Socialtext – more than a facelift

Tech Joy

I’ve seen both Claire and Joy discuss the so-called “facelift” that has happened in our socialtext platform that we use for class.  I have been interested in this discussion, mainly for the implications that the conversation suggests.

My first response is that these changes are far more than just a “facelift.”  It represents a fundamental redesign (or at least powerful new functionality) to the way Socialtext operates.  “But wait” I hear you saying, I don’t see any fancy new technology…it works the same but just looks different.  Well, yes and no.

I have been very excited about the potential of the new ST 3.0 platform, and I have been following release notes closely.  A year ago I met with ST developers and told them that I thought this was the direction the platform should go (only to find out that their CEO had expressed the same sentiment two weeks earlier…great minds may think alike but this mind gets paid alot less!)

So, I went to try out this new functionality, and use this as a teachable moment for Joy and Claire to not judge a book by its cover, only to find out that the new features were not yet turned on.  Why on earth would ST do this?  These cool new toys and I have to ask for permission to play with them.

After further thought, however, it makes alot of sense.  We’ve been talking in class lately about computing as a service.  Companies who offer software as a service have to contend with an issue that I had not previously considered – upgrading the software without the user’s permission or knowledge.  It would have been a rude awakening not to just have ST look different but act different without any real advance warning.  So, their approach was to make the tools available if we want them.  Prety smart, if you ask me.

I’m tentatively planning on having ST’s director of marketing in class sometime over the next few weeks to discuss the changes.  I’ll give you a heads up so we can all be ready to explore the new functionality and decide (as a class) if we want to adopt it.  Could be interesting for us all.