Ning Rant
I was in shock last night when I read that Ning would stop offering free sites and make all current sites purchase the premium service to remain active (or find another hosting service.)
I am not a business person but I simply cannot understand what kind of business model takes millions users and turns them away! Ning users are people who are ALREADY using the service and who like it! If the company is strapped for cash, then they need to find some other way of turning non-paying users into paying users, without threatening to cut them off! Even Wikipedia begged for money, and got it!
There must be a better way to leverage the users that already exist. Perhaps if the model were to change so that Ning would still offer a limited free service and entice users to pay for the more advanced service (which would add site customization, photo and video sharing, etc.). Most other “free” services online only give enough service to make people want to buy the paid service. How has Ning missed this?
Besides, what is the new model really going to be? We all read the email sent down from the CEO. Why was this ever released to the public if there is no clear business model to back it up? How much do I have to pay to keep my network? Do I just have to sign up to ONE added service? Is the $5/month to get my own domain name enough? Will education networks be killed too? But, none of this is clear! Ning is creating a lot of confusion and extra hysteria, and for what? People are going to start leaving Ning now, even before the company has fully explained the new approach!! I just cant believe it!
I really think that Ning has shot themselves in the foot with this drastic move. In the modern age, the “social internet” has fundamentally redefined the standard business mode. A company cannot afford to present themselves as being about ANYTHING other than the USER experience. Of course, every business is about making money — we all know that. But, when I have my choice of services (and new ones that will be made to fill the hole left by Ning), there is NO WAY that I am signing up with a company that makes it so obvious they are only out to make more money!
Mostly I am sad. In the last 5 years of implementing educational technology, Ning has been the best tool I have used to “break down the walls” of my classroom. I have been using the service for almost 2 years and have built an entire ePortfolio for my students around it. Ning has helped me assess my students in ways that were not possible before. It has helped my students engage with Science far beyond the classroom and has helped them to learn the power of sharing.
I have been meaning to blog about Ning for a long time — to tell people just how wonderful the service is, and the amazing things it has done for my classroom. I don’t feel so excited anymore.
UPDATE: This statement came out yesterday on the Ning blog. It doesn’t have many answers, but it does offer some moderated information on Ning’s plans.
Photo Credit: Infidelic
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