Building a relation network is important for NG, but not in the [a]social media manner. The NG Meetups are here to stay and over time more of the members will get better acquainted. The requirement for non-anonymity helps foster improved communication as well.
Since the "new" NG is intended as a collective undertaking and we run a low-cost minimum system basically designed to be non-profit, I envision this community has the best prospects for the future. No vested economic interests will intervene.
Did not intend to contradict to that when I used the widespread term social network as a vague shell, sure nothing asocial here.
What I had in mind is the erratic changes in the old Nikongear site, may it been design and rapid switches from ad- based to crowdfunding models on the one hand.
And: most important for the decline of old Nikongear IMHO: the limited understanding of the Boss how group-dynamics work and that group members at least need the illusion that they can participate and are not purely subject of the mood of a person who just follows his own thing gets very unpolite if the group does not follow him and then still acts against his promises and turns it towards his initial route.
I have a way better feeling how things go and develop here now based on the personalities of the responsibles for this revival and that is good
