Yesterday, I found two people I admire on Twitter.
One is Steve Pavlina. The other is Dr.Ken Evoy.
Immediately, I followed them.
Steve had blogged about Twitter. He invited discussion on his forum (instead of commenting on the blog itself).
The forum required registration. So I signed up - and confirmed my email.
Then, I wrote a reply to his blog post. It was about how I was glad to see him on Twitter, and that shared my opinion that while Twitter may initially appear quite a confusing or frustrating experience, it was well worth sticking with.
Since this bit came from my own involvement with Twitter over the past year, I linked to my ‘Twitter Tale’ (which details how my Twitter use evolved, and ends with a soft-sell to my for-sale report, Twitter Profit).
I also linked to one of my best posts on Twitter that has been read by over 4,000 people exploring Twitter for the first time. It’s titled: “Oh, Twitter!”
This morning, wondering what forum members (and maybe Steve himself) thought about those articles, I dropped by the Pavlina forum… to find my post had been deleted!
Maybe someone objected to the ‘pre-sale’ style of the Twitter Tale. Or didn’t like links pointing back to one’s blog. Or something else.
They didn’t tell. I’m not asking.
Walled Gardens.
So then, I notice Dr.Ken Evoy had posted this on Twitter.
“Twit, Twitter, Twittest? I’ve posted in SBI! Forums for more feedback…”
I clicked on the link. It required a login.
Hmm… It’s been quite some time since I visited the Site BuildIt boards, so I tried from memory, but got the password wrong.
Spent a few minutes searching through my email archives and found the details needed.
I logged in. Searched for the message (there are oh-so-many sub-forums, one could spend WEEKS in there learning). Found it. Read it. Hit REPLY… and then got this message:
“Sorry, but only users granted special access can reply to posts in this forum.”
HUH?
Walled Gardens.
That’s WHY I HATE THEM!
Give me Twitter, my blog and a few forums where I can meet people, make friends, share thoughts, ideas, insights… and I’m happy.
No more Walled Gardens for me, thank you!
5 Comments Received
August 21st, 2008 @1:44 am
I agree with the walled gardens but in your post you left a link to a “few forums”…
Is that not a garden surrounded by a $497 affiliate link wall?
Just curious…
Tom
August 21st, 2008 @2:06 am
@Tom
Entry barriers could be viewed as ‘Walls’, true.
However, the forum I mentioned - The Internet Marketing Inner Circle - is one of the most open minded communities online that I’ve ever had the privilege of being a part of.
‘Restricted Access’ is a different concept from the ‘Walled Gardens’ I refer to in my post. I don’t mean ‘closed communities’ so much as the limited freedom or stifling rules/guidelines that govern so many online people clusters, both free and paid.
Thanks for highlighting this important distinction, Tom.
August 22nd, 2008 @7:46 pm
Hi Dr. Mani,
As an SBIer, I may be able to shed some light on the walled garden that is the SBI! forum(s).
Access to the SBI! forums is something that is a privilege given to all SBIers. It’s a place where they can help each other, discuss ideas and strategies, and so on. Naturally, it won’t be fair to make something that is only available to paid members accessible to the general public.
This is why you need “special access” to post in most sub-forums there. The sub-forums are divided into two categories, basically - for SBIers, and for 5Pillar affiliates. 5Pillar affiliates can read the posts in the SBI! sub-forums, but cannot post there.
In that sense, the walls around the SBI! forums garden are better than those around the TIMIC forum, because it’s free to become a 5Pillar affiliate, and by doing so, anyone can at least read the posts made in the SBI! forums. Does the TIMIC forum allow that? Can anyone read the posts made in that forum, and only need special access if they want to post something or ask a question?
Cheers,
Rohit Sinha
August 23rd, 2008 @5:09 pm
Rohit, I’m not debating the merits of how high or secure the walls around a garden should be.
I mean that ‘walled gardens’ in and of themselves are counter-productive to the free exchange of thoughts, ideas and opinions.
Each walled garden has a reason for why and where those walls are placed, and who gets through the gates.
But in almost all cases, they limit the exchange of wisdom, experience and knowledge - to varying extents.
All success
Dr.Mani
August 24th, 2008 @2:08 pm
Quite the contrary. I think it increases the quality of the conversation.
Cheers,
Rohit Sinha
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