The Angry Toaster!

[sonyoshi813]

Before I start, I am NOT trying to make another chief delphi!!!

My friends and I from team 168 are trying to make not a forum (like this one) but more, a social network where members and teams as a whle can meet with other teams and converse, either in the discussion group or on our live chat. You can have your own profile with music, videos, and pictures, look at other teams or make your team's group profile, or post events upcoming in the year for other teams to see. the site is called "The Angry Toaster" and we would like it if you could help us get it to a start by signing up, making your team's group profile, and posting media. We are trying to make the site well known and great for those who want something like facebook or myspace.

IMPORTANT! I am also looking for potential moderators to control the website. If yo'd like to become a mod, simply message me, Jerome Stuart, on The Angry Toaster, and you should get a reply in 24 hours or less.

angrytoaster.ning.com

[Chris is me]

What would be the functional difference between this and Facebook?

On Facebook, I add people from Chief Delphi and people that I meet at competitions. Wouldn't this basically be the same thing?

[sonyoshi813]

(why does everyone keep saying that?)

Its trying to merge both ideas into one thing, make it simpler and easier to meet and talk with others in FIRST

[Vikesrock]

Originally Posted by sonyoshi813

(why does everyone keep saying that?)

I don't mean to discourage you, but if you are hearing this from a lot of people then it may be worth stepping back and evaluating what your site brings to the table that Facebook doesn't.

Facebook has a massive user base already in place so you'll have to bring something new and substantial to the table if you want people to use your site.

[BrendanB]

Trying to make things easy is good, but there comes a point where it becomes too much. I have gmail, chiefdelphi, googlewave, comcast, yahoo, and skype. There comes a point where too much is too much. I don't have myspace or facebook, why? Because personally see it as a distraction and gmail and skype are just fine with keeping in touch with friends. As was already said, people are joining chiefdelphiers on facebook, as much as it is a good idea to make things simplier, it might be too much.

It's not that we are "haters" in a sense that we don't want your idea, it's just that we are already connected through other means.

[timytamy]

I agree with BrendanB. Having too many user names and passwords can be very annoying. Not to mention I don't like giving out my email. (no offense)

I think you should re-evaluate what you are doing and try to find a better way to use your resources.

Please don't think I'm trying to discourage you, just redirecting you.

Thanks,
timytamy

[sonyoshi813]

hmm, maybe you're right. Maybe I should take it in another direction. But for knoledge, would this be a good idea for, say, teams insteadd of members? It could be where tems as a whole can post stuff about their team and build connections with other teams.

[Chris is me]

The tricky thing with making any kind of user - driven website is that they don't come with user bases. If something is close enough to be effective with a gigantic userbase, you're pretty much beat unless you bring something substantial to the table that they can't AND manage to recruit lots of people (to get a userbase) very quickly (so people don't give up on your site). Almost all of this stuff (even team based pages) can be done very well with Facebook, Twitter, and Chief Delphi, three websites that most every FIRSTer uses in some form. While it's a cool idea and certainly a thrilling prospect to have your own website, I can pretty much guarantee you it won't get off the ground.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by sonyoshi813

(why does everyone keep saying that?)

I believe the term in marketing is called 'differentiation'.

You need to show that your product (web page) has something unique and different that we here on CD want (need) and is unavailable or combersome from your competitors.

If you cannot differentiate your product from the market leader then you cannot overcome them (even in a nitch market like FIRST/CD).

[Q. Sheets]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

I believe the term in marketing is called 'differentiation'.
...

If you cannot differentiate your product from the market leader then you cannot overcome them (even in a nitch market like FIRST/CD).

It's not really differentiation. To paraphrase Gary Vaynerchuk, poorly, in order to compete and win, you have to be better than your competitor in more ways than one – more knowledgeable, better content, more social interaction, etc... and most of all you have to CARE

He also goes on saying to be involved a lot with the community. Not commenting on posts basically saying "hey look at my site," or just saying "good job" or whatever. Actually provide valuable feedback and your two-cents on it.

You could do this, but you'd have to try really, really, really, really hard.

Quentin Sheets