Jonathan Fields › Likes

It's quite difficult to convince the non passionates about all these new technologies. The exception in my circle of colleagues at work (99% of them definitely non passionates), is linkedIn. almost all of them know and are in LinkedIn. Never used Twitter or FriendFeed, most of them don't use RSS, even! But curiously enough they are in LinkedIn - in a passive way, but they are there. - Fernando

Your labels do not hold up under even casual scrutiny. Seriously. There are a lot of people who are passionate about Facebook and I mean very passionate. They might not be very, very early adopters, but they're very passionate. And almost none of them will read any of the blogs dedicated to social media. They're just not passionate about everything you are, but that doesn't make them non passionate. - Robert Seidman

There are degrees to the spectrum. I don't fit Scoble's definition of a passionate, but I'm definitely far beyond the non-passionate end of the spectrum. My professional life doesn't yet align with all the social media services and I have limited personal time to invest in the space. There is a strong personal interest in this information but the time it will take to shift priorities and dedicate more to social media participation will place me in a mid- to late-adopter category. - Sally: ice cube

I know people who don't really care about social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter at all yet they are far from non-passionate web users. They just use the web for the things they *do* care about - maybe it's a fan site for their favorite book/tv/movie, IMDB, celebrity gossip, wikipedia, YouTube, etc. - but it's not Facebook. They really don't see the point. I've tried to come... more... - Sarah Perez

The influence of the passionates, the hub people, the connectors is important to any stage business, but if someone wants to bypass them more power to them; my guess is tho that this approach works best for existing customers rather than growing something. - Loren Heiny

I just used Facebook as one example in Scoble's wheelhouse. I find it a damn shame that Robert would use his leadership position to perpetuate silly labels like this. Sarah Perez is spot on. I could regale you with deeds of fans of the TV shows Jericho and Moonlight who used social media to try to get their shows back but also did good deeds along the way (blood drives, initiatives to help soldiers in Iraq, etc). These people are very passionate and they use the Internet...passionately. - Robert Seidman

One non-computer using teacher explained they don't use the computer but own Google stock. Why? Because someone suggested they own it. This is the herd mentality lesson that many people need to understand. Passionate users are the ones who will tell others about the product. The Tablet PC never got past the passionate users because some early adopters panned it. Vista is the same way -- people criticize it but never tried it. Apple is successful because people say it is successful. - LPH™ and his dog P™

Interesting post, but I wonder if the better classification is educated versus uneducated, instead of passionate versus non-passionate. Early adopters tend to be mavens, people who are passionate about acquiring and sharing knowledge. That zest for learning drives them to seek out and explore the application of all sorts of products, services and technologies. Their passion isn’t just... more... - Jonathan Fields

While it's true that Microsoft "totally served the passionates" at the beginning, they started with the VISION of "a computer on every desk, and in every home." That took cojones back in 1976. Tactically, their market was developers; strategically, it was the whole world. There was no "passionates/non-passionates" division; there were only people who were going to get that vision sooner rather than later. - Karim

Plumbing's "dirty little secret" is that, while the whole world wants running water, the number of people who care about plumbing and pipes is very small :-) - Karim

Jonathan, I know several people who are extremely bright when in comes to cameras, computers, and the like, but they almost never share with others. Some of them are members of various clubs, but even with that they just are not much as conduits between people. Are they passionate? In a way, but not as communicators about what they're interested in. I think that's the difference. - Loren Heiny

it's a great talking point but we can all agree it is not so black and white. I think there is an interaction between ease of use, percieved value, social support, and mindshare that determines what users will use what products and their respective patterns. We know far too little about this to start tossing out dichotomies but it's a good way to get the conversation started. - Derick Valadao

Robert, I'm very glad you are making these longer, thoughtful pieces. - Dean Terry

I remember talking to an old media journalist about this very subject back in March. She claimed blogging and podcasting was a waste of time because the audience was small. She said to go for the big money and aim for a larger audience. I don't think her and her college quite get it yet. I usually encounter this mentality from old media types. - Chris Luckhardt

Dean: thanks, sometimes you gotta write down longer thoughts. Twitter and FriendFeed just don't satisfy every need. :-) Chris: I hear that too. Lots of people want to create avalanches but when you ask them to make snowflakes they balk at the task. - Robert Scoble

Those that block Scoble because of 'noise' should read this piece. Ten bucks (OK fifteen .... ) says they unblock him. LONG ..but well worth the read. - Charlie Anzman

Robert(or any blogger); If FF allowed longer posts, multiple paragraphs, some formatting (bullets for instance and maybe a few others), inclusion of graphic in posts and after post editing would you post "blog" entries here instead of your blog? (and if yes or no why?) - Brian Sullivan

Brian: it would be a mistake to allow that here. It would destroy the gestalt. - Robert Scoble

Not sure what gestalt it would destroy but that avoids the question - Brian Sullivan

I would use it, sure. I use all tools to communicate with other people. That's why I'm on so many Web services. - Robert Scoble

The perfect example of this is when I try to convince my friends to join Twitter. They say, "but that sounds exactly like my Facebook status, which is enough for me." - Eric Florenzano

I have a feeling that for a service like Friendfeed, a mass influx of fomer 'non passionates' would be exactly what a lot of users on here would despise. Non passionates, I find, expect immediate, easy to use value. For the majority of those that I know, they would not find it here. - Mo Kargas

This was very good. I especially liked the parts about number of users and what success looks like. It's definitely a tough nut. - Kevin Gamble

Agree that "passionate" is the wrong term, and not only because of the abuse of English involved in writing "the passionates". It is inaccurate, as per Robert Seidman's point. Scoble's long post was good reading, but struck me as a little on the obvious side; probably it's not so obvious to the people involved in the day-to-day "web 2.x" turbulence. I'm an outsider looking in. Of course, I realize that what I just said means that I'm one of those "non-passionates" that the others have to convince to join. - Dimitrios Diamantaras

What if someone built a platform that could connect passionate people with the people who developed the products they love. How powerful would that be? I hope very powerful...because I'm building it in my garage :) Can't wait to share. - Ryan

Great post, Robert. I appreciate your taking the time to highlight the move back toward more thoughtful posts. This is the first time I have actually been to your blog (although I have been following you on Twitter, Friendfeed, Reader, etc. for a long time). Why? (1) The title of this post really caught my eye (2) very thoughtful and personal. - Blake N. Cooper

"So, where do we go from here? I don’t know," - Robert, I can only do this once and once only. I'll point you to TP, the passionate imperative :)- http://www.vimeo.com/1087738... , I bet you never heard or seen this before !! LOL - Peter Dawson

Peter: Tom Peters pointed me out in an audience one time. Love that guy. I hadn't seen this one, though. Thanks! - Robert Scoble

Scobleizer++ :) - dave mcclure

personally, I dont like it unless its brand new. - Sean Oliver

Robert, great post. (Re)read Malcom Gladwell's "Tipping Point" chapter 6 on the need for "translation" to happen for the gap between early adopters and early majority to be bridged. The late majority is reactive and cautious, and will take much longer regardless. But the jump to the early majority is critical or else the idea/technology will never reach critical mass. - Alex Schleber

Inspiring post! :) - Jemm

As a non-passionate, I can comment my main struggle at the moment with FF, FB, twitter, del.icio.us, etc. I have 6 different distinct communities (work/family/friends/kids soccer/church). It is hard for me to get any one of these groups passionate enough & tech savvy enough to engage in the conversation. And if I did, how do I segment the conversation to the interested party? My church community could care less about my tweet touting my latest work accomplishment. - Mark Stevens

Great post, wrote about it this am. - susan mernit