Most Active Groups

I can hardly believe I lived to see the day that a most active list replaced the most popular list on the pod/group page. In a sense I’m a little irritated that it wasn’t done a long time ago when it was first suggested because I feel it hurt the community, but hats off to whoever finally made it a reality. It’s a great way to honor the current life here at Gaia.

Cheers!
Seth

Re: Most Active Groups

Seth, I hear your hurt, and I too am sorry it took this long. But, hopefully this is a case of better late than never. I say this hesitantly, since my pod is the most active, hoping it doesn't rub salt in an open wound.

Thanks, Gaia Team.

Just a quick question - semi-private pods don't count in this? Because otherwise the Integral Pod and Diving Deeper would be in the top five, I think.

Namaste,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

It’s definitely better late than never.  I think a lot of damage resulted from this not being addressed in the past, but at this point it’s hard to say if there’ll be much of a visible impact.  I’m just glad that phony most popular list is finally gone.

I kind of came to that same conclusion with the semi-private pods.  Hopefully that is the case.  Do semi-private pods even do anything for the community?  It would be nice to see that option taken away.

It would also be nice to hear about how the most active list works.  Is it a constant variable or time delayed variable, and if delayed what’s the time frame?

Re: Most Active Groups

Yes, I'm intringued too to know how the most active groups are calculated, as the God Pod has been considerably more active than the Lounge for at least the past couple of months, if not longer. :)

Edit: Ok, I now understand by looking at the Browse Groups what the Gaia Team is doing. There, theyy have the Lounge first because they want people to start out there when they join Gaia, and in the Browse Groups, they have Think Tank before the God Pod even though it hardly gets any posts because they want people to post their ideas for site development. After that, the pods are also listed in terms of activitiy, including this time the semi-private pods, because Diving Deeper and the Integral Pod show up as the second and third active pod respectively.

Semi - private pods - well, I don't feel I can say whether or not they should exist. I personally had bad experiences with Diving Deeper that make it difficult for me to be objective about it, and I really like a lot of the people who are in the Integral Pod, and think they do contribute to the life of the community in positive ways. In fact, I used to think that pod was the best and most fascinating on Gaia, until the advent of the God Pod :) again my bias shows up. I know nothing of the other semi private pods on Gaia.

I think you're right about the damage from it not being addressed in the past, and that the most popular list was phony since popularity has everything to do with activity and nothing to do with sheer numbers of members. But I am hopeful that there will be a significant impact for the better now the change has come. Time will tell.

Love,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

A group’s life is not dependant on the semi-private function.  How does that particular option benefit the community?  I think there are only the two groups that use the semi-private function.  It was a sham how it all came about in the first place.  The people who requested the function never even started the group they requested it for… I have perspective in this being the first original member of that particular group away from the original cultivator, and go figure I was removed shortly after the semi-private function came into play!? And the speed in which it was implemented… well if you want to talk about bias.

There could be an option for private groups to make their message boards viewable if they choose while maintaining their discreteness… semi-private groups are given way too much voice in a community they don’t fully embrace.

I’m also in dismay over the current state of the most active list.  It’s not changing, and as you’ve pointed out, Nicole, it’s not accurate.  My bubble has burst! :)

Re: Most Active Groups

Ouch, Seth. That had to hurt. I am so sorry. :( I was not aware of this and am still a bit puzzled. But not to worry. I don;t need more details, I get enough of the picture. Forces are at work and not always fair, impartial or kind.

What would be the difference between private pods with viewable message boards and semi-private pods? I don t know enough about the details…

You may be interested to know the semi private pod mods have just discovered a major and apparently non fixable glitch about them - apparently if a member leaves he or she can never re join. Odd…

Now, about the mod pod. I confess to a measure of personal disappointment. I had hoped it would be more useful but there are … difficulties, I think partly due to the energies to which you allude that led to the creation of semi private pods in the first place.

I try not to get emotionally involved in this stuff and just concentrate on building my pod and building community here on Gaia in every positive way i can while remaining clear sighted about the difficulties and limitations of the site, and suggesting improvements when i can. But it will never be quite the way we wish…

Love,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

As far as I know Nicole private groups are only viewable through the group search option, other than that they’re tucked away from community activity.  I was making the point to make semi-private the same as private, the only difference is the viewable discussion board for non-members when they come across the pod via the group search.

Re: Most Active Groups

Oh yeah… on my way home I realized the mod pod is also a semi-private group.  The same still applies.

Re: Most Active Groups

The groups are listed by order of those with the most members.
I guess the most active groups,are those
that are being “worked” the most -and surely that should alternate?
At the end of the day -does it really matter though?

I agree that maybe semi-private groups don't really belong in our
community as they don't represent what Gaia is all about.
There are plenty of other places they can have their “private' talks.

I like to think that here on Gaia we are welcome to join any group that
appeals to us -and am pleased at least we don't have moderator
approval needed, -as some msn and Yahoo groups do.

S

Re: Most Active Groups

Here are suggestions on what I would like to see in Gaia in terms of the discussion here:

1.  A list of the Most Popular Pods (bring it back)
2.  A list of Pods By A Member of the Gaia Team
3.  A list of Most Active Pods (which we have now)
4.  A list of Top 5 pods who has the most number of people joining for “that” day
5.  A list of new pods (which we have now)
6.  A list of semi-private pods

Any one of my pods will not show up in any of those category but that is not what I am here for.
I congratulate each and every one of the cultivators & moderators whose pod gets included in any list.
I think that list will be conducive to everybodys peace.
Thank you for the diversity here in Gaia.  Gaia dot com is awesome and has limitless potentials.
love and peace,
Samme

Re: Most Active Groups

Samme, I’ve heard this suggestion before, and I agree it’s not a bad idea.  It might get a little congested depending on the setup, but it definitely helps to open up the community.  I would hope only lists that were true to form would be included, which I don’t believe is the case with the most popular list. 

No new lists are coming to mind for me right now or I’d list them.  I also don’t get the impression that you’re looking out for “number one” when you’re making community suggestions.  I would hope I give off the same impression.

Re: Most Active Groups

Oh gee for the life of me I forgot the other category I would like to mention here for a list.
Oh well it will come back to me.
Anyway, they would have a way to be able to put the titles of the lists on a page and when you hover the cursor above the title, the list would scroll down like in Gaia Senses Resonances.

Oh this is not what I was thinking of but this is a new one that just popped up right now,
a list by a randomly selected Gaia member on their top 5 favorite pods excluding of course the pod if they have one they cultivated or moderated. And possibly a short explanation on why they like it. I think I will blog this one. I don’t think this is original but it’s worth a try.

Re: Most Active Groups

I don't really mind if the most popular pods list comes back as long as it's accurately named, as the most members list. It will be obvious to anyone comparing that with the most active pods that there is no correlation between the two.

It should probably be on a separate tab though. I agree with Seth that congestion on the pages is already an issue.


Peace,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

a list by a randomly selected Gaia member on their top 5 favorite pods

You know, this might make a fun little profile widget. :)

Re: Most Active Groups

Samme, it’s happened!

