I think so because notifications are still over email, so it can't really replace email in that way... also it's not typically 1-to-1, right? email is... or often is.

Micro forums is an interesting take, though. You def. use it that way, and many others do (like this post), but others use it as micro-blogging..

yeah I think it's lightweight e-mail or sharing... not a microblog

I think it is all three and more.

I have always thought pownce was like slow-motion txt messaging crossed with more efficient e-mail. Micro-email sounds good-ish...

but I agree, it doesn't really feel like blogging because of the high degree of interaction built in.

I would say yes but "micro-blogging" is just a part of it, it's really multiple things

It's like saying my house is where I sleep. That's true but there is a lot more to it.

I would say Micro-Forum, but at times I may use it as a Micro-blog.

However that's apart of what makes Pownce interesting to me, It can be whatever you want.

I would say Micro-Forum. Due to the attachments that can be added.

i say why try to put Pownce in any sort of box...it does all of those things

Pownce = kick ass

Why does it have to be pigeon-holed as micro-blog, micro-forum, micro-skirt, micro-brew? It is Pownce! ...come revel in the foamy goodness! btw you guys and gals can totally use that as a tag line

"allows users to write brief text updates (usually less than 200 characters) and publish them"

I think this is the difference between say Twitter, Jaiku and Pownce. Twitter and Jaiku are limited to I believe 160 characters in your post because they're designed to work with SMS. Pownce, on the other hand, does not have that set limit, and therefore I would not consider it a micro-blog. Additionally, here, we're able to share links, files, and events. You can't really do that on the micro-blogs. Therefore, I would say micro-forum would be a better fit.

By the way, contrary to the article, I don't consider Facebook and MySpace statuses a micro-blog.

i think it is more appropriate to call it a Lifestreaming log, a social awareness log and to some terms i would call it simple a SociaLog just to tamper with the concept of social messaging as the focus pownce has beyond just awareness and lifestreaming compared to Twitter.

If pownce had asynchronous auto-refresh and transitions it would then become a Instant Social Messaging System. think of it like IMILWY and buzznet updating.

I see pownce as a derivation of usenet and Mirc personal channels mixed into one.

Part instant messaging rivers and part one track message board/dashboard.

But what i would truly want is Pownce getting asynchronous instant auto-updating for new messages and being able to reply without transitions and with photos, links and events.

Don`t know if that would be possible in Django, it is easy to do in RoR and http://asp.net but never seen something like it in Django yet.

I would have to agree with Adam. I think Pownce has more to it than just Twitter/Jaiku. I use Twitter avidly, but I end up posting all sorts of things to Pownce instead of just short text.

Pownce also does not fit in a category with Tumblr which really does resemble a blog. It has the option to add the media that Pownce supports, but not events. Tumblr is obvious that it is used for micro entries, but it resembles a blog. Hence, micro-blogging.

If anything, I like micro-forum, but there seems to be more interaction in Pownce than on many of the forums that I find myself participating in.

Just my two cents.

Whenever I'm inviting a new friend to join, I always have a difficult time coming up with an accurate description of exactly what Pownce is. Its unique blend of features makes it really hard to classify. It also makes it an interesting place to be.

It's like stylish web-enhanced email that allows you to Cc to the world.

It can totally be a micro-blogging platform, and nothing else... it all depends how you use it.

I can see this eventually going into more of a microblogging way.

Forum. Totally. And not micro at all!

All these services allow you to offer pretty much the same information in a different way.

Twitter: "I'm reading this article about Microformats"

Tumblelog: "Link to an article on Microformats"

Blog: "I have an opinion on said article on Microformats"

Forum: "Microformats: Are you using them?"

Email: "Hey Leah, I thought you'd be interested in this article on Microformats"

Because Pownce is 'micro', has comments, welcomes external content, has a people reading it, and can be private it allows you to say the same thing anyway you like.

Micro-forum.

Seems to be mostly a mirco-forum. That's the way I see it but the platform doesn't really limit you in how you use it.

'Tis a micro-blog.

Had Pownce kept the original purpose the file-sharing, then I'd say it was something else. But since the addition of the more blog-like functions (images, movies), it's now more like what they say it is.

I, for one, refer to Pownce as a tumblelog (because of those varied avenues of content I just mentioned).

micro blog complete with comments

some use it as a mini forum but both look the same when so small

I don't think you can define Pownce, I think you've created a new category of application.

pownce is inbetween IM and email

Samuel hit it on the head. You can do any of those things.

more like a a forums-blog hybrid.

It's in a gap between blog, forum, email and IM ! IM is good if people are online, email is good for sending stuff to one person, blogs are good for long posts and forums are good for threaded discussions.
Thus pownce is good for short posts to many people (who may be offline) with attachments and short, quick comments.

I like to think of it as a threaded chat room

I use it for all of the three purposes!!! Great stuff and helps us a lot at out chruch and community!!!

I see it as a community blog... dunno if that makes any sense...

And, please: are you able to translate it into German? Would do us a BIG favor!!!

and i forgot...: micro-filesharing and micro-calendaring make sense, too.

