According to this blog post, Microsoft is setting up a buzz group on Facebook to discuss the next generation of its online documentation for developers, the MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) Library:
We have put a facebook group together to aggregate together the folks who want to work with us to provide feedback, usability and ideas for the next generation of the MSDN Library. We call this project Library 3.0 and we will be organizing events and presentations from this group to bring us together on the project. My goal is build quorum of members over the next months with kickoff’s in late May for the first events.
It’s an interesting place to hold the discussion. Yes, Microsoft has a small stake in Facebook; but it also runs a vast network of technical communities and is doing great business with its Sharepoint collaboration platform. So why use Facebook?
Of course, two key areas that need improving in MSDN are collaboration and search, so you could argue that choosing a third-party platform for collaborating on MSDN itself is significant.
Then again, it’s probably more to do with internal red tape. What’s easier: getting corporate agreement on some new developer relations initiative and setting up the infrastructure, or just sticking a new group on Facebook?
If you are interested, the group is here. Currently it has no content or discussion whatsoever. Not a good start; but there’s time…
Related posts:
The silence on the Facebook group isn’t unusual
The groups part in facebook is pretty weak in my opinion. it feels a bit bolted on as there is no way to track what is going on other than the “4 new posts” message when you look at your groups
Hi Tim,
I posted on your comments…
http://blogs.msdn.com/innovation/archive/2008/04/04/interested-in-helping-us-shape-the-next-version-of-the-msdn-library.aspx#8361636
Cheers,
Larry