jenkins discusses Ravi Purushotma’s thesis, which suggests that social networks engage “traditional school subjects in a fresh new way.” Purushotma theorizes that a link between modern media and traditional teaching methods creates a system of learning that transcends the physical boundaries of the classroom and blends into the student’s everyday online (and offline) existence. Although Purushotma focuses on traditional forms of schooling specifically, his innovative ideas are also applicable to libraries, for librarians are educators and they can just as easily take advantage of online social networking in their library instruction sessions.
As libraries begin to harness the ubiquitous potential of such networks, the educational and instructional elements of librarianship become less rigidly confined within the physical library. Whatever form the future online social network takes, the implication is that the network(s) will allow libraries to expand the scope of their educational influence by more effectively meeting the needs of the user community – the user community that, as I mentioned above, increasingly uses online social networks as a medium of everyday communication.
Unfortunately, the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA) foreshadows a future for online social networks that is much less ideal than relatively unrestrictive past. Although the Act does not directly pertain to Canadian libraries, its mere existence represents a dark future in which external influences control impede the flourishing of online social networks in public institutions. In such a restricted environment, libraries would have to identify alternatives to service the social needs of its youth, since such networks are “a part of everyday life” (Boyd). Moreover, preventing libraries from providing access to such services, would, as Roush suggests, unfairly amplify the economic gap between classes by eliminating access to the resources for the economically disadvantaged. DOPA retards the progress of the library, its services, and online social networks.
To return to the Gorman quote: libraries are changing and online social networks are a part of that change. But, exactly how strong of a partnership the two possess largely depends on how much operational freedom – how much control – the library itself possesses. Let us hope that future online social networks provide libraries with that “fresh new way” of effective, user-centred operation.
References
Social Networking: Time For A Silver Bullet by Richard MacManus
5 Strategies for smart social networking by the Campus Technology Support Group, Illinois State University
”Identity Prod in a Networked Culture: Why Youth Heart MySpace” by Danah Boyd
Our Enduring Values: Librarianship in the 21st Century by Michael Gorman
“What DOPA Means for Education” by Henry Jenkins
Libraries in Social Networking Software By Meredith Farkas
Morrisville College Library
Denver Public Library
library myspace account action By Aaron Schmidt
Thanks for the clear overview of online social networks. I especially appreciated your suggestions on how to carefully, thoughtfully and purposefully use online social networks. Your breakdown of the various incarnations of these networks was also very useful. Great job!
[…] now, certainly, there are some sites which incorporate more online social interaction than some other sites, for example, myspace is definately an ‘online social network’, but what about Digg? if you head over to the group presentation this week on online social networks (PLUG PLUG PLUG), you’ll find out how it is that digg works… what do you think? is it an Online Social Network? there are social aspects to digg, the stories that are ‘dug’ the most make it to the front page, users ‘digging’ a news story technically interact together by showing a consensus on which news articles they ‘dug’… but is this degree of social interaction ”enough” for you to consider it an online social network? there really is no clear definition of exactly how much social interaction is required for a site to get pigeon-holed as an ‘online social network’. should we be happy with ‘degrees of social-ness’ for online social networks, that is, are you ok with ‘digg’ and, say, myspace, being in the same ‘online social network’ category considering the great degree of seperation that exists between them in terms of how social the sites are? is any degree of social interaction, no matter how ‘asynchronous’ the interaction is? or is synchronis communication/interaction the key to making it into the ‘online social network’ category? Posted by roldham Filed in online social networks […]
[…] Thank you to this week’s group for the great presentation on social networks and how libraries can and are using them. The Wikipedia article only touches briefly on online social networks so I found your explanation much easier to follow and your description of current major sites very enlightening. […]
I appreciated that your presentation addressed SharePoint. The company I worked for this summer had great visions for incorporating SharePoint into business practices. However, the load times were slow and staff refused to abandon shared drives - even though SharePoint would have resolved issues of duplicate documents, current documents, document ownership, etc. etc. It is an amazing resource, but try telling that to devoted shared-drivers!