Whey asks us one day yes and another also what is social media software. And it is not a bad question since these types of programs encompass very different things, some more recent and others that are available since the Internet exists. So we have started to summarize a series of common questions about social media software and its various variants.
What is social media software?
A series of applications that seek to expand the possibilities of communication and connection between people who already allow e-mail or instant messaging systems. The first social media software was the mailing lists that allowed to connect many people at the same time and the MUDs, which allowed many Internet users to participate in the same game. What has changed with respect to these first applications is that now social media software is available to anyone, whether or not a specialist. And this is also true because its basic principle is the rupture of the differences between our online experiences and those we have in the real world.
Examples of social media software:
- Filtering systems, such as those based on reputation (eBay)
- Professional contact systems, such as Linkedin
- Collective publishing systems, such as blogs and wikis
- Personal contact systems, such as Match.com
- Collective documentation editing systems, such as Lotus Notes and Groove
What are collaborative tools?
It is software that unites a number of people in order to facilitate the flow of information (agendas, files, messages) and the performance of joint work between them. The first were the groupware solutions that appeared in the late eighties by Lotus Notes. Today all collaborative tools are based on the Internet.
What possibilities do collaborative tools have?
These tools are usually incorporated in modular platforms that allow:
-Communicate. The instant messaging and videoconferencing systems fit here.
-Coordinate tasks. Workflow tools fit here.
-Share resources and applications. Groupware tools such as OpenGroupware, Documentum, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Exchange or Novell GroupWise fit here.
-Share contents. Blogs and wikis fit here.