Newsvine Update - What's New Since MSNBC

News Type: Event — Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:58 AM EST

msnbc, newsvine, 2008, new-features, newsvine-roadmap

With 2007 coming to an end, we thought it appropriate to give the Newsvine Community an update on what's been happening since the MSNBC deal, and a taste of what's in store going into 2008!

First things first. Let's talk about speed. This fall, we've moved to bigger, beefier hardware to handle increased site activity, and it's made a huge difference. We've also optimized some of the processes that generate dynamic pages as well as improved our caching system, and the changes have resulted in big speed and reliability gains throughout the site. Newsvine is a complex beast and there's still a lot to do, but we look forward to further performance gains after moving into MSNBC's data centers in the next couple of months.

The process of introducing the Newsvine community to MSNBC and vice versa has also gone exceedingly well so far. Two of our most popular contributors, Chris Killfile Thomas and Viki Babbles Gonia, have already made live TV appearances on MSNBC around the democratic debates, and we look forward to more airtime for other thoughtful contributors as opportunities present themselves. Some members of the community have asked why there aren't MSNBC logos spread throughout Newsvine and Newsvine logos spread throughout msnbc.com, and the answer to this is simple: Newsvine and msnbc.com serve two entirely different purposes and two entirely different audiences. Moving forward, you can continue to expect the independence and unfiltered views of what's happening in the world from Newsvine and the world-class professionally produced news experience that you expect from msnbc.com.

As far as community highlights go, we'd be remiss if we didn't also point out the great original reporting coming from Iraq via Newsvine correspondent and U.S. army soldier Rob Ballew. If you've ever wanted a view of Iraq from the inside, make sure to check out Rob's column.

Speaking of international matters, we do have one pesky announcement to make as well: in order to comply with IRS regulations governing foreign payments, beginning January 1st 2008, international users will have to fill out and send us some documentation, and we will have to withhold a portion of their payments which they can later redeem directly from the U.S. government. International contributors can read more about it here.

Casual Newsvine users may sometimes forget that there's a hardworking crew of people laboring night and day to keep things running smoothly around here as well as working on the latest and greatest improvements that will continue to set Newsvine apart from the me-too world of internet news. In case anyone cares to hear about how things have gone for us personally since the acquisition, so far we'd say "really, really great". The long hours and aggressive timelines are still there and we continue to run very much like a startup, but the team and resources over at MSNBC have been everything we had hoped for so far. Working with smart people tends you make you smarter in kind, and as anyone in the Newsvine community knows, getting smarter has always been goal number one, in more ways than one.

So what's on tap for 2008 so far? Well, we can't give away all the details just yet, but you can expect the following features and improvements, as well as several pleasant surprises coming your way:

New customizable and extensible user columns
Completely new public and private groups
Journalism Awards
Vastly extended user profile pages
Newsvine Assignment Desk
A new take on message boards
Video
New ways of visualizing news stories within your social chain
Writer outreach programs
Community moderators
Discussion clubs
NCAA Tournament Pick 'Em

... and of course a better, easier-to-use Help section to make sense of it all!

We hope you've enjoyed Newsvine over the past year and a half since launch, and we can't wait to see you in 2008 as we roll out a bunch of shiny new things. We've been listening to your feedback with regards to both existing and proposed new features and we're excited to bring you the latest and greatest just as soon as it's all ready.

Happy holidays and we'll see you on the 'Vine!

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What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

2.7

Jump to discussion page: 1 2

{"commentId":1268138,"authorDomain":"bluejohnnyd"}

bluejohnnyd

This all looks really awesome, but I'm somehow skittish about the customizability of columns; the uniform look suits the general sense of equality on the site. Making it too much like MySpace or even many other discussion forums would detract from the experience.

Though I have found myself wishing for bigger avatars on the main column at times.

{"commentId":1268138,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"bluejohnnyd"}

3 votes

#26 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:54 PM EST

{"commentId":1268201,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

There shall be no myspaceness on Newsvine.

There. I've spoken. Calvin, Mike, et al...are you listening?

I firmly believe (that is, hope with my whole little heart) that "customizable" means "personalizing within the Newsvine look."

{"commentId":1268201,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

6 votes

#26.1 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:13 PM EST

{"commentId":1268214,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

personalizing within the Newsvine look."

Please ! Keep the basic look the same, it is a great interface and layout. Nice, clean and simple.

We do not want a Myspace or anything like it, Keep Newsvine looking as elegant as it is now.

{"commentId":1268214,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

5 votes

#26.2 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:18 PM EST

{"commentId":1268293,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

I think so long as Mike D. is the CEO, Newsvine will never devolve to Myspace style free-for-all layouts.

{"commentId":1268293,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"brianford"}

7 votes

#26.3 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:42 PM EST

{"commentId":1268381,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

I hope not as that is the reason I picked Newsvine as home base as it has a very professional feel to it and not the tacky style or substance that some of the other "Social News" sites have. Lets hope Newsvine is able to preserve its current management team and not have them move on to bigger and better things at MSNBC. However if they did, I could understand that also. However I hope they don't.

