Ester Dyson Be my friend? Only on my turf

Ester Dyson's latest column is about here continuing use of online networks and how they could be improved.

I also am a member of LinkedIn the network she refers to and have to say that a number of contacts say that following a bombardment of requests they have withdrawn from the group. A number of others who I have introduced have also failed to see the benefits of the network but joining the network but not joining the group in that they have not invited in their own network so that all may benefit from the potential business opportunities.

The interesting view is just how can you grow such communities looking at others a number have failed in that they chase size over quality. A few years ago I helped run Digital People which was an active face-to-face community that met once a month, it failed to dvelop an online presence and with the declining markets its members found that they were time pressured and so no longer attended events. After a year of low attendance the group folded under a pile of debts. Looking at ecademy you see the community is debating the same things but the names have changed. Those that paid membership last year are not seeing great value and thus are pulling out to be replace by fresh faces hoping that Power Membership can help develop their new businesses.

How do little black books work in the connected world?