Re: Most Active Groups

Yay! It’s great to see the new Groups summary page, Meenakshi, and the Community Service groups featured. 

Community Service Groups

Gaia Networking - Enhance Your Community Experience Share suggestions and brainstorm tips to enhance the community experience on Gaia Community. A community resource for,…   See »

Gaia Groups Community - “The Mod Pod” This group is for cultivators and moderators of groups (a.k.a. “pods”) here at Gaia, as well as…  See »

Collective Wisdom: The Library of Community Threads NEWS : YES, You’re in the right place. Former title of this pod/Group was Collective Wisdom: The…   See »

Love,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

[Let's hope this goes thru this time!]
Sandy, I belong to some private groups –some are for mods of pods; so that we can discuss stuff that we can then implement in the group [e.g. :) wink–a surprise about how to make you into a Featured Member on Gaia Networking!!].
Others can be if 2 or 3 friends want to discuss something privately; surely there is no harm done there either!

As for semi-private groups; like the Mod Pod of which we are both members; let us see how things move there. I understand that semi-private groups are meant to keep the focus of the group more…focused!

And like you, I feel : “At the end of the day -does it really matter though?” I know many members; including mods, who don't mind whether or not they are on the list…and don't even know about the list!!! I have cute little tiny groups on Gaia; and we keep having members join, even if we don't feature on the most popular or most active or most anything group!  Like in off-line life, sometimes, it's freeing to be away from the limelight.

But when it does, as for you, Seth, and others as well; then it can be frustrating if you don't see what you'd like to see.

Re: Most Active Groups

Meenakshi, I hear the whole point of a semi-private pod being more focus oriented but that can all be done behind closed doors.  If someone is interested in a certain focus they can type it into the group search box and request to join the applicable group.  I have a hard time believing focus doesn’t carry through in groups though… if someone posts something that doesn’t apply to the discussion then there’s a good chance it won’t be addressed.  If a lot of conflict is arising in a group, then I would say that has a lot more to do with moderation than anything else. 

Honestly I have no clue where you’re getting this part about me wanting to be on a list or in the limelight.  Where did you get that from?  That’s how a read what you wrote, anyhow.  

Re: Most Active Groups

Seth, re:

“Honestly I have no clue where you’re getting this part about me wanting to be on a list or in the limelight.  Where did you get that from?  That’s how a read what you wrote, anyhow.  “

I did not get the impression that you personally wanted to be in the limelight.

I did get the impression that the way listings are done, is important to you. That is what I was referring to in my reply to Sandy's post. And in case any judgment seems implied; please know that it is not felt. Right now, I am not focused on listing for my groups; but who knows how I;ll feel a day later or a month later or even a moment later?

And if I do change what I want, I'll be happy this discussion took place….

Re: Most Active Groups

Sandy, I don’t think it matters what the purpose of any particular list is, they seem fairly self evident.  But yes the displayed lists that are being discussed here do and have helped mold this community, so yes I do think it’s important.

I don’t see a problem with private group discussions if they’re taken out of the limelight.  I do agree however that any group that is actively community based such as the current semi-private pods that any member should be able to join at will.  That to me seems congruent to the fundamental principles that this community promotes.

Re: Most Active Groups

I hear you, Seth. At the same time, I don't think it is too damaging to the community if a small number of groups choose to be semi private.

Meenakshi, Seth never objected to private groups. I think you may have misunderstood what he has been trying to accomplish here as a long term zaadz community promoter for a long time now. He is in no way focussed on himself, nor am I. We have been thinking of the good of the community, on what will help grow it, and support it. I know you are too, and Samme and Sandy. Hopefully we can all take the time and care to understand and hear each other and work together constructively.

Peace,

Nicole 

Re: Most Active Groups

“I think you may have misunderstood what he has been trying to accomplish here as a long term zaadz community promoter for a long time now. He is in no way focussed on himself, nor am I.”

Thank you, Nicole. I agree and have no doubt at all of anyone's intentions. That is not the way I think!

“Meenakshi, Seth never objected to private groups.”
Again, I agree.

“Hopefully we can all take the time and care to understand and hear each other and work together constructively.”

Hear! hear! [which I THINK means, I agree completely]

Re: Most Active Groups

Well, looks like we are all on the same page then. Good!

Have a good night/day,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

I started to suspect this last night; it seems the semi-private groups have been taken out of the communities main stage mix.  That’s pretty cool!  I’m not sure if it was done before or after this thread was started, but either way it feels like a much needed and refreshing change.  It also seems to help open up the community while promoting a more welcoming atmosphere.

The most active list also seems to have made another shift today.  It still seems to have its kinks, but it does appear as if it’s being worked on.  Hopefully it will soon reflect the actual fluctuating movements of the community more accurately.  I can only imagine how deflating it must be for a new group to get a footing established.  It would be nice to see something like a six hour time interval between shifts.

On any note I’ve enjoyed this conversation so thanks everyone.  Keep those creative juices flowing, Samme!        

Re: Most Active Groups

Coolness, Seth!

Love,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

Hi all,

I think some of you are reacting to “semi-private” pods without really understanding what those pods are seeking to do by becoming “semi-private” (which has proven to be an unfortunate term to use).

The reason these pods have been called “semi-private” is that, currently, there's a group admin setting that allows a group moderator to make a pod either “public” or “private” (as most of us will be aware). A public pod is freely viewable to all and anyone can join at will. A private pod can only be viewed by members and you need an invitation to join and participate. What a “semi-private” pod is looking for is just the “invitation-only” aspect of a private pod. Maybe we all know that, but I thought it merited being made explicit.

Not by chance, two of the most active pods, the Integral Pod and Diving Deeper, were two of the first pods to go “semi-private”, but we didn't do that because we wanted our discussions to become more private, but so that we could keep discussion more under control. Sure, to a certain extent, forums are self-regulating because an impertinent new thread probably won't attract much attention. And sure, a part of the problem can be dealt with by group moderators after the fact by talking to and/or removing “offenders”. But what's the expression? “An ounce of prevention…” or something like that?

Basically, all we want to do is ensure that new members understand the purpose of the pod and are truly interested in that purpose and, to some extent, are qualified to promote it and participate in it.  We're still very much interested in the broader Gaia community, in growing, and in getting our message out to the community, just as we were when we were purely public.  All we're looking for are the tools we need to ensure we can continue to provide the best setting for our members in which to pursue the purpose of the pod.

This article is also interesting reading and is very much pertinent to the decision for the Integral Pod to go semi-private: A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy (by Clay Shirky)

So what I'd like to see are at least two separate group admin settings: one for private/public and one for open membership/invite-only. Siona has also recently said here that, in the (near?) future, there will be a setting that allows pod moderators to decide if they want their pods to appear in automatically generated feeds like the “Hottest” and “Latest” lists, and that seems to be a better way to go, rather than arbitrarily penalizing all semi-private (or maybe “public invite-only” is more to the point) pods.

