Dave McClure is taking flack for adding a new term to the already jargon infested web 2.0 sphere with his coining of "social graph" as some subset or superset or different-but-similar-to term for social networks.
Stu AKA Stowe takes a stand against the redundant redefinition of what he believes is a good enough and valid term in "social networks" and views social graph as a marketing ploy that needs to go away.
Doug AKA Dave says that something about the mathematics of all of this makes social graph not just a valid, but a useful descriptor for whatever it is we are all doing here here together online instead of being outside in the park with our kids.
I usually agree with Stowe because Stowe makes a lot of sense and has the balls to call people on bullshit when it gets smelly around here.
But I actually have been looking for a term that represents my participation AMONG (not just in) social networks, my travels between and around, my friends shared and not shared among and between spaces, collaboration that takes place with others from these spaces, and the bridges that I hope one day will take me from here to there without having to replicate myself. If THAT is what social graph is referring to, then I think it's a useful term: The graphing of the entirety of my online participation.
I'm down with that.
I have no idea if I am making sense. Don't know much about algebra...
update: just read Dave's latest post which basically talks all about social graphs relating to activity INSIDE a social network--in this case Facebook. So, I'm back with Stowe again. Nothing new here. Not the right term. Needs to go. Or re-define it as above. kthxbye.
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