Web 2.0 – Harnessing collective intelligence
Web 2.0 is a term that has been established by Tim O’Reilly which has different characteristics than Web 1.0. In the Web 1.0 era the websites were very static. Britannica is one example of web 1.0 in which the content is update by Britannica team and people can only browse Britannica for data. Wikipedia provides similar service to Britannica but instead of having expert to input the content they allowed anyone who wish to contribute being part of contributors to the contents of Wikipedia. This led people to have more interaction with Web 2.0 which based around people.
Harnessing collective intelligence (HCI) is one of 8 core patterns of Web 2.0 which consists of contribution by users as content. Which means users will like the content of Web 2.0 more and Web 2.0 will constantly change into the direction that the users want it to be. This is one of the two key to success in Web 2.0 which is ‘Users added value’. The other is ‘Network effects magnify this value’ as said in Metcalfe’s Law and Reed’s Law.
Twitch.tv is a website that allow people to upload their content, mostly about game , onto the server which is the good example for Web 2.0 and HCI. These people are called streamer. They capture the game they are playing and stream it for people to watch in real time. People can also watch their old videos if they are not available to watch their favorite streamers when they are online too.
- Reward the user first – Similar to Youtube, Twitch.tv let people to show their contents for free. People who like to show of their gaming skills, people who want other people to criticize, or simply people who jjust want people to watch them play can easily benefits from free access.
- Set network effects by default - Apart from people who want to stream as their interest, people can also gain money from streaming with Twitch.tv. Twitch.tv will also pay streamers to stream. However, only the popular streamers which has lots of viewers and subscribers will generated enough money to be worthwhile.
- Involve users explicitly and implicitly – The streamers will be the ones that create and update their contents while viewers and subscribers can watch any of those contents if they want to.
- Provide a meaningful context for creation – Twitch.tv is about game. Even though the contents are about many different game but the streamers will be streaming popular games for their viewers to watch.
- Trust your users – To let people stream has more consequences than just upload a video on Youtube because the content will be available in real time which has no chance to stop people from broadcasting anything immediately. The streamers can just stream anything they want which is basically what is on their monitor. Those streamer who put inappropriate content will be punished eventually but Twitch.tv has put on lots of trust for people to stream with them.
- Design software so that it improves as more people use it – Similar to a TV, more streamers means more channel that people can select to watch. Streamers also increase as they have more viewers so the community will keep on growing to be better.
- Facilitate emergence - Even though there is no noticeable changes in Twitch.tv but they are still growing such as the quality of a video from 720p to 1080p. Their contents are also very fresh as streamers stream everyday. Most of the online games will have patches to new version and the contents of the stream will keep on changing.
I might not explain everything clearly in my post and only one example might not be enough so you can continue read my friends blog. The ones that I recommend are
A image sharing media
A programming community
A travel planner site
Hi,
A very interesting sample of a website that harnesses the collective intelligence of users who are gamer as a whole. The way twitch gives rewards to people to participate does indeed help users generate contents for the website. However, I am interested to know how the website prevents unrelated content from being uploaded? Does this decrease the trust from the users?
Sukshan (http://sukshan.wordpress.com/)
I wasn’t aware such a platform existed! That’s awesome! Does it work through the game using a recording system and upload it straight after? Or does the users upload their videos separately using a platform such as FRAPS?
Rhys (http://rhysmcgoldrick.wordpress.com)
There is a lot of tools you can use for streaming such as XSplit which is free. You can found a tutorial about streaming with XSplit here http://www.usagaming.net/forum/showthread.php/1293-How-to-Live-Stream-on-Twitch-tv. Streaming will basically show everything you are doing on your screen in real time to your viewers.
Prapat W.
There is no way Twitch.tv can monitor every streamers as they stream contents in real time. They also trust their others customers, the viewers, to report any inappropriate video. People tend to watch only popular streamer which has up to 100,000 viewers in real time which is mostly safe for them to watch. They also have people to monitor the chat log which is the communication channel between viewers and streamers.
Prapat W.
Hi Prapat,
As mentioned in the great post, Twitchtv does instigate and filter through unwanted videos that are violates the law. How do they do it? could it be in every hour, there is a person sitting behind the screen (who works for Twitchtv) and scans for any violation of videos?
Hi Jerfen
To answer your question I have been doing more research about Twitch.tv as I don’t have enough information to answer your question. Twitch.tv has 4 kinds of moderator who responsible for each stream which are
1. Broadcaster/Streamer – who own the channel.
2. Chat moderator – Twitch.tv also provide chat service for viewer and streamer to communicate. Often time the moderator will be the streamer his/herself or their selected person such as their friends.
3. Global Moderator – These are Twitch volunteers who have a wide range of authority on the site, as well as full moderation control over all Twitch channels.
4. Twitch Staff – These people will have the most authority but they don’t have much time to watch over everyone.
Twitch.tv will punish and suspend any channel that violate their terms of services. More legal stuffs from Twitch.tv can be found here
http://www.twitch.tv/user/legal
Hope I answer your question Jerfen.
Prapat W.
Yes it did! excellent
Hi Pratap, I found your post really helpful in understanding how you thought Twitch rated against O’Reillys pattern. Do you see any of the issues or downsides for Twitch? You know, stengths and weaknesses / advantages and disadvantages. I find that knowing the good and bad about a site helps understand it and then decide if it suits you.
Hi Bronwyn
Similar to Youtube, Twitch.tv has already become a large community with lots of contents. However, Twitch.tv rely on newest game contents being regularly upload/stream. If the game lose popularity or many games has their own streaming channel without the use from Twitch.tv. Twitch.tv will lose its niche and become just regular channel like Youtube which Twitch.tv has no chance to compete with.
Prapat W.
Hi Prepat,
How Twitch.tv stream the video of the gamer itself in real time makes it very interesting. I would never dare to do it myself. =D When I was looking at the website I do not see any link with Facebook or Twitter, do you think it will help Twitch improve its popularity if they design their website with social media integration?
Leo
Hi Leo
In a similar way to Youtube, I think Facebook and Twitter doesn’t provide much for Twitch.tv as it is just a channel for people to stream. The streamers do have Facebook and Twitter though to put up their information for their follower. For example, Scarra who are one of the famous streamers from the game League of legends has both account from Facebook and Twitter.
https://twitter.com/dscarra
http://www.facebook.com/digscarra
They are all doing their best to promote their channel and get more viewers. So Twitch.tv doesn’t even have to do it.
Prapat W.
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