Pownce is a social networking spork. A spork isn't the best fork or spoon, but it does have a purpose, a multipurpose. It's a mini "flog". (Forum/blog)

i kind of thing Pownce really comes alive when you have a lot of friends posting a lot of really tiny things. the relationships between users are cluttered and tenuous and busy all at the same time.

i just see what a bunch of people are up to. music, pictures, events, otherwise. i only wish i could get more of my friends to use it (it takes a bit of persuading to build up that critical mass for someone).

I like to use the term "Social Messaging Tools" for Twitter, Jaiku, and Pownce. These are actually messaging tools with social aspects added.

Just a suggestion, but it would be great if the add reply refreshed the page or brought you back 'home' rather that just clear the message box

If feels more like micro-forums than a micro-blog, though I suppose it could go either way.

Pownce feels more substantial than Twitter. Someone else described it as a medium for "social conversation" (which... I suppose... is what forums are).

I think there's still a lot of potential. One of the things I've been thinking about is a sort of... groups-esque type thing... but more along the lines of a subject pool.

If you're interested in, say, Python, you could join the Python "pool" (or whatever nomenclature ye find fitting). Other Python poolmates post Python-related stories to the pool (would be just like sending a message to a user), and they'd show up in your feed (just like receiving messages from another user).

As it stands, if a lot of people are interested in a subject, they each have to make a "group" to send the note out to. Not everyone ends up in everyone else's group... there are very disparate conversations, etc.

The thing that got me thinking about this is the 365 thing that's been doing around... taking a photo of yourself every day for 365. Since not everyone wants to see that in their stream, a user could join the 365 pool, send their 365 photo to that pool, and only other members of that pool see it (... and maybe it shows up on the poster's page as well).

Increases discoverability without encouraging list spamming, while also giving some guidance in posting information about a similar subject.

Micro-something? How about Mega-IM. It's a bit like IM without presence, but with a broader social aspect. Thinking on those lines, presence and the ability to split off a personal chat/chat-group might be really nice additions. Maybe something like a private reply chain?

@Robert

Would be nice. Facebook Note's (and I believe Photos) does the dealio where if someone replies to a note you've replied to, you get a ping.

That would be ideal for private messages. If I message you, you get a notification. If you message back, I get a notification. But if I reply to your message in the same thread, you have no idea that I've said anything.

Note's = Notes

@ Mason
sounds like you are describing the Jaiku #channels feature that adds an element of forums/IRC to microblogging. I agree that pownce would be great for this kind of feature.

Pownce started as a micro bloggin site, but the users changed to (or gave) another direction, wich is, for me , a mixure of micro forum (long discussion) microblogging (hello powncers) and file sharing site.

It may be become a proprietary IM service if the desktop application is fully developped, and open to all OS.

Some people talked about some sort of emailing. I disafree, you can't send email to pownce (yet). But it may be a sort of mailing list, as you can get email of changes.

In conclusion : pownce > microblogging

@adrian / @ Mason
good points. As a matter of fact, I'm glad I came back here to check this thread out. The irony is, I had no idea anyone replied to me!

I think the ideas we're chatting about could be widely liked. If it could be integrated in a seamless way to be a part of, or just look like this thread for example, it could just appear as a new, unobtrusive feature without confusing users.

@Mason / @Robert
When you send a public note it is similar to posting to a jaiku #channel. You are not sending the note to anyone in particular, it's more like you are posting to #public. It would be great if http://pownce.com/publ... had a prominent link in the top right of everyone's page. Then if a real #channel feature was added a list of #'channels you are subscribed to could appear there. The user could be given the option to add channel posts to their unfiltered stream but I don't think this should be the default.

I see a lot of people sending public posts asking questions, I think people would get more answers to them, plus find new friends, if there was a prominent link to http://pownce.com/publ... on everyone's page :) I've added a link in my 'info' text.

@adrian / @Mason
That sounds like a good idea. I'm not familiar with Jaiku, but something like a #channel, an audience (friends public, other) and pingbacks might just be the thing I was thinking about. If #channel references could just show up on your page as a #channel list automatically based on activity (it should probably age and disappear) that would be very nice. Maybe even highlights on the list to show "new messages" plus ping-backs?

If Pownce add channel feature like Jaiku, I am sure I will use it more often. But, I want it to have provision for both public and private channels, Jaiku has only public channels.

@Avatar - I originally planned an asynchronous auto-refresh but hadn't finalized the design of the DOM components. I've thought about it lately, but was waiting for people to request it...

twitter = public AIM away messages as a service
pownce = public AIM group chat as a service

@Leah's Last Comment about asynchronous auto-refresh: Take this reply as an official request for it. ;-)

As far as "defining" what Pownce is, I would call Pownce a "social messaging client"

@ Everyone who replied to me

Pingbacks would be sweet. Then I'd know to come back and see your replies.

Sure. Channels. Call them whatever. They'd just be nice. Right now on my page, I see two different people telling me (via public "spam", and not for the first time) that I'd better ask if I want to be on their 365 Flickr Challenge group before it goes invisible.

That just seems like a waste. 365 Flickr Challenge Channel FWT.

@ Leah

Yay for PeriodicalUpdater.

http://www.prototypejs...

(FWT = FTW... only I can screw up an acronym.)