I mean, why should a group be handicapped in promoting itself and getting its message out to the community just because it's trying to keep membership and discussion under control?

Anyway, I thought the discussion could use the perspective of a cultivator of two of Gaia's “public invite-only” pods.

Cheers,
Grey

P.S. I'd actually like to see a group function whereby anyone can apply to join a pod by clicking on a “Join group” link, but then the request would require moderator approval (like is possible Yahoo discussion groups and many other such forums). In this case, the potential member would be presented with a form asking a few quick questions, which would then be used as part of the basis on which to approve or reject the request. This would essentially just be automating and streamlining what already takes place for a “public invite-only” pod, but I think it would encourage more people to request membership and would be more transparent.

Re: Most Active Groups

Hi Grey, I appreciate you bringing a piece of the semi-private discussion here.  There’s a bit of irony that the bulk of this issue went to semi-private groups to be hashed out.  Obviously this thread wasn’t intended to address this issue and I personally wish I would have taken some more care when commenting on it, but in a sense a lot of good seems to be coming out of it.

I don’t really know what to say after reading everything I’ve read on this issue while not being able to comment while I was reading.  I can’t say I disagree with the general consensus of what I was reading.

Since you are the cultivator of two out of the four groups that are semi-private do you see that as being the key to adding more depth to this community?  Why are you not the cultivator of a public one?

Also, what is the integral group’s message and how does it go about getting its message out in the community?

I didn’t see the semi-private groups as being handicapped by being taken off the lists in questions.  It seemed the whole issue of going semi-private was exaggerated by these two lists.  I guess it seems more prudent to have an option available.

Re: Most Active Groups

Seth: Since you are the cultivator of two out of the four groups that are
semi-private do you see that as being the key to adding more depth to
this community?

Good question. Yeah, maybe not “the” key, but I do think it's a very important moderating tool.  Of course, some pods (like this one?) probably won't ever want to restrict membership. Others may just never need to for whatever reason. But a lot of pods that have a specific focus and that are attracting a lot of attention could really benefit from controlling their growth up front with some sort of membership approval process.

Seth: Why are you not the cultivator of a public one?

No particular (pre-meditated) reason. I became cultivator of the Integral Pod after it had already become semi-private (I believe it was the first semi-private pod after maybe only the Ambassadors pod). Then when we were deciding how to create the Gaia Groups Community pod, it just seemed to make sense to make it semi-private right from the start so that we could make sure people understood the pod's purpose and were keenly interested in it. In that case, it also helped that we were discussing the layout and purpose of the pod together with Siona and some of the rest of the Gaia Team before it was actually created, so it was easy to get them to make the pod semi-private.

And actually, the Integral Pod was originally known as “Integral Institute + Zaadz” because it was a sort of joint venture between the two organizations. So the involvement of some of the Zaadz team helped that pod to become semi-private, too. And you still need to ask the Gaia Team if they will tweak your pod's settings “under the hood” in order for your pod to become semi-private.

So I hope there'll be a group admin setting available to everyone some time soon.

Seth: what is the integral group’s message and how does it go about getting its message out in the community?

Hmmm… well, all things Integral and anything and everything else through an “integral lens”, I suppose. And we get (got?) that message out by being a (semi-)public pod primarily, since we've always been one of Zaadz/Gaia's most active pods and frequently show (showed?) up in the “Hottest Discussions” lists. Then many of our members are active in the Gaia blogosphere and in other pods around Gaia, both integral and non. So the usual ways, basically.

Why do you ask?

Cheers,
Grey

Re: Most Active Groups

Well Grey, I can certainly see ways on how the semi-private/public function can be used as an important moderating tool.  It’s all a matter of context really.  It could also very easily pose as a hindrance.  To me it seems very reasonable to have that function available if it’s fully integrated into the group system.

I was personally under the impression that it was the Integral group that was the first to implement the semi-private function.  Obviously I could be wrong on that and it’s really neither here nor there.  I can fully understand your reasoning on implementing the semi-public function with respect to the Mod Pod.  I think most people who give birth to a group on this site want a membership that generally corresponds with your presented wants with the groups you cultivate.  I think it’s good to keep in mind that there are good examples of groups that seem to achieve this right-out with the fully public option. 

I too hope the semi-public setting becomes available to all.  To me it seems essential for the true benefits of that function to have a shot at manifesting.

Why do you ask?

I was just asking because I’ve noticed some really good results within the community in terms of depth with respect to the Integral group’s members that consistently venture out of the confines of the integral group’s walls.  I kind of want to promote that a bit more.  I feel it may be a little unbalanced in the sense that many of the members that are rooted in that group basically just stay there which has led to a bit of a clique type presence that only seems to take away from a large aspect of the groups message: The embodiment of greater depth.

Re: Most Active Groups

Grey,

I stumbled on this conversation tonight.  I had an experience with Integral that really turned me against it.  I'm not sure it was public-invite-only at the time.  It was probably a year or more ago.  I had become aware of the existence of Integral, through some blogs to which I was referred, and searched for it and tried to join.  You were not the moderator at the time - I think it was someone perhaps named Adstara (which my memory may not be spelling correctly).  Anyway, I received a huge amount of reading homework from him and told to come back and re-ask to join after I read it.

Now, I can tell you that I only wanted to be able to learn more about it by being there but that whole un-welcoming and perceived elitist reaction did turn me against Integral in general.  I thought “integrating” the diverse aspects of myself made good sense.  Anyway, since then, I read what I come across and simply accept that door is closed to me because Spirit thinks there are better places for my soul to develop.

Moving on in this discussion, I was invited to and do belong (as far as I know) to Diving Deeper and have posted some writing there but just don't have the time presently to do more writing - though writing has been precious to my heart and soul for over 30 years and I think the world of Sandra.

I belong to a Grandmother's Circle which is totally invitation-only and private.  The original creator had her reasons but it isn't flourishing, though I consider it a good and valuable idea generally, we just don't seem to know what to do with ourselves, the wisdom, love and caring such a group could represent to the community at large.

The pod I cultivate is totally public and I could never think of it being otherwise.  It even made it onto the most active list once (someone had to tell me because I just don't really care, it is what it is and if it is helpful to even one other person, then it will have been worth the considerable amount of work it requires).  I think status is meaningless to me but important to others.

I do think a “broader” list of categories could be very helpful to new comers.  I still remember how bewildering it was for me to try and find my way around Zaadz, a year and a half ago, when I was still new.

Deborah 

Re: Most Active Groups

Deb, please invite me to the Grandmothers Pod! That's where true learning can be found! :D

Part of that granny Wisdom: “Spirit thinks there are better places for my soul to develop.”

Turn away where there is resistance to entry; just move on.

GAIA Community is an innovtion without a road to follow; rules will emerge as the need expresses itself. I am certain that more thought will go into this issue now that it has been so eloquently raised and discussed within the community itself. It will lend to more openness and acceptance, I am sure.

