Dear Webheads,

Recovering from the initial shock of Ning closing free networks, I was gladly
surprised to see how many communities set down to work to suggest and analyse
alternatives.

I have been bookmarking my readings on the topic as
http://delicious.com/marielamez/ning.closing

I have also posted a comment at
http://blog.ning.com/2010/04/an-update-from-ning.html, signed the petition at
http://education.change.org/petitions/view/keep_ning_free_for_nonprofit_and_educ\
ational_use and inserted the link to the petition in the Nings I have created
and the ones I belong to as a member.

Now, as we analyse migration, I suppose we should be extremely careful. Of
course, in the case of existing networks it will all depend on what Ning has to
offer, but when it comes to recently created networks or the ones we are about
to start we can have more leeway.

I have found the following quite illuminating:

http://www.scriptstar.co.uk/seven-sexiest-alternatives-to-ning/

http://philbradley.typepad.com/phil_bradleys_weblog/2010/04/alternatives-to-ning\
.html

http://jjdeharo.blogspot.com/2010/04/que-red-social-elegir-para-la-educacion.htm\
l

But I feel I lack the expertise to decide on the importance of some features. I
wonder, particularly, if Open Source options do provide a guarantee that we will
not be in the same boat in the near future. Or if the "Data Ownership guarantee"
and "free-for-life" promise by http://www.socialgo.com can be trusted.

I look forward to your feedback.

Warm regards,

Mariel




--- In evonline2002_webheads@yahoogroups.com, "Rita" <rita@...> wrote:
>
> Stephen Downes has put up a good collection of Ning Alternatives,
Collaboration and Self Hosting at http://www.downes.ca/post/52240.