Slowtwitch was way ahead of it’s time. It formed a social network of triathletes even before we knew what social networks were - Mark Zukerberg was still in Highschool! Dan Empfield, while not sitting on a multi-billion$ IPO, was none-the-less, way ahead of the curve and is owed a debt of thanks by many.
Now the game has changed and Social Networks are all the rage and social networking is where it’s at.
What has it meant to you? How has it impacted you?
Disclaimer: I’m one of the 12 people on the planet who doesn’t have a Facebook account. I also feel like I have lost a few “real” friends to their Facebook accounts. So, maybe I’m bitter.
Nonetheless, I like the information sharing of niche sites like Slowtwitch. To me it’s a good source of information specific to my needs. I’m not a fan of the general community sites like Facebook, as I think it turns into a lot of useless noise. I can only use my n=1 anecdotal evidence, but when I hear co-workers and friends talk about the stupid crap they post on Facebook, I just don’t get it. Slowtwitch is a daily diversion, but it’s fairly easy to regulate because of the niche audience - too much noise would make it a constant distraction. I’m probably not making any sense at all, but I perceive a blurry line between usefulness and uselessness, and Facebook is on the wrong side of that line.
I guess I’m just not an “appeal to the masses” kind of dude - I like specificity, and ST is good for that. I’ve learned a lot here, and that’s exactly why I’m here.
In. This is going to turn into a session of we’re-better-than-them-facebookers in no time. So much noise, so little content - not unlike this forum (which I’m thoroughly addicted to).
Agree.
And you may recall as an early ST member we had to PAY $35 to join! Dan did have a nice gift for that though, either a box of Cliff Bars or a bike computer…
Slowtwitch was way ahead of it’s time. It formed a social network of triathletes even before we knew what social networks were - Mark Zukerberg was still in Highschool! Dan Empfield, while not sitting on a multi-billion$ IPO, was none-the-less, way ahead of the curve and is owed a debt of thanks by many.
Now the game has changed and Social Networks are all the rage and social networking is where it’s at.
What has it meant to you? How has it impacted you?
You are aware there were thousands of internet based messageboards long before the first post on ST, right? If anything, Dan was several years late to the party. Those of us that were into tech stuff and video gaming had been using messageboards quite regularly since the mid-90’s.
On the computer all day for work (and ST) the last thing I want to do at home is log on.
Staying connected is way overrated. I’d rather be outdoors. Unconnected.
I agree and have highlighted ST as an early example of social media to social media professionals (mass collaboration, information exchange, personalities, etc.). ST didn’t invent the internet forum though, ST established a niche and a value proposition to survive, and arrived before the 'social’ term was popularized and applied to the current crop of platforms. You could say the internet, created to enable communications and information exchange between scientists, was created to be a social network though so ST is just an evolution on that idea.
Not to take anything away from ST…but I wouldn’t call it ahead of it’s time. There are lots of other forum communities based on specific topics that came to be about the same time or earlier.
Facebook was an improvement on social media, not the invention of it.
Actually you are right, Slowtwitch replaced Rec.Sport.Triathlon which was the first internet place for triathles to get together, From there many migrated to the Triathlon list server at Dartmouth (TRI-DRS) which I believe is still in existance. The only real difference between this and facebook is that here the seperated forums control the fluff, which on facebook is just one big page. Lots of nonsense on here too, you just have to go to the lavendar room for it.
While a message board/forum could be argued as the beginning of social networks, its a far cry from the purpose that a social network actually serves.
Not only that, but slowtwitch, while an amazing resource and place to “hang out” for triathletes, was by no means ahead of the game. If anything, they were late to the party as forums had been around throughout the 90s. And probably earlier.
Kudos to Dan for putting together the most successful multi sport forum but try not to confuse this with actual social networks.
Edit to add: If you feel that social networks are just now taking off as marketing opportunities for brands within the space, you’re already behind, and by a fair amount.
Actually you are right, Slowtwitch replaced Rec.Sport.Triathlon which was the first internet place for triathles to get together.
I bought my first modem, a 14.4, back in early '95 so that I could mine the vein of wisdom at this place called rec.sport.triathon that I read about in a Triathlete magazine article.