Blessings to you all. sherri

Re: Most Active Groups

dear deb,

i know adastra (Arthur) very well. i really sympathise with your response and know it happened to many others. at the same time, i understand and respect Arthur's vision to have a really small tight and focussed group there.

the challenge is when you are trying to do that, to communicate it in a way that doesn't turn people off.

Love,

nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

I don't know that I'd say it happened to “many” others, but yes, when people approach us who know very little or nothing about Integral Theory and the work of Ken Wilber, we do normally ask that they read up on it a bit before joining the pod. But I've been a moderator for almost a year now, and we've probably only done that once or twice in that time.

Anyway, yes, it is a challenge to tell people that without just sounding elitist.

BTW, “small” isn't really a part of the Pod's vision. Tight and focused, sure, but not small per se. Growth is great as long as it's kept under control and doesn't compromise the Pod's focus.

Cheers,
Grey

Re: Most Active Groups

Grey,

When I approached you about joining last year, you handled my Integral naiivite extremely well.  I appreciated your advice to visit other links and first familiarize myself with Integral, and never once did I feel unwelcome or under valued.

With you as my experience, genuine listening and generosity on your part made the experience of not joining Integral a positive and memorable moment.  If most moderators are like you Grey, then my feedback would be that any member who went away unhappy from a Request In Group, did so because they chose to be unhappy. 

Dave

ps..”with me as your experience”  I also applaud your excellent screening skills  .. lol

Re: Most Active Groups

LOL :)

Thanks, Dave!

~G

Re: Most Active Groups

I'm in total agreement with the change from 'most popular' to 'most active', and I like Samme's additional suggestions for categories for groups  on the groups page (although I might suggest calling 'most popular' 'highest membership' or something more accurate like this).

And, I have to say I feel somewhat confused by some of the discussion here, particularly about the question of whether semi-public groups serve the community. I think the issue has been fairly well addressed on the Mod Pod thread, Are Semi-Private Pods for me? - but perhaps not, considering your point, Seth, that if you are not a member of that group you can't reply to the thread.

For me it's a bit like asking if the Shakya Buddhist clan or many volunteer organizations, or the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, or the Irish Council's Grant Application group, or a number of real-life intentional communities,  'serve' the larger community. Such places often require an 'application' procedure or evidence of commitment etc. Even Gaia, when it was Zaadz, had a series of questions you had to fill out before you could become a member, something I wish was still in existence.

I suspect it all comes down to each one of us - i.e. how we each individually support the community at large. And I think it's not a question that can be answered generally anyway, perhaps there are some public groups that do not support the community, and some which do, same goes for the semi-private groups.

Again, I still feel it comes down to myself - what am *I* doing to support my community?

And, I've just raised the issues of semi-public/inactive member removal  in Diving Deeper, to see what the opinions of the existing members are and if changes are needed.

Seth, I can only presume you are referring to Diving Deeper when you talk about being part of a group that the was originally 'public', and about being removed from the group. I am surprised that if this action was a concern for you, you did not bring it up with myself or one of the DD moderators directly? If it is a concern, and you are referring to Diving Deeper, do please let me know.

I think transparency in public threads (and everywhere, actually) when referring who 'who did what' would be more helpful here, so we can actually address any issues or concerns.

 Otherwise it is my experience that the equivalent of 'urban myths' start to form, where people think they know what is being referred to, pass information along that gets transformed into something quite different than the original reference. The vaguer the reference the more weird it feels to me, as if there is a kind of 'conspiracy' going on - as you suggest, Nicole - that larger 'forces' are at work. Well, perhaps they are, and if so lets find out about them by asking direct questions.

And, conspiracy theories, while often based on some real and important issues that need to be addressed, only get fuzzy and grouped into the 'weird' do-not-address category when we are not as clear as possible about what we have actually experienced, as opposed to what we think is going on.

Diving Deeper remained public for a great length of time ( Gaia time) under my cultivation before it was decided, amongst all the moderators, to go semi-public. The reasons are well documented on the Group - mainly to support a safe environment for writers to do their deepest and most vulnerable work, and to ensure that everyone who joins understands the specific workshop nature of the group and the guidelines for commenting.

Leigh-Anne expressed it so  well here on the Mod Pod thread ( and if you want to reply to that thread, Seth, I see no reason why you can't ask to join). Leigh Anne also outlines the reasons for removing members who have not visited the site for over six months ( important point - we don't expect members to post anything in a 6 month period, only to visit the site).

The issue of ex-members not being able to rejoin is an unfortunate glitch, and if I had known it I would not have made DD semi-public until the glitch was fixed, as I made it quite clear on Diving Deeper that anyone who has been removed is not excluded from rejoining. The fix to the glitch is in the 'works' however.

Thanks Grey, for your clarity on the semi-public issue. I agree that the following article which Balder posted on the Mod Pod is a 'must read' for all wishing to engage in this conversation: A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy (by Clay Shirky).

If I do not focus on specifics of the discussions here and on the Mod Pod about this, I feel an underlying current of emotion – the issue of exclusivity. It's a big trigger for pretty much everyone. And one worth looking into.

I've been part of a spiritual group which did indeed have a group of people close to the teacher/guru, who were perceived as being 'in' (and therefore anyone who was not 'in' was 'out'). There was some truth in this perception, but only some. On the one hand there were people who were simply more willing to dive fully into the guru's teachings, and to provide the whole group with practical support, e.g. organising the tour of the teacher, doing all the 'grunt' work necessary in such a thing; and on the other hand, some of these people felt more 'special' because they were, in effect, 'closer' to the guru.

These issues were addressed openly in the group - and it was wonderful to see people owning their part in both sides of the issue. Most of the people who felt 'out' of the so-called 'in' group had very real and painful personal (mostly childhood) experiences of being the outcast. They saw how they were projecting this onto what was happening. Some of them completely shifted their experience in a single 'sharing' - saying that they experienced the feeling of being 'in' or 'out' was something quite internal.

The ones who felt 'special' saw that they were in fact creating an 'aura' of exclusivity in their behavior that was not loving to the group as a whole. (And there were those who did not own their part at all, and carried on projecting.)

Well, my 3(00) cents for the moment.

Love,

Sandra

Re: Most Active Groups

Thank you, Sandra.

For those of you who moderate or are members of the semi-private Groups, can you imagine being supportive of those who are not members? And for those of you who are moderators and members of the public ones, can you imagine supporting or understanding those who have made the semi-private sort their homes? Just as an experiment in compassion or perspective-taking?

I'm curious as to how this might shift things… and feel, too, that this practice is a bit what Gaia Community is meant to be about. :)

Re: Most Active Groups

Bravo Siona,

If someone wanted to have a group where the only members were those who hang upside down from the ceiling, with a Blackberry in one hand and a green tea in the other… why should anyone care? 

What I love about Gaia is that people can create and participate in dialogues and actions they are passionate about, and hopefully, honor others freedom to do the same.

Compassion, respect, freedom… those are the labels that matter… not semi-private or private… or who is most popular… and don't get me started on that one.. popularity status has many times opened the door to hell.

