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Think.Code.Repeat.

The Architect's Blog
January 1st, 2008
Happy New Year!

Think: People

When I first started thinking about creating VRS, I envisioned a music collaboration system for musicians that had either already met online, or who needed a way to collaborate on music projects without the expenses of travel, and/or the hassles of conflicting schedules. Frankly, I envisioned a system designed for people that already knew each other - either in real life, through the VRS forum, or maybe through another music forum. The original People directory was just a simple listing of VRS members. I thought it might help members, even if they already knew each other, to find one another. It also made sense that some members might use the directory to find new collaborators. In fact, I hoped members would meet through VRS. But that was not the directory's original purpose.

Code

While I was coding the member directory, I thought it might be cool to let members describe themselves in more detail - to get to know each other better. That is where the User Profile screen was born. I added a self-description box, tagging, an MP3 audition to allow members to give others an example of their sound, an avatar, a link to their web site (if they had one), and a few other options. Once I had added all of that information to the User Profile module, I really felt that I needed to add a search function to allow members to find each other by searching that member information. All of this was to help people get to know each other's skills and abilities better.

Repeat

After a few months I realized that the People directory (the People Tab) was a huge untapped resource. What if I could find a way to make the user directory a simple way for members to find NEW, like-minded, musicians that they had never met before to collaborate with? But, before I could do that I felt like I needed to add the option to allow each member to say whether they were "Available" or not. It seemed prudent to allow every member to choose NOT to work with others if they wanted. Once that was completed, I changed the conceptual focus of the user directory from a simple listing to a function designed to allow people to meet one another. I did this by adding direct links in each entry of the People directory listing to: Add a member to a project (Add Me), To email a member(Email Me), View their web site(My Website), send a direct message (TelR Me), and to show the member's detailed profile information (click on their avatar).

The People directory is really designed to be the best way to search for talent, and then add that person directly to your music project. If you don't want to be added to other people's projects, UnCheck the "Available For New Projects" box in your profile. This will prevent people from adding you to their projects. If you just want to block a single person from adding you, click on their avatar in the People directory listing to bring up their details, and click the "Block Me" link.

I am still thinking of new ways to help VRS members to meet, add themselves to other people's (public) projects or add others to their own (public or private) project(s) - And start collaborating on new music. I think the key is to encourage and communicate that VRS is designed to allow people to do that. It is the equivalent of going to a jam session and asking: "Can I sit in?". That has always been a difficult thing to do, and I continue to ponder how I can do that better within VRS.

An Important Note: Please, Please, Please - Be respectful of one another. And don't use VRS improperly! All laws and courtesies that apply in the real world, apply here on VRS. If someone doesn't want to work on your project, RESPECT their wishes. Not every person is a good fit for every project. I will not hesitate to delete or disable ANY member that bothers or otherwise harasses another member or members.