well said Lynne

I understand the idea of not wanting to maintain many social networks. That's why many developers are working on open ID systems and tools that tie users across their various networks.

But the truth is, you don't have to think of FC as a social network at all. Perhaps you who don't have time to maintain another profile or blog, just use the site to read the content from the magazine, the online group, the staff blog, or the expert blog, or any other member content that you want. You don't have to fill out a full profile, just a basic one in order to be able to comment.

Another difference with FC is that there are really active groups that have branched out in locations across the country and across various themes that come directly from the magazine. These people connect to one another on the site, but also many have physical group meetings. And coming soon, especially with our core topics groups, we will host conference calls where we invite guest speakers onto the call to share information with you -- some of these people will come from the pages of our magazine.

I'm not pushing you to try and understand or see the benefits, I just want you all to know that benefits truly exist and that this isn't just another Facebook or LinkedIN. FastCompany has a history of community and a history of both content and live events with industry leaders. We're now bringing this all together.
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Lynne d Johnson
Senior Editor, FastCompany.com

Hi Lynne - I appreciate what you're saying, but as someone who has to maintain a Facebook, MySpace, Bebo, Linked in, YouTube, 1 personal blog, 2 business blogs, the new site definitely "feels" like a "another" social network. For CoF members, it might feel great, but it's a big barrier to new participants IMHO.

Providing some good links to existing tools - i.e. republishing RSS feeds from a personal blog or allowing for easy moving of profile information from Linked in would make a big difference to new users that have already spent significant time creating their networks.

I currently have around 100 Linked in contacts (some of my contacts triple that), and v. few of those will move to FC. That means I'm far less inclined to maintain my FC profile, as much as I love the magazine and the brand - as at this point I perceive limited benefit in doing so...

I appreciate the tie-in between FC and COF but I think you have to consider the switching costs of other social networks. I would find more value in a system that connects my social network of choice with the FC content. I've got different social networks that center around different ideas. FastCompany seems to be the nearest to bringing those social, business, design ideas together. But I'm not going to invest time in another network. Sorry.

Hi there

FC absolutely was the first of the online networks. The reality now is although I love to look for the content of FC (and learn things), but I have commitments to many other social software, many of which connect with each other, meaning I don't have to produce fresh new content on each - what I add or write is available in these places in different ways - Flickr, LinkedIn, Dopplr..etc.

On first view I didn't understand what the blogging feature meant - whether it would connect my current blog to my profile on FC, but it seems to create a new blog. This might be a great idea for most - especially those who need something serious to network around such as FC and its great content, but to be honest I can't spare the time creating a new blog.

You might not grab me with it, but you might grab a whole host of new people who haven't found a value to these kind of networks!

This was my immediate thought. I would find value in a FC socal network application that would link my LinkedIn and Facebook accounts with other FC community members. But I don't have time to spend on LinkedIn or Facebook, so I don't have time for FC's community site either.

because you might learn something also

CoF started aeons ago, even before FB and the plethora of SNs available and made popular. Yes, I gather that FC should have implemented Drupal but needs to iron issues.

FC is the first SN I joined and am proud being a part of.

Hello Ben

The context for what you're experiencing here on Fast Company is a history that goes back nearly 10 years to the Company of Friends. The COF is one of the oldest business networks online. So we've been in the business of social networking for some time. The difference now, is that instead of the community being separate from our content, everything is tied together. You still get great Fast Company content about innovation and ideas, but your online membership enables you to share your ideas about that great content and to have a voice that carries as much weight as our writers and editors.

I hope this explains things for you. If you've been a reader of FC or a COF member, you can see that this site bridges these two together.

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Lynne d Johnson
Senior Editor, FastCompany.com