Re: Most Active Groups

Siona, great questions! I cultivate a few public pods and moderate all 3 types of groups: public, private [ pods for mods of public groups]  and semi-private.

I feel that the only ones that are truly closed are the ones that are private; which is exactly why we've made them private: they are for the mods of Gaia Networking, e.g., to discuss issues like board management; who is our next featured member and so on– I doubt anyone who is not mod-ing the pod would be interested in that.

The Mod -Pod, which is semi-private, is open to all members; they just need to be aware that the group is ONLY to discuss general issues related to pod cultivation and management; it is not an all-discussions kind of group. The Ambassador pod is for any kind of discussion, is Team run for Ambassadors–but I do n't think anyone is barred from being an Ambassador.

So, to your question:”For those of you who moderate or are members of the semi-private Groups, can you imagine being supportive of those who are not members?”

Yes of course; because non-members are potential members or Gaians who may be mildly interested in the discussions, but not interested enough to join.

For example, I am not a member of either of the other semi-private groups: Diving Deeper or II; however, sometimes when their posts showed up in the What's New list; I”d dive into them; just as I  sometimes do of other groups of which I am not a member. I think that being able to see the posts of any group that is not private, is enriching for all members; I don't feel excluded, because if I wanted to be included, I would do what those groups require to do so!

Siona; And for those of you who are moderators and members of the public ones, can you imagine supporting or understanding those who have made the semi-private sort their homes?

Again, yes; which is not to say I don't understand those who feel uncomfortable around them, or excluded. So, here are two perspectives:

• A locked door can be seen by me as a barrier—or as a wall that helps direct me to the place I'm really meant to go towards!
• I would not waste too much energy in wondering why the door is closed in the first place; still, if there is an air of superiority or separation, it might make me uncomfortable.

Re: Most Active Groups

I do agree with your sentiments, Siona, but think you miss the valuable point that this discussion represents.  I myself did outline a variety of experiences with membership here but didn't mention I'm also part of the Mod Pod and Ambassadors.

I can actually accept whatever anyone wants to do here, as you and Sandra probably remember, I've even gone to bat for the right of a group to continue to exist, that was very fringe and were forced private, which I totally understand and won't comment too much more on, except to say, they are better off that way and
I never visit there any more ;-}.

No need to “experiment” in compassion, better to live it with understanding of what that means.  All perspectives are welcome, as far as I'm concerned.  I learn so much when everyone is as honest as they've been here.

Sandra, you pulled up a memory from when I was about 8 yrs old and the clique in my neighborhood turned even my younger sister against me, ouch.  I don't remember whatever role I may have played to cause that to happen.  Guess I'll take that into deep meditation over the next few weeks.

Deborah

>>> on a funnier note Siona, someone recently wrote me that they thought I was your mother, I thought what a nice compliment, but told her your mother is much more interesting, though we both love the wild places for living our lives.

Re: Most Active Groups

Indeed, cliques can be very negative, and it's hard for a semi-private group not to come across as a clique, especially if … well. promised not to get into that again :)

love,

nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

Sandra..I am happy to hear they are working on the 're-join' glitch.  I removed myself from the pod awhile back, as I was not participating due to time constraints.  I do have the intent to re-join someday and hope they do work on the problem. 

I do feel it it is important for DD to be semi-private for the writers.  As Sandra stated, it is a 'vunerable' process and critiques can be felt very personally. I thinks its best to allow the writers safe space to explore their craft. There are plent of pods that are public for folks to join if they don't want to be in DD.

Re: Most Active Groups

Reading through this thread I think there are a couple of important issues addressed; Sandra writing about inclusion and exclusion… the issue of whether some groups include the community at large or not. But before I go into this - if actually I do - I would like to get some clarification on this:

Edit: Ok, I now understand by looking at the Browse Groups what
the Gaia Team is doing. There, theyy have the Lounge first because they
want people to start out there when they join Gaia, and in the Browse
Groups, they have Think Tank before the God Pod even though it hardly
gets any posts because they want people to post their ideas for site
development. After that, the pods are also listed in terms of
activitiy, including this time the semi-private pods, because Diving
Deeper and the Integral Pod show up as the second and third active pod
respectively.

Does this mean that the Gaia team is actually manipulating the results?  so that other pods that rise to the top of the list are very because ” they want people to post their ideas”?

Re: Most Active Groups

Mushin: Aside from the two 'pinned' posts (the Lounge and Think Tank), we don't adjust what shows up on the Browse page; as you seem to have deduced, they're listed in terms of activity. I suppose we could look at other algorithms there (perhaps a random list that changes every time? Or a random list that meet a certain set of 'active' criteria), but to my mind the way it stands currently seems to work just fine; it gives new members and those just visiting Gaia a good snapshot of the sorts of conversations people care about. :)

Re: Most Active Groups

Thanks Siona, for enlightening me here. I think the 'adjustement' you (the GaiaTeam) make on the listing is understandable, but might be marked as 'tweaked' or some such.
You see, when I fdirst saw that list, I thought it was trustworthy and accurate (meaning run by some algorythm), and then I had to learn that this was not so. The adjustment might be designated as minor, and I do understand the perfectly sound reasoning behind it, but nevertheless it did touch on 'trust' for me.

Love,
Mushin

Re: Most Active Groups

You know Sandra a big part of this whole semi-private thing comes down to the way it was implemented into the community.  It wasn’t an openly offered or understood change.  It happened really quickly to accommodate certain perceived needs of a small group of people.  Sure I agree with the added shades of gray to the preexisting public and private status of groups, but it wasn’t implemented in a community based manner to that regard.      

No it wasn’t DD that I was referring to above.  True I was a part of that group at one point, but I was never removed.  My leaving wasn’t emotion based either.  I don’t know how to converse about any emotion based issue concerning this here.  I have one… or at least I did, but this doesn’t seem to be a place for it.  I’ve considered constructive methods of outwardly addressing it in the past and they all seem to fall under a type of catch 22 scenario.  I think there is more to this issue than just that though, and I feel comfortable in myself being able to separate the two.

I guess the myth thing is something to take into consideration.  That doesn’t seem to be a factor for me, but yes I guess I can take care in trying to not influence that in others.  I’m not sure if I would consider Nicole falling under this either, and I don’t really get the conspiracy theory thing out of anything she has said.

Again I would have definitely taken more care if I would have thought this much scrutiny was going to come about.  I almost feel as though I’m playing the bad guy.  Usually if I were to pick a topic to actually open up to debate, as this one has turned out to be, I would have thought it through a little more.  My position wasn’t thought through to the highest standards.

Grey, I hope you don’t take my questions above as being any sort of interrogation.  I’m simply just trying to learn how depth is being sought by you and the integral group with respect to this community, because it seems to be an important issue for you as well as me.

Siona, I can definitely respect the perspective of others, but sometimes I get a little frustrated when others don’t seem to take the same regard.  Not saying they should, but certain people I expect it from a little more than others.  Sure talking about it is one way of working through things, but at other times it’s like if you don’t see my value why should I promote me as being value worthy?

