07.E-interview to Times of India's (TOIs) Sridhar Ramakrishnan
Answers
by : "Chella" < S.K.G. Chella Durai > , Webmedia Consultant & Validator
Email : chellabm@sancharnet.in
Web : www.ryze.com/go/laughingbudha2000
Doc Date : 11/23/2003 <mm/dd/yy>
Note : Composed in Notepad,Courier new font,size "10", not spell checked.
Hi Mr. Sridhar Ramakrishnan!
Thanks for writing about "web", the "media of the future & the future of the media". I am promoting the web usage among Indian Communities by forums, lectures, articles etc. Here are the answers for your Questions.
Questions
--------
1. What does networking achieve?
2. What do people hope to achieve through networking?
3. How does one go about it?
4. What have you gained through Ryze?
5. Have there been any concete business gains thru Ryze?
6. Can one expect to clinch deals in the first instance?
7. Have you had instances of bad behaviour? ..can be used as a dating
site etc
8. Networking works at various levels. At what ‘level´ would
you put networking through Ryze?
9. Who do you feel it is ideal for?
10. When did you start your network and what has been your experience so far?
Can you cite any instance where the Ryze experience
really helped?
ANSWERS
1. What does networking achieve?
Technically speaking " Networking (on web) is aimed at bringing together, many
like minded & 'unlike minded' people to a virtual platform (aka Ryze) so
that some form of interactions can take place( at group level and/or at individual
levels )".
2. What do people hope to achieve through networking?
Many things are possible when people interact ( as in realworld!) with each
other... meeting new & like minded friends, geting a job, sharing infos
on specific topics of their profession, geting more visibility in the
web, falling in love... etc,.!
3. How does one go about it?
a. First we must prepare a neat personal profile with infos like your qualification,
experiences, interests, hobbies, future plans, contact information etc. Profile
is the basic requirement for networking.
b. Without your own "image / photo" you will not be considered much on web. So get a neat one from a pro photographer... in digital format. JPEG is the ideal one.
c. Sign up with a web based networking service like www.ryze.com as a free member. (You can later upgrade your membership as a paid member after some experience and success)
d. Update your profile and photograph ( as told in point# a & b ) and now your networking home page is ready in a professional manner!
e. Search the member database and invite new friends by signing their guest books. When coming accross like minded people or people from same region, interests, profession etc, .. send them personal messages (most of the sites have this provision) like greetings, business proposal etc. Once you have meaningful dialogue, sharing etc then extend the friendship to offline ..ie Realworld interaction. If they are nearer geographically, you can call them over phone ( My fav method!) or invite them to your work place / home etc. Now many things will be possible.. a future life partner or a business partner or a new job etc. If this happens then you have tasted the first success of online networking!
4. What have you gained through Ryze?
Yeah! Personally I have gained a lot through Ryze networking.
a. Many friends (like minded) to share our feelings, ideas, joys, plans etc
b. Some business contacts/proposals to improve my productivity and knowledge.
c. New insights, freshness of thought etc
d. Few close friends... to share problems and personal issues ... for guidence,
support etc.
e. Visibility ( think it as a media )... results in making you an active / known
web personality.
5. Have there been any concete business gains thru Ryze?
YES! I also had this doubt in my early days. But when I got some money, deposited
in my ICICI bank account, few month before, from a fellow ryzer, for a design
work, my doubts vanished!
a. I have completed few web design/media orders from fellow members
b. Recruited 15 volunteers for my ongoing project www.sharedcontent.org .
6. Can one expect to clinch deals in the first instance?
I dont think so! As in realworld we may have to do some "cold calling" or "Door
knocks". Love at first sight may be possible but business at first sight is
bit rare. (Laughing!). You have to try tirelessly on web since many people will
judge you by your visible 'efforts and sicerity'.