{"commentId":1268381,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

3 votes

#26.4 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:15 PM EST

{"commentId":1268811,"authorDomain":"fahrenheit"}

Guy Montag

I agree, the clean, neat, professional feel of Newsvine is what keeps my coming back for more.

{"commentId":1268811,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"fahrenheit"}

#26.5 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:03 AM EST

{"commentId":1268870,"authorDomain":"mike"}

Mike D.

Yep yep. There will be no MySpaceing in this house! A design free-for-all would certainly not benefit either the newswriting or newsreading experience, but at the same time, authors should be free to do a lot more powerful things with their columns as well as brand themselves a little more dramatically than they can right now.

{"commentId":1268870,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"mike"}

7 votes

#26.6 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:20 AM EST

{"commentId":1268890,"authorDomain":"fahrenheit"}

Guy Montag

Yes, I do agree with that.

{"commentId":1268890,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"fahrenheit"}

2 votes

#26.7 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:48 AM EST

{"commentId":1268896,"authorDomain":"winsomecowboy"}

winsomecowboy

Given new tools I may consider aging rapidly. Just as long as I can preserve my cute and cuddly exterior.

{"commentId":1268896,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"winsomecowboy"}

2 votes

#26.8 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:56 AM EST

{"commentId":1268294,"authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}

Pamela Drew

Calvin...Casual Newsvine users may sometimes forget that there's a hardworking crew of people laboring night and day to keep things running smoothly around here

Even for regular users, it is easier to notice when something goes wrong than appreciating when it goes perfectly. Human nature tends to let the uneventful go by as though nothing remarkable is required to have it be that way.

I'd like to say thank you for doing the things we don't know you do, for the extraordinary patience of tom, who often explains that my 'report a bug' issues are really user issues but make it sound like anyone could make the mistake.

Most of all thanks for adding the comment edit that has helped me to add better quality remarks. Not always, but often enough, the time it takes to re-read looking like it would as a post, and the time out between posting, lets a bit of better judgment creep in and at least give the illusion of being smarter, even when it is more about timing. :~)

{"commentId":1268294,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"PamelaDrew"}

8 votes

#27 - Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:43 PM EST

{"commentId":1269185,"authorDomain":"farmer"}

oldfogey

Except that I used to reread the first time before posting and be very careful. Now I can relax because I know I have a second chance. Guess what? I make more mistakes now. Human nature.

{"commentId":1269185,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"farmer"}

2 votes

#27.1 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:54 AM EST

{"commentId":1268708,"authorDomain":"noah"}

Noah Bradley

Video?

Somebody give me a video camera and we'll have our own little late-night wise-cracking satire show. You know, like all those actually funny people have.

{"commentId":1268708,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"noah"}

2 votes

#28 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:01 AM EST

{"commentId":1268753,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

I don't know anyone funny here.

{"commentId":1268753,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

2 votes

#28.1 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:25 AM EST

{"commentId":1269196,"authorDomain":"farmer"}

oldfogey

Noah, sneak peek, just for you. Here!. Don't take the Redmond comment literally. It was just for an adoring public. I never went there.

{"commentId":1269196,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"farmer"}

3 votes

#28.2 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:59 AM EST

{"commentId":1269378,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

Hey I know that guy ! Nice hat and coffee mug !!

{"commentId":1269378,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

2 votes

#28.3 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:08 AM EST

{"commentId":1272695,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

I don't know anyone funny here.

That was a joke - there are very funny people here, some intentionally so and others - well, not so much.

{"commentId":1272695,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

2 votes

#28.4 - Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:13 AM EST

{"commentId":1272734,"authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

Brad Leclerc

there are very funny people here, some intentionally so and others - well, not so much.

Non-intentionally funny people are great entertainment...that's for sure.

{"commentId":1272734,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"Brad-Leclerc"}

2 votes

#28.5 - Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:26 AM EST

{"commentId":1272983,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Sometimes ~~Eric~~ those people make me laugh more than any others.

{"commentId":1272983,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

1 vote

#28.6 - Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:53 AM EST

{"commentId":1268808,"authorDomain":"fahrenheit"}

Guy Montag

The assignment desk and the video feature sound interesting, but I don't want Newsvine turning into YouTube.

{"commentId":1268808,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"fahrenheit"}

1 vote

#29 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:01 AM EST

{"commentId":1268938,"authorDomain":"silkmesh"}

Babel Fish

As an ex-software developer I found the explanations on the software changes very brief and there seems to be unnecessary requirements, wouldn't it be a good idea to explain fully the changes and then have a newsvine pole to see if viners really require whats going to be on offer. As I thought the vine was a democratically based community. I have wrote an article today concerning my views and opinion plus I have added a pole for each of these new options.

whats-new-since-msnbc-software-changes-more-info-required

{"commentId":1268938,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"silkmesh"}

#30 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:52 AM EST

{"commentId":1268946,"authorDomain":"winsomecowboy"}

winsomecowboy

You seem to be labouring under the idea that you, as a participant in newsvine, have some sort of control over it's direction. We just provide content, the fact that you were a software developer is irrelavant, you wish to be consulted before changes are made?