I also read Leigh-Anne’s posts yesterday and found no conflict in what see was presenting.  I may have chosen a different method of removing the members that were perceived as extra baggage, but that is just me.  It seemed a little fear based, at least with respect to the integral group’s decision of not wanting members to do a onetime appearance before a major cleanup.  That to me seems a little fictional.

I’m not sure it’s accurate to think of me as a public group guy vs a semi group guy either.  There is a place for them both, and under certain circumstances I would be a part of them both.  As it was done here though I think it was implemented in a way that caused issues that needed to be addressed for all parties, including the community as a whole.  What I posted above wasn’t meant to reverberate as much as it did.  But in a way I’m glad it did.

Ok, now I have to read through everything I just wrote to make sure it’s apprehensible.  If I left anything unanswered please give me a follow-up.  Where else are you going to have conversations like this?

Cheers!

P.S. - Grey, I just wrote this before you posted your last post… I’m not sure if I have the time to reply to what you just wrote, but I will get to it.  What you said may make part of this post negligible.  Thanks for responding.

Seth 

Re: Most Active Groups

I concur-everyone has the right to do as they please,
and thanks to another member,I now know there ARE
legitimate reasons for privacy.
I am glad this has been clarified for me , as I really didn't understand
what I was thinking, was a need for secrecy.
But there are many other reasons ,and some of them are just too
personal to a person to share with the World-Wide net.

I am sorry for my original dissent and give my respect and understanding,
to those members.
All I can ask, is that they do join some of our mainstream groups too,
so we may get to know a little of them, being fellow Gaia members
and all!

S

Re: Most Active Groups

Sandy - I'm pretty sure you will find that 99% of people who are part of private and semi-public pods are also part of fully public pods. If Tara's suggestion is taken up, this would be easy to see. Also, one main way I get to know members is by e-mailing them directly, or reading their blogs, not just via the threads on pods.
Love,
Sandra

Re: Most Active Groups

Hi Everybody,

I've just read through this thread due to the title as I'm interested in getting involved in groups on Gaia. This is not directly related to your discussion here, so please bear with me ;-) I'm using the browse groups option looking for subjects that interest me & I do check in to see the activity levels of groups as well. I'm more interested in smaller groups as I don't have that much time to engage myself & the larger ones seem (at least to me) to have too many postings for me to keep myself ajour on..

Another & just as important reason for my interest in smaller groups, is that I prefer to communicate with people I know well, like the ones on my friends list. And this puzzles me greatly:  How come that we can't see which groups our friends belong to? Why does that have to be private? It seems to me to be counteracting the notion that Pods are here to serve the community & enhance communication & connections?

Now, I'm trained in the world of advertising & the best advertising any (thing) Pod can get, is the word of mouth recommendation; I would certainly be more inclined to check out a Pod when a friend of mine is a member.. Like I check out friends book lists, quotes & their friends as well cuz if a friend of mine is spending time & or liking it, to me that is a recommendation in itself.

I'm writing this here cuz indirectly it is connected to your talk: I am more inclined to look up a Pod via a friends list, than I would be via a most active, most popular or whatever other criteria is chosen.. So, can anyone tell me why Pod memberships are kept private on our profiles?

love, laughter & lightness..  tara

Re: Most Active Groups

Tara,

Your comments are bang on with this discussion… you are bringing a much needed perspective here… taking us to the core issue… what are the 'attributes' of group browsing and recognition that are truly relfective of the interests of the Gaia members?

Active is one attribute, another is friends, another is the tonality that comes from being big, or being small.

I love what you have brought to this discussion, and hope you will have time to stick around.

Dave

Re: Most Active Groups

I agree that Tara is bang on with the core of this discussion, and think it’s worth mentioning that we would not have heard from her if this discussion was held in a semi-private/public group.  At least not in the way this function has ever been setup.

Re: Most Active Groups

think it’s worth mentioning that we would not have heard from her if this discussion was held in a semi-private/public group

Well, I don't know… if I felt passionate about something, and wanted to contribute my voice I'd take the time to join the 'semi-public' group so I could add my 2c, wouldn't you?

Sandra.

Re: Most Active Groups

Tara, great idea! Some Gaians have brought this up earlier–I think in the Think Tank; but so far we have not been told why this hasn't been done. I guess it's to keep members' privacy; which could be got around, by giving members' options of which groups to list or not in their profiles.

Till then, some of us do list our groups in our profile pages.

Hmm….now I'd love this post to be on the Mod Pod. Would you like to join to post it; or shall I place a link to it there? [;)]

Re: Most Active Groups

Hi Meenakshi,

You are more than welcome to copy, link & or quote my thoughts anywhere you like ;-) Thank you for giving your thoughts on why we can't see the Pods on our profiles & yes, privacy was a thought of mine too, although I can't really get it to make sense.. Why would it be in our interest to keep our membership to public/semiprivate/private Pods not known? I mean, our icons are in full view upon entering the Pods itselves.. To me it simply defies the purpose of this community, which is why I am puzzled & ofcourse curious to know why ;-)

I have asked a few friends I know well to recommend Pods to me & at the same time been a wee bit hesitant.. you  know concerned that it would be crossing a line somehow, since the community has chosen to not show it up front..  love & joy  tara

& psst.. thx for suggesting me to join the Mod Pod.. alas, I am not a Mod; I just jumped in on this discussion cuz the subject is of my interest..

Re: Most Active Groups

Why would it be in our interest to keep our membership to public/semiprivate/private Pods not known?

Tara - I do like the idea of the public /semi-public pods being known, but not private. Someone might be part of a pod called, say, “Alcoholics Anon” or “Manic Depressive Support Group” . Such things are such sensitive, vulnerable areas that people should be able to feel as safe about as possible.

And yes, it would be helpful for people to know that such private groups exist in case they need them - not sure how this can happen.

Love,
Sandra

Re: Most Active Groups

Yes of course there are sensitive subjects we can choose to discuss in the Gaia Pod environment,
but as we are on the www, we are not anonymous to begin with; Now, I haven't checked this, I merely presume that private groups are part of the search machine.. how else would anyone find them? And isn't it so, that members of a private pod are viewable for anyone clicking into the Pod itself?  I mean if the title of the Pod is Alcholics Anonymous or Al-Anon, it is obvious that the members are discussing that very subject… Anyway, I'd just like if the option for disclosure of Pod membership were available as I think that is more aligned to the purpose of the Gaia Community in general & I do believe that seeing a friend being a member, is the best recommendation a Pod can get, which is really all I'm on about ;-)  And if anyone don't like to tell, they can chose not to.   love & joy tara

Re: Most Active Groups

Tara: And isn't it so, that members of a private pod are viewable for anyone clicking into the Pod itself?

No, all you can see for a private pod is the name of the pod, a brief description, and a link to the person who grew the pod (so that you can ask them about it, I presume). But when you click through to try and view the pod, you just get an access-denied page.

