MOG

is that the point of this place?  one doesn't have to stay in a group. they can certainly go wherever they want. but could be nice for them to have the option!

hmmmmm

Yes to both private and public groups.

The more options the better.

It would also be nice if I didn't have to log in everytime I visit, I know I haven't posted much lately but the site used to remember me....

you only have to log in when you quit your browser b42.  we'll fix that soon.

If it's groups you're considering, take a look at the numerous groups to be found at last.fm. (Last.fm just sprang a redo of the interface to cries of "WTF! how can I get the original back?" An option that Moggers have, thank the gate keepers.) To mix metaphors, instead of a wide open meadow, do some request a hot/greenhouse instead?

gate keepers?

    Ever since the mass Media became the "all pervasive media" it has also fragmented into "niche media" allowing consumers to feed themselves a steady diet of what they love.  I do believe this is potentially anethema to most MOGgers.  If there is one thing that unites us it our ridiculously open minds when it comes to music.  We seek the sounds that sustain our lives, and nothing pleases us more than being pleasantly surprised by a bit of music from way outside our usual bailiwick.

So I'm not sure how this "group" thing would work.  There is always the snob factor that can sneek in, with it's concurrent feelings of exclusivity and ostricization.  As for meeting with like minded folks,  I find that the Artist's Lounge feature can serve that function quite admirably.

I'm just sittin' on a fence,  you might say I got no sense.

i've never seen an artist lounge really take on a level of groupness though. what if the groups were all public?

Public groups would be fine, ie; Mogger's Bookshelf, Mog the Bass, Mog on Drumz, Mogger Art, Mog Recipes,...Phish heads at Mog, Mainstream Mogglies,.....the possibilities are endless.

moggers on drugs?  heh

Hey!

It may soon morph into "us" & "them", (cause after all we're only or-din-ary men (and women).

But yeah,  as the long absent B42 has opined,  groups could be fun.  Would you attempt to ressurect the chat room?

that chat room was weak. 

It would have taken a lot of steriods to get it UP to "weak" status.

Trial and error, you don't know until you try and the chat room was kind of nifty for a very short while.

Nifty?  Gosh Wally, even Lumpy doesn't say nifty anymore.

I specialize in retrospeak :)

I wanna join that Moggers on drugs group.

i'm not totally clear on what "private groups" means on MOG, so i can't say yet.  but, what i do know:

i like the way nothing is exclusionary on MOG.  everything is out in the open in the mogOsphere, which seems unique on the web these days.  i don't know if i can describe it (especially to natural-born extroverts) but the lack of cliques or private groups on MOG has (for me) created such a sense of safety and comraderie.  (kinda like when everyone had an embarrassing album on their mogOmatic that they couldn't hide.  everyone had one, so it was no big deal!)  sure, there's inner circles with inside jokes here, but i never felt left out.  even when i was "lurking" or less involved than the tight-knit crowd.

one thing that would be cool - and similar to grouping - is extended usability on the "Trusted Mogs" end.  for example, access to a page of All Posts by our top 20 Trusteds.  That would definitely help me keep up with the moggers i have a closer rapport with, the ones i talk to more frequently.  something like that would enhance the social experience for me with people here.  but it won't affect how newcomers feel or make anyone feel left out of a "cool kids group"...

these features can be roughly obtained now through email subscriptions, but it's more fun when it's on-site and the posts are laid out, like the All Posts page is now...

i don't usually socialize online anywhere else but MOG though, so I'm looking forward to how other moggers feel about the group dynamic!

I'd say no... I think groups would go against the "one big community" thing we have going and make MOG more intimidating for people new to the site. Also, looking at another social networking site with groups, Facebook, the groups are pretty pointless, and hardly ever have any active members...

Just look around; Flickr's groups flourish with weekly challenges and all sorts of interesting special interests, Multiply's groups are diverse, informative and fun, last FM's groups are what they are, there are examples everywhere.

It doesn't mean the posts don't still go through the mogosphere they just end up grouped in another way.

More choice is always better I say.

I will add that I think the groups should be public for the posts and comments to be viewed by anyone but public or private, depending on the group founder's choice, for posting and commenting.

Not sure I'd use it as I like to scan the entire MOS. It DOES seem that the site is becoming a bit overloaded with self-promoting musicians who have no interest in socialization. Could we segregate them?

Seems to me we've already got something of a self-selecting but not exclusionary apparatus in Trusteds. I'm not necessarily opposed to groups, but still don't quite see what purpose they would serve....

I DO really like the thought of mollifire to use your "trusteds" as a group. it would certainly give greater gravitas to the "trusted" status.

joxley, your point about facebook groups is true.  that might be the nail in the coffin for me.

Similar to what I posted last time you asked about groups:

What functionality would groups add that don't already exist?

You can track bands through their page.
You can track MOGgers by trusting them.
You can find news/reviews/video/songs/etc through the sorting features of "The Page Formerly Known As the MOG-O-SPHERE"

So again - what does groups add?

If you come up with some valid functionality added by groups, now you have to determine how to administer them:

Who can create groups?  MOG Staff, "power users", or everyone?
What can groups be formed around?  Bands? Locations? Hobbies? Anna's Pining Emo Lovers?

Also, I think the notifications system is broken - I didn't get a notice about this post in my e-mail, I happened to find the link through the forums.

torch, i'll look into notifications. did you check your junk mail?  we're not aware of notification issues.

I have checked my junk mail - Gmail is pretty good about sending everything MOG to my inbox.  I've also sent a note to the support e-mail address.

ok

torch,

you can track bands through artist pages, but not genres.  if someone wanted to keep up with all the posting about Jazz, there's no way to do so here.

groups for things like Coachella.  where folks could post about the various artists playing playing, or relate their own experiences.  or groups for other festivals.

I'm a huge stoner rock fan.  if folks could MOG about someething, and have the ability to crosspost it to one or more of their groups, that would be awesome.  I'm still learning about new Stoner Rock groups all the time.

if folks are worried about balkanization or cliquishness, then have them all open, where people could drop in and out whenever they wanted.