Les Squires is a multi-dimensional consultant and IT systems wizard. He has a special interest in developing web-based networking tools that have important implications for web-based exchange platforms. Here below is a recent message in which he invites anyone and everyone to use his Ning development environment to build their own communities. It would be very useful if readers of this blog would try it out and leave their evaluative comments here. – t.h.g.
If you are interested in building communities using the Ning development environment, please let me know. We have created about 40 communities, starting in India over the last 4 months and working now for the next two months from Slovenia. You’ve probably heard me say, reminiscent of Field of Dreams, “Build the community and they will trade!” To this end, I’ve set up an number of Ning executive chats — we’re pooling resources to build the most effective communities we can build. If you’d like to see a sample site created just 3 days ago at the PODIM conference in Maribor, Slovena, go to http://