So the only member you can know about for a private pod is the pod cultivator, which I suppose could raise some privacy issues in certain cases. Actually, I think it would be good if it were possible to select if we want a pod to appear in the Groups search and browsing pages.

Cheers,
Grey

Re: Most Active Groups

thx for enlightening me Grey.. I was searching to see if I could find a private Pod to view ;-) And I agree that such an option ought to be availble, now that a certain level of privacy is a default installment re private Pods. Of course, that means it's totally up to the Mod to invite members to join & I think that's fair enough if/when it is made optional.. I think I like having a choice & the notion that it sends the signal that Gaians are responsible people, capeable of deciding for themselves in this regard.. love & joy tara

Re: Most Active Groups

Tara, your post is now at ”Seeing groups our friends belong to”on the Mod Pod. Thank you!

Re: Most Active Groups

Seth, thanks for clarifying and for the 'feel' of your post, landed sweetly over here.

 a big part of this whole semi-private thing comes down to the way it was implemented into the community.  It wasn’t an openly offered or understood change.  It happened really quickly to accommodate certain perceived needs of a small group of people.  Sure I agree with the added shades of gray to the preexisting public and private status of groups, but it wasn’t implemented in a community based manner to that regard.    

This touches on something I've discussed with Siona and a actually at length with others - the unique characteristic of Gaia. It is a community, but it is *also* a business. Most of the members ( I include myself) treat it as a community, and often forget that there are parametres that define the space which are based on the needs of running a business ( at least in the way most businesses are run).

So, being the cultivator of one of the few semi-public pods, I would have liked to know, for example, that changes to the automatic feeds were being made that affected the pod, AND I can understand that if the team 'discuss' and implement changes in a purely 'community' fashion,  ie.always checking first with everyone, the whole set up of Gaia would have to change - eg a group of 'community representatives' formed, to which 'changes' to the system would be brought to be voted on etc.  This would then beg the question - how do these representatives get renumerated for their time, which then definitely means a change to the 'business' aspect of Gaia, as if they were renumerated, they would probably no longer be seen as impartial 'community' representatives.

These and connected issues were infact discussed at length months ago by a 'self - appointed' group of Gaia members. The only outcome was the manifestation of the Mod Pod. Larger changes did not seem to be viable, at least in the short term, and so, for the most part ,the group dismantled.

It's hugely complex. And while I *would* prefer Gaia to only be a community without the team having to take into consideration share-holders etc, I have realised that the more I expect it to work in a 100% democratic fashion, the more 'upset' I get.

When I include what Gaia  actually is, which is very much like something Siona said a while back, a 'cafe' – where people do gather together because we like it here, but where the ultimate decision making is not done by the customers. Customers might be invited to offer suggestions etc, but we are not policy makers. It's amazing that the team / Siona do in fact listen to our voices ( as has happened right here with this discussion and the one on the Mod Pod about groups deciding for themselves if they are on automatic feeds etc).

Personally, I don't feel that the implementation of semi-public pods was something that deeply affects the community as a whole. I had no idea about the existence of them until the Integral pod, and I had no emotional response to it one way or the other. There have been other things that I feel more strongly about ( or at least did..) eg the seed system, which seems to be an issue that affects everyone. The existence of semi-public pods, to me at least, does not. And I understand that others feel differently.

Regardless of the 'business' function, I 'experience' Gaia a bit like a house, or as I've said before,  a real-life community. There are rooms in houses I don't expect to be able to see into - eg someone elses bedroom or bathroom…and I don't expect people to have an 'open door' policy all the time. I don't feel 'secrets' are being discussed, I simply sense that people need privacy for some things. There are discussions, which if anyone could 'chip in' would simply become diluted.

I'm moving house right now… Perfect example: my hubby and myself standing in the kitchen trying to decide where to put the fridge. Our landlords, who are dear friends, were standing in the kitchen too, also trying to give suggestions. Impossible! We all had different ways of seeing things. They eventually said, after an hour, we had better go, we are not helping at all…  In fact, the 'right' position was only found when my hubby left the room for a moment, and I shoved it into a space by myself. ( not saying I knew the right place, just that too many voices, even 'two' voices can make things impossible). 

Other reasons for having semi-public spaces - I can think of a number of 'real life' situations, eg. where there are people who 'watch' the discussion between a group of people. They gain a lot by listening, and the group discussing gain a lot by not having 100 or more different voices added to the mix. 

This is why, to me, public, semi-public and private spaces here seem totally natural, they exist in real life. Would you expect to be able to walk into a group therapy room? No, of course not.

Some very vulnerable issues are discussed and 'listened' to here - people with physical or mental health issues, or life issues, that are delicate and need very safe, defined spaces. (I actually include Diving Deeper in this, as often the writing comes out of sharing some of the most vulnerable stories we have.) I guess I'm re-addressing your question, Sandy.

Much like the 'in' / 'out' experience - I sense that it does have to do with trust, as Mushin has brought up ( here or on the other thread, I've lost track). I tend to trust that whatever people say behind my back they are willing to say to me. I don't really have an issue with 'secrets'. And I know people who have had their trust issues very damaged by 'secrets' in the family or in a relationship etc. 

Therefore, it does behoove all of us, I feel, including the Gaia team, to behave in a way that includes as much as possible the various aspects of how people are here.

And, there is only so much anyone can do 'for another' – if I have a deep lack of trust in the world, this will pervade the way I experience everything. Being surrounded by 'trustworthy' people might help, I'm not sure it would heal such a wound without some particpation of my own to take a look at my personal issues.

Perhaps there are ways where the changes to Gaia can be a bit more transparent, without affecting the fluidity and functioning of Gaia as a 'business'  e.g. a place, not unlike the Team Blog, where upcoming changes are listed. Then, at least  those of us who care about such things, we can go and take a look. and if there is something we feel strongly about, we can bring it here to discuss. If there are enough of us feeling the same way, then most likely our opinion will be taken into consideration.

 I am sure that many many members of Gaia really don't care about private/public pods/feeds etc -  they simply want to be able to communicate, share, connect, write blogs, and don't want to be brought into the decision making of technical changes etc. Hence, Gaia wide e-mails about changes are probably not what most people want; and it would be good to have a place to go to to see “what's in the works.” Well, I'm repeating myself, time to stop!


Love,
Sandra

p.s. Tara: I am more inclined to look up a Pod via a friends list
excellent point! I'm generally so busy in the various pods I'm already involved in I don't have time to join more, but i didn't even realise it wasn't possible to see what pods ( at least public and semi-public ones) my friends belong to. Great idea.

Re: Most Active Groups

Thanks for your additional thoughts on this, Sandra.  You make some very pertinent points.

Re: Most Active Groups

Just popping in here to comment on Seth's last comment, but I see it is now deleted.. Anyhow; I might just add that please don't see my enquiry as a suggestion; I'd rather not get redirected to the think tank as my experience so far in regard to response to suggestions of mine, has not been constructive if any has been given & i'd rather not spend any more of my time on that.

