Forum friendly
1 min read
MontaVista’s new MELD forum – a social networking centre for Linux designers – underlines the success of similar sites, namely Facebook, Twitter and the now passé MySpace.
![](/media/ypchngld/montavista1.jpg?width=1002&height=564&bgcolor=White&v=1d9d766637f6670)
The word ‘community’ has become a buzz word for a generation that has grown up communicating via the medium of their pc. A recent report by web analsis firm Nielsen reveals that such sites are now used more frequently than email. Thoughts and ideas, often best left floating around in one’s mind, are but a mere click away before they are available for a global audience to analyse and comment on. Forums can elucidate and inform in an entertaining and community spirited way, but elements such as fact can be often ignored.
The difference between MontaVista’s site and other online forums is that Linux designers have not previously had an opportunity to congregate en masse. So far, users are primarily comprised of MontaVista employees and friends of the family – but that’s the great thing about the internet. It doesn’t take long for word to get around and as with most community websites, the underground approach adds a certain credos to proceedings. ‘Have you seen this site?’ coming from a colleague or friend, will convince you more than a £1million campaign.
In the interest of adding ‘underground’ cool to MELD, I won’t provide you with the URL. See if you can find it.