Orkut + Netflix = Mediachest

February 21, 2004 12:40 PM

Newsflash: actually useful social-software site. There are many, many (etc., etc.,) sites that have sprung up to represent networks of friends (and friends of friends) on the web. But so what? There's no compelling reason to create or keep these profiles; there's nothing in it for you (just lots of work). But I've stumbled across Mediachest (screenshot) which is a sharing community for books, DVDs, and CDs. You can borrow your friends books and music and movies, and they can borrow yours. It's like a permanent MefiSwap!
posted by zpousman (12 comments total)

It appears to have UPC based entry. With a cheap barcode scanner it could be used to build up a database of your collection with pictures etc.
posted by Flat Feet Pete at 12:59 PM on February 21, 2004

So does the site get much active usage?

A list of someone's friends I randomly pulled up. It seems like lots of members haven't returned to the site in awhile.
posted by gluechunk at 2:07 PM on February 21, 2004

With a cheap barcode scanner

Funny. My immediate thought after joining this week was whether that stupid CueCat survived the two moves since Wired sent me it.
posted by yerfatma at 2:24 PM on February 21, 2004

Self link: we just launched Flickr, which is social-network-meets-IRC-meets-realtime-photosharing thingie... and we have opened up our network to external developers via Flickr Services, so that others can build other applications to extend the usefulness of your Flickr social circle. Already there is Playr, which lets you browse playlists recommended by your Flickr friends, and Reviewr which connects the Amazon API and Flickr Services so that you can browse Amazon reviews made by your Flickr friends. We hope by opening up this way we can encourage all sorts of cool applications.

Not trying to hijack this thread, but what we're doing seemed relevant:)
posted by ericost at 2:35 PM on February 21, 2004

[Non-self link notice: I didn't know before one of the Mediachest developers contacted me 20 minutes ago, but Mediachest is based kinda near me. This is purely a coincidence and I am not affilated with, paid by, or a shill for Mediachest.]

ericost, I take it back. There are other useful social-network software tools. Flickr is cool. An interesting difference at first blush is the realtime nature of Flickr versus the asynchronous nature of Mediachest. Flickr seems to me like a performance, a media DJ space where people can get together to 'jam', while Mediachest is just-a-website, where one doesnt need to be logged in at a particular time to get benefit. Not that either is bad, just pointing out what I think is a salient difference.
posted by zpousman at 2:49 PM on February 21, 2004

A while back my company did some design for a site called Swaparoo, which is similar.
posted by weston at 4:04 PM on February 21, 2004

It's too bad my close friends are a bunch of drunks that insinuate your gay if you want to trade books.
posted by Keyser Soze at 5:04 PM on February 21, 2004

ericost. probably not the place to ask but how does one contact the admin at playr. apparently I rec. a playlist and am unable to unrec. it.

obviously more interface needs to be done.
posted by filchyboy at 5:17 PM on February 21, 2004

Coupla things: First, and I should have said this earlier, Mediachest is brilliant! A great idea, and what looks like a great implementation (though I have not yet done anything but signed up and surfed around the site).

Second, yeah filchyboy, all the apps that use Flickr Services are very young and need improvement. Right now they are maybe not more than proof of concept. Hublog is the home of the guy that built Playr, and you should be able to contact him through his site. I bet he would love your feedback.

Third, right on zpousman; you are very correct about the differences between the core of Flickr and Mediachest (and you describe Flickr perfectly, which is something we have found difficult to do ourselves). But I glossed over the real time interaction nature of Flickr in my first comment because I thought the thing more relevant to this thread was Flickr Services, which we hope will allow people to extend Flickr in ways that make it a useful center for all sorts of asynchronous interactions. One of the big points from our Etcon presentation two weeks ago when we launched Flickr, and sort of a motto of ours, is the dictum "Don't build applications, build contexts for interaction."

But I will shut up now :)

(Except to say: checked out thinky.org zpousman, and you are working on some v. cool stuff.)
posted by ericost at 7:31 PM on February 21, 2004

" It's too bad my close friends are a bunch of drunks that insinuate your gay if you want to trade books."

They do what to your gay, Keyser?
posted by Blue Stone at 6:06 AM on February 22, 2004

GrammarFlameFilter
posted by subgenius at 9:47 AM on February 22, 2004

I'm glad to see Mediachest has a 'groups' function. Sometimes I think the links between members of a group (like, say, MeFi) might be stronger and more practical than simply those of a meatspace 'social circle' of x degrees. I know I'd probably be more likely to swap with more MeFi users than some of the people two degrees out from my friends.
posted by pzarquon at 9:53 AM on February 22, 2004