Bradley, thanks for pointing out this info. Very helpful! I've been seeking some insights like that.

- marc

Thank you! Good points. Your comment about the parallel parking is spot on; don't ask yourself if you can do, just give it a shot. Iteration 1 may not be perfect, but it gives you the right to say you did it. To translate this to business... Don't burden yourself with trying to plan all details and outcomes in advance. Instead, start small and build a quick and dirty prototype. Was it perfect? No, but you proved that its feasible.

It is the second; startup enthusiasts working on starting companies. Its not a job situation.

That's cool! Like-minded souls...

I don't. But Mack Sperling, one of their attorneys, is a contributing writer here. Look under the About menu above. Just FYI.

Hi Ginny,

I think your main point is that Pat deserves credit for the efforts that he made. I reviewed Inside919 as a business opportunity and pointed out 3 flaws. If Inside919 is going to be a sustainable business (i.e. its profitable and cashflow positive) it will need critical mass and a simple but strong business model. Otherwise, all you have is a hobby.

Hi Martin,

There were lots of comments; maybe you didn't read them all, because you're making some of the same points as above. Specifically, whether I rejoin or not is irrelevant -- Pat doesn't need me. My comments were about Inside919 as a viable business opportunity and I see 3 major flaws there.
And I also responded to someone else's link to that video. Patronizing your customers is never a good idea.

Hi Wendy,

Thanks for the comment, but like I pointed out to Jim Vogel, this is not about my profile picture. The issue is that online communities are more successful if they are more open (i.e. they avoid unnecessary "requirements"). LinkedIn does not require a profile picture and is arguably the leading professional network. And Greg Hyer's LinkingRaleighNC has no picture requirement, but has nearly 6,000 local members.

Having a "requirement" for a profile picture is like requiring people to shake hands at a live event. It just isn't the most effective way to create an appropriate atmosphere.

Oh and that video, its scary and patronizing. That will hurt your business a lot more than it helps.

Jim,

There is no with or against here (especially not if you're pulling your mother-in-law into this ;-).

Online social networks are still a developing business (and I assume Pat would like to see a financial result) and the business models are slowly becoming clear. We see that some things work and others don't (even if your network has an off-line aspect).

My comments about Inside919 are about assessing its potential to be a successful business. Its not about my picture; Pat doesn't need me to be successful, He does need a critical mass of local people to sign up and those people have lots of options. Its just business.

Pat,

Thanks for the thoughtful reply comments. I appreciate the discussion and welcome others to chime in as well. I think we each made our points and it seems we're on opposite ends on these issues, which is fine.

Let me clarify my point about your use of area codes as a marker of social interaction, since you make the point about my blog being based on geography (NC). Area codes are rapidly losing their geographic meaning now that we have full number portability and people are taking their phone numbers with them.
State boundaries, on the other hand, will probably stay where they are. If your community was called "InsideNC", I would not have made the point about "Basing your social community on a relic of the ... past."

Thanks for the comments and lets keep in touch.