Good luck getting anywhere by whinging.

{"commentId":1268946,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"winsomecowboy"}

8 votes

#30.1 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:02 AM EST

{"commentId":1269403,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Good luck getting anywhere by whinging.

Or whining for that matter.

{"commentId":1269403,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

1 vote

#30.2 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:16 AM EST

{"commentId":1269490,"authorDomain":"warners"}

rwarner

OoooooH, be careful, there!

{"commentId":1269490,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"warners"}

1 vote

#30.3 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:39 AM EST

{"commentId":1270116,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

I mean look at how successful Noah has been with his whining about wanting a RAV.:)

{"commentId":1270116,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

3 votes

#30.4 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 12:31 PM EST

{"commentId":1270680,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

*bangs head against desk repeatedly*

sigh

{"commentId":1270680,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

2 votes

#30.5 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:57 PM EST

{"commentId":1272706,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

You ok, Viki?

I saw a child do that yesterday and his mom told him, "Don't come running to me later, complaining of a headache."

{"commentId":1272706,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

1 vote

#30.6 - Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:16 AM EST

{"commentId":1272985,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Viki Babbles Gonia*bangs head against desk repeatedly*

sigh

(Scott Puts on some megadeth and bangs my head, trying to match Viki's beat)

{"commentId":1272985,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

#30.7 - Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:55 AM EST

{"commentId":1269560,"authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}

Dr. Diane Wakat, PhD

I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of Newsvine as it develops into an exciting place on the internet - both separate and integrated into MSNBC. Should be fun.

{"commentId":1269560,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"drdianewakat"}

2 votes

#31 - Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:57 AM EST

{"commentId":1273003,"authorDomain":"inghar2004"}

gladbutterfly

Those are really exciting features you are adding to Newsvine, Calvin et al. I'm looking forward to working with them in the new year. Thanks for all your work and patience. Have a Merry Christmas (who's pc?) and a Happy New Year. Here's hoping we don't all get buried in the white stuff over the next 24 hours.

{"commentId":1273003,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"inghar2004"}

#32 - Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:00 PM EST

{"commentId":1275144,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

I'm buried! I call a snow day.

{"commentId":1275144,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

3 votes

#32.1 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 8:46 AM EST

{"commentId":1275230,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

In more ways then one Viki.....you might want to check our group...I have been busy "weeding" this morning, couldn't sleep worth a damn :-(

Did you get snow ?

{"commentId":1275230,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

2 votes

#32.2 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 9:37 AM EST

{"commentId":1275382,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Several inches on top of the several we already had. One of those blitzes of snow that makes Chicagoans say "Global warming? Paah!"

{"commentId":1275382,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

2 votes

#32.3 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 10:47 AM EST

{"commentId":1275517,"authorDomain":"sbutki"}

Scott (Scoop) Butki

Viki Babbles GoniaSeveral inches on top of the several we already had. One of those blitzes of snow that makes Chicagoans say "Global warming? Paah!"

And it makes me say, "Why would anyone want to live in Chicago?":)

We were supposed to have snow but it's all melting before it hits the ground. Church services were closed since electricity was knocked out, thus making my movie discussion there of Sicko a bit difficult (I offered to act it out but the revererend seemed underwhelmed by the idea) and being a newsviner I then invited church members to my unitarian topic where they can express their joys and concerns.

{"commentId":1275517,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"sbutki"}

1 vote

#32.4 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:28 AM EST

{"commentId":1275581,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

At least Chicagoans know how to drive in the stuff ! Unlike Seattleites or DCer's (as in Washington DC)

{"commentId":1275581,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

2 votes

#32.5 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 11:44 AM EST

{"commentId":1275811,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Why would anyone want to live in Chicago?":)

That's a secret. The snow helps keep out the rabble.

{"commentId":1275811,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

3 votes

#32.6 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:58 PM EST

{"commentId":1275824,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

The rain helps us also with the same issue :-)

{"commentId":1275824,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

2 votes

#32.7 - Sun Dec 16, 2007 1:04 PM EST

{"commentId":1284929,"authorDomain":"darkside"}

Mykola Bilokonsky

re: groups revision.

Are ya'll gonna implement something like this? ;)

{"commentId":1284929,"threadId":"188763","contentId":"1157120","authorDomain":"darkside"}

#33 - Wed Dec 19, 2007 8:33 AM EST

{"commentId":1620813,"authorDomain":"leswilson"}

leswilsonDeleted

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{"canLink":false,"threadId":"188763","isPrivate":false}

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