|
Friends of Chip Shots weigh in on VLSI Research's launch of "social networking" site |
|
|
|
Jan 22, 2007 at 08:42 PM |
A new player in the semiconductor-manufacturing information space emerged on the Web when VLSI Research launched WeSRCH.com last Monday.
As for pronunciation of the name, I'm thinking Elmer Fudd dissing Bugs Bunny, as in "you silly wabbit, it's weseawrch!" Calling itself "the "social networking web site for technical professionals," the PR for the new venture claims boldly that it "is designed to empower the learning process" of said professionals.
The editor of the site is Dave Lammers, former EETimes ace reporter, who was hired by Dan Hutcheson to lead the effort and contribute periodic commentaries. WeSRCH also features self-posting of technical papers and press releases; aggregated technical news summaries; lots of comment, feedback, and online communities functionality; hyperlinks a-plenty, and other features.
Whether it will truly become a Web 2.0 venture remains to be seen, and whether a valid social networking site for professionals in the IC world (a la MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) will fly also remains an open question.
I was curious about what some of my peers in the media and semi industry thought about WeSRCH, so I forwarded the press release to a few dozen of them. I received a handful of responses, some of which I share below. The respondents' names have been left off to protect the guilty.
Social networking in the wild. (Photo: Tom Cheyney)
"I just heard about it last week and haven't had a chance to really check it out. I guess it's a repository for papers w/ chat room?"
"Saying it's a social networking site doesn't make it true. Right now, there isn't enough content there to evaluate, pro or con. Will have to wait and see how it evolves."
"I like it---from a PR standpoint it's a nice venue for placing company messages, and I think industry folks will appreciate the low threshold for publication. Dave Lammers also wants to encourage a free (and uninhibited) exchange of ideas, so it might become the industry's equivalent of Jerry Springer."
"I hate the 'WeSRCH' name, and I’m not thrilled by its vague value-proposition description enough to bother checking it out (even though I like Dan and Risto and Dave Lammers, etc.)."
"I finally had a look and not sure what to say. Mixed.... Does it compete? (yes, a bit), is the site decent quality? (no) Could it go anywhere? (not in current format). But idea? (very good). Overall I have strong reservations that a community-discussion-debate website will work in this industry unless everyone's identity is not revealed. This works in only limited ways and has been a problem that no one has overcome yet."
If anyone else has any opinions about WeSRCH, the potential for social networking sites in the high-tech professional world, or any thoughts on the changing face of high-tech trade media, please post a comment below.
|
Blogs 
