The Social OS

The world is just a huge social network; the Internet made the network more connected than ever. Facebook has over 1 billion users; over 500 million of those users are on the site daily. Then you have those people not on Facebook but are on other social networks like Linkedin, Twitter, and Google+. Most likely even you are on at least on of the social networks (for one reason or another).

While I don't doubt there are numerous benefits to social networking (e.g. maintaining relationships, serving customers more efficiently, expressing emotions, up to the minute news), I see an immense problem with the heightened use of social networks. The prominent issue is productivity; I certainly have been affected negatively by spending time on the various social networks. I'm sure you can witness this problem in any classroom whether it's high school students on Facebook on their phone or students on their laptops during class.

So how can we help decrease the effects on productivity of the social networks? I'm not sure but I do know that the direction that operating systems are heading is definitely not going to help. Windows 8 was just released yesterday and is fully integrated to all the social networks; just like OS X. As a result, you'll allows be connected, you'll instantly know when someone messages you, when someone comments on your picture, and when Chad Ochocinco wakes up. The counterpoint would be to just turn it off and it's up to the user to ignore the disruptions. But there are times where certain aspects of the new way of communications may actually help productivity; this cannot be forgotten. But I think that the current operating systems will have be to be customized for the professional world; and not to continue in the direction of moving towards the touch/mobile interface emphasizing the use of social networks and video streaming applications (e.g. the tiles in Windows 8 may not be appropriate).

As all the aspects of the Internet are integrated within the OS, the desire to be simulated at all times increases. It will be troublesome to just "disconnect" from the world and relax; people will expect others to be connected at all times. Another way to improve productivity is ban picture memes (It's basically a constant feed of one line comics. I feel like 80% of Facebook has become these memes.). With the ease of being instantly simulated by television shows, video clips, and other medias (these distractions kill any motivation), less truly productive/intelligent advancing products will be created.

P.S. It's time for me to reduce time on social medias and become more productive. I have one idea that seems to be developing nicely but it's still very early. More to come on this later.