If , however, any decisionmakers are present here, it would ofcuz be really cool if we could have the option availble whether to flash 'our Pods' or not on our profiles. And should any of you ponder why I 'suddenly' speak up here, I like to tell that I have been a member of this group since the start up, I subscribe & read what is being discussed here; I tend to skulk about a bit in a few groups as a silent member, as I do enjoy reading about my interests, like fx Seth's realizing health & Sandra's diving deeper ;-)

I am very interested in what is happening at Gaia in general. I simply have not had the time to participate more & have chosen to use my time available for more personal contacts & blogging. I've recently been able to free a bit more time & has joined as an Ambassador & thinking this Pod might be a way to get more engaged in the Gaia community.

That being said, I'm glad you find my input useful. Now, I haven't been a Mod of any Pod in this community other than my Zpro microcommunity, but I have in other networks.  I believe it would be very helpful for the growth/depth/engagement & commitment in Pods if it were so that we always had to state our intention when joining. It would help ensure that members follow up on their intentions.. making a commitment seem to work like that for most of us.

I've certainly noticed a difference in activity when comparing private & public groups I have been moderating earlier & I think it has to do with the personal contact one has with the member asking to join as well as stating one's intention. When I first joined Gaia, then Zaadz,
I accepted a lot of invites to Pods out of curiosity & quickly found that although the Pods had many members, not a lot were active, like fx the MFA Pod, which seemed to have a strong emphasis on being the biggest Pod. I didn't really see the point of that, other than wanting to chase some kind of popularity contest thang.

Anywaayy,  As I said, I'm a silent member in a few Pods & I would so love the option of being able to subscribe either without being a member or being listed as a silent one. It does make me feel a lil bit guilty that I'm not participating actively, just being an interested bystander ;-).. ok, now I'm seriously getting off track here, so I'll stop for now.  love & joy tara

Re: Most Active Groups

oops! just spotted Seth's comment further up the thread, the one I thought had been deleted, sorry about that ;-)   Partially commented on it already by telling that I have been a member here long time & subscribe.. that is how I saw this discussion to begin with.. & may I add, what on earth would be the point of this Pod being semi private at all?

Re: Most Active Groups

Tara: what on earth would be the point of this Pod being semi private at all?

I'm not sure there would be a point, given the name of the pod, but I don't think anyone has suggested that this specific pod would benefit from being semi-private.

Hmmm… although to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what the purpose of this pod is anymore, now that the transition from Zaadz to Gaia is done. It seems largely redundant with the Gaia Lounge now, and with a bit of overlap with the Think Tank, too.

So I guess as this pod begins to take on a new identity, the mods (well, Siona for now) may one day find that being semi-private could be useful.

~G

Re: Most Active Groups

what on earth would be the point of this Pod being semi private at all?

Personally I don't see any point in this pod being semi-private - I don't think anyone suggested this? (Other than the the general note that if people have to take a moment to state their intentions before or while joining any group, it could support 'presence' and commitment?)

Sandra

Re: Most Active Groups

as I wrote, my comment was a reply to this one frome Seth further up the thread,

agree that Tara is bang on with the core of this discussion, and think it’s worth mentioning that we would not have heard from her if this discussion was held in a semi-private/public group.  At least not in the way this function has ever been setup.

I should have posted it attached to his post, but I didn't see untill after i'd written the first & bigger part of my comment, where I mention that I've been a member of this group since the startup & that is how I saw this discussion cuz I subsribe. From what Seth wrote, it seems that he presumes I jumped in here via the discussion posts listing & used that in his argumentation.

When I came here to this thread via my subscribtion, I naturally presumed that this discussion is being held in the right place for it & certainly also that this Pod's existence is justified as it is here & active, so I'll not get into that issue as I fail to understand the relevance; As well as I fail to see why this discussion would be held in a semiprivate group as I believe talks about the Gaia community ought to be public for everyone to attend, hence my question.

I hope this clarifies my words. I get a feeling that I've stepped into a discussion here that you guys feel strongly about & that I am slightly out of place cuz I basically just wanted to know why we can't see each other's Pod memberships?   love & joy tara

Re: Most Active Groups

Yeah I totally presumed that, Tara.  Sorry.  My point was to simply acknowledge that quality contributions/members have more than likely been lost in the groups that have went semi-private/public.  I'm sure a lot of that can be rectified by making some important changes to the function, which seems to be the best thing for the groups themselves and the community that houses them.     

Re: Most Active Groups

good point SETH-we have lost access to some wonderful
contributions and members.
I used to like reading the posts, and it is a shame, that us the
“general public of Gaia ” do not see them anymore.
And new members will not even know of their existance !!

But -as has been discussed -they do have their reason's for privacy,
which I respect.

S

Re: Most Active Groups

I still like Dave's idea (maybe on the Mod Pod related thread? ) about having a kind of Gaia Calendar, where certain days or weeks are devoted to highlighting themes or subject matter etc, giving the smaller groups or related blogs etc a chance to be 'seen'..

Sandra

Re: Most Active Groups

Tara, excellent points and questions.

This issue of wanting to see your friends' groups  keeps popping up. I'm interested too to know whether it's an option the Team is considering.

In the meantime, I guess we could put that info in our profiles if we want to share it. Maybe we could start a new trend :)

Peace,

Nicole

Re: Most Active Groups

Sandy, I was talking before the latest change.  I don’t believe these groups are really going to feel much of an impact from this change at all.  Well DD might… it’s a little down the search list when typing in ‘writing’, but it may work for that group if it goes public again.  Things have changed a little since they implemented the semi function.  It’s something to consider anyway.

I support all the good intentions and ideas that have come through these discussions, but until the system has been amended in a more responsible inclusive manner I’ll be pretty content on how things currently sit.  Who knows, things may be back to the way they were tomorrow.

I don't think things changed over anything I said.  Instead I think I just accidently stumbled over a can of worms.

Have a good one!

Re: Most Active Groups

Actually I was just thinking a little about the group search thing. It is a little strange how far down certain focused groups show up on the result list when you type their actual focus into the group search. If a group has the word in their name that should maybe take rank over any sort of tag system. For instance Diving Deeper has ‘writing’ in its name therefore it would be the first group that pops up following a ‘writing’ search. Same with ‘integral’ … it would first be the integral pod, followed by integral Veg*n, followed by Integral Health and so on.

I’m sure this won’t be ideal across the board, but for the most part I think it will work quite well. The ‘group search’ and the ‘popular group tags’ search should also pull up the same results. The ‘popular group tags’ search is in worst shape then the ‘group search’ but it’s more visible and accessible.

I’m pretty sure making simple changes like this will go a long way in helping this site.

Re: Most Active Groups

Hey Seth,

We're looking at some getting in some substantial improvements to groups by end-of-year, and I'll make sure this gets a serious look (along with the other points in this discussion).  There's not a strong love of tags in general around here, and we're reviewing better mechanisms. 

And if you find something that in fact looks erroneous, can you ping Matthew in the Support pod, and we'll get a ticket to repair the thing.  That of course goes for anything.

Muchos gracias!

Chris