7. Have you had instances of bad behaviour? ..can be used as a dating site
etc
Honestly not even a sigle instance of bad behaviour ... in Ryze. May be due to my "online Maturity" in choosing. Here most of the people are REAL unlike 'chat rooms' or 'email forums'. This is the important factor for the popularity of Ryze in US and in India, in recent years. So no need to worry about negative impacts to the society at this level.
Regarding dating!... Well it may happen in some rare occasions, but Ryze will never become a site for Dating, since the 95% ryzers or for some (more) meaningful purpose than dating. ( Do you think Dating is a bad behaviour?!! Laughing )
8. Networking works at various levels. At what ‘level´ would
you put networking through Ryze?
It depends! Sometime I will get only some friendly contacts. But in some moments
some bigies, C.E.O s may virtually meet you. I got a friend, a holywood actor
through ryze! So again I say "It depends on many factors, including LUCK!".
9. Who do you feel it is ideal for?
Ideal for Business People( Ryze calls itself as a business network!LOL! ), Media
People, Self employed, HR people, Students (graduate level or more), Artists,
Writers, Techies, PROs and so on. So generally any socially active person can
try Ryze. (Any politician is hearing! Now a days a lot of high tech politicians
are around.. viz Mr Naidus and Mr Mahajans. Can we see them in Ryze soon!?<laughing>)
10. When did you start your network and what has been your experience so
far?
Can you cite any instance where the Ryze experience
really helped?
I have been introduced to Ryze by my Canadian Spiritual friend Mr. Stephen Conroy
( CEO of Onzou Records, a label for African Music ) an year ago. Till now I
am very happy in general about my Ryzing. For the second portion
a. I can tell you that I have visited some wonderful places like Yelagiri and Ooty through my ryze friendship.
b. Got my room booked at a 'Chennai Hotel' throuh my Ryze friend Mr Sivakumar, CEO of www.leatherlink.net.
c. Taken another Ryzer Ms Subha, CEO of a 3D modelling firm "Eternal Illusions" of Bangalore to a trip in Nilgiris, on her visit to our city Coimbatore. ( She and her father were thrilled on seeing some of the "unheard places"! )
d. You can also include the answer of question number 5.
Feedback
Kindly send your comments to chellabm AT sancharnet.in
About me
1. A webmedia consultant, Validator and Internet E-vangelist based at Coimbatore
2. A postgraduate in Management ( sPecialisation in advertising)
3. I am promoting the usages of Web media among masses through lectures, projects
and articles. Writing a book in Tamil ( Oru Valayin Kathai - Story of the Net
)on the evolution of the medium called Internet.
4. Founder of many ( not for profit) projects viz www.sharedcontent.org www.faastweb.com
and www.cipindia.com .
5. An award winning webdesigner (winner of 2003-2004 golden web awards for the
tableless design of the site www.faastweb.com. This award is instituted by International
Association of Web Masters & Designers. ( I.A.W.M.D. sponsors and affiliates
include some of the worlds largest and most respected companies, including:
GE, Microsoft, Hertz, K-Mart,Amoco, TTI, Budget, FTD, Alamo, AOL, BigBallot,
NBCi, American Greetings and a multiple of other name brand companies, as well
as health care and other service providers.)
6. Moderator of the largest Egroup (more than 800 members at present) on 'Cotton
city' called "Coimbatore News" ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coimbatorenews
)
7. Founder of the www.palanitemple.com . A site dedicated to the service
of the Palani Temple, the most visited and richest temple in Tamilnadu.
My online information
1. Personal home page: http://www.palanitemple.com/jivan
2. Ryze home page: http://www.ryze.com/go/laughingbudha (use this URL for your
publication purpose)
3. Business home page: http://www.zenvalley.com
4. Active mail ID: chellabm AT sancharnet.in
5. Chat ID ( Yahoo ): chellabm
Media Kit/ Info
My image URL (for official publication purpose)
http://www.zenvalley.com/chella.gif
Offline contact
---------------
Mobile : +91 98650 53256
Fax : +91 422 2472966
Grams : SABOL
Refer this page to your friends and get a gift from Chella ! Back to articles home / Back to main home page