c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

DIY Media and Collaboration

KCB201 Virtual CulturesDr Axel Bruns

a.bruns@qut.edu.au

c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

DIY Communities‒ Emerging in various domains:

• open source software development

• online publishing∘ blogs∘ open news – e.g. Slashdot,

Indymedia, OhmyNews• media sharing and creative

practice∘ e.g. Flickr, ccMixter, YouTube

, Jumpcut, Current.tv

• knowledge management∘ wikis – e.g. Wikipedia∘ social bookmarking – e.g.

del.icio.us, digg∘ geotagging – e.g. Google

Earth, Frappr∘ DIY advice – e.g.

Instructables, Videojug• reviews and viral marketing

∘ e.g. Epinions, IgoUgo

c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

Collaborative Online Communities‒ Online communities as content creators:

• distributed generation of content by a wide community of participants• fluid movement of participants between roles as leaders, participants,

and users of content• outcomes remain always unfinished, and continually under development• evolutionary, iterative, and palimpsestic development• participation based on merit, not ownership• copyright systems which acknowledge authorship but enable continuing

collaboration(Bruns, 2007, p. 3)

‒ Supported by collaborative technologies:• blogs, wikis, content management systems (CMS – e.g. del.icio.us)• social software, social networking tools, Web 2.0 technologies

c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

Social Software?‒ Social software:

“Social software is a particular sub-class of software-prosthesis that concerns itself with the augmentation of human, social and / or collaborative abilities through structured mediation (this mediation may be distributed or centralised, top-down or bottom-up/emergent).”

(Coates qtd. in Bruns, 2008, p. 2)

• e.g. del.icio.us for organising and evaluating Web content• e.g. wikis (and Wikipedia) for collecting, connecting, managing knowledge• e.g. ccMixter for distributed collaboration on composing and producing music

• removes boundaries: better access to collaboration for more participants• adds tools: better management of information and organisation of contributors

and tasks• provides filters: better harnessing of positive developments and outcomes

(Bruns, 2008, p. 3)

c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

Web 2.0?‒ Web 2.0:

“Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.”

• Rules:1. Don’t treat software as an artifact, but as a process of engagement with your

users. (“The perpetual beta”)2. Open your data and services for re-use by others, and re-use the data and

services of others whenever possible. (“Small pieces loosely joined”)3. Don’t think of applications that reside on either client or server, but build

applications that reside in the space between devices. (“Software above the level of a single device”)

(O’Reilly qtd. in Bruns, 2008, p. 3)

• Note: the term “Web 2.0” is frequently (mis)used as a marketing term…

c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

Impact of DIY Communities‒ Challenges for established content industries:

• open source software development in direct and quick response to user needs, and with user involvement

• citizen journalism undermines authority of mainstream news media, provides alternative views

• Wikipedia broader and more diverse coverage than print encyclopedias, often comparable quality

• Google Maps more convenient than traditional maps, emerging uses as replacement for Yellow Pages etc.

• YouTube global sharing of videos undermines TV networks’ content schedules

• filesharing (BitTorrent) bypasses conventional distribution models for music / video / software, allows for new distribution models

‒ Implications for industries:• casual collapse (Trendwatching.com)?• need for fundamental changes, need to engage with DIY communities’ interests

c r e a t i v e n d u s t r i e si

creativeindustries.qut.com

Pro-Am Opportunities‒ Possible cooperation between industries and communities:

• harnessing the hive∘ non-commercial or commercial utilisation of community artefacts by organisations inside

and outside the community• harvesting the hive

∘ provision of value-added services using artefacts developed by the community, aimed mainly at non-participants

• harbouring the hive∘ provision of value-added services into the community – e.g. community hosting services

• hijacking the hive∘ deliberately aims to achieve lock-in of communities for financial gain, by providing

services which become indispensable – e.g. Facebook(Bruns, 2007, pp. 4-5)

• cooperations revolve around ∘ Pro-Am participants: amateurs working to professional standards (Leadbeater & Miller) ∘ pro-am partnerships: professionals taking part in (amateur) DIY communities