Singpolyma

Push vs. Pull Alerts and Messaging

body

Part of the big buzz surrounding Web 2.0 has been pull alerts as opposed to push alerts.

Push alerts / messages -  I send you a message.  This is how email and IM work.  I choose when, where, and how the message is sent and largely control how you receive it.  I send an email, you get it in your inbox.

Pull alerts / messages - I send a message which may (or may not) be intended for you primarily.  You decide when, where, how, and IF you receive it.  This most common form of this is RSS/ATOM feeds.  I publish to my blog / Twitter / whatever and you subscribe to me if you want to.  You can receive alerts via email, IM, Xanga, Facebook, Google Reader, BoxtheWeb, Sage, or a myriad of other options.

Some have said that push alerts are dying.

This makes some sense.  When I post on a forum, I don't want to have their system email me every time there is a reply (email/push).  What I really want is to have easy access to a list of posts replying to mine to look over (RSS/pull).

However, this can go a bit too far.  Pull IM does exist to some extent, but it defeats the purpose.  I want you to see something NOW, it's URGENT, INSTANT.  Pull does not fit this.

Push alert systems, however, just refuse to die!  Facebook/Myspace messages/wall posts.  Blog comments.  New friend-group messaging systems like Pownce.  Push is extremely popular.

The masses are rarely right, but perhaps we shouldn't brush off push alerting altogether at this point.

Tags:

• Communications
• Discussion
• Pownce
• Social_networking
• Syndication
• Tech
• Technology
• Twitter
• Web2.0

© 2006-2008 Stephen Paul Weber. Some Rights Reserved.

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2 Comments

1. Comment at 1184626312//Y-m-d2007-07-16 1184626312//H:i17:51 by Avatar

   body

   If you remember my idea, it was all based on that concept passing to a full pull/push and universal model, but i guess that what i thought is sitll a little too advanced in terms of actual social use. social use is always more reactionary than actionary..

   and it is extremely complicated and long to resume in a comment and even in a short post.

2. Comment at 1184686912//Y-m-d2007-07-17 1184686912//H:i10:41 by Stephen Paul Weber

   body

   @Avatar - I do remember something like that from you. I'm still trying to decide exactly where I stand on it. I definitely favour pull to push for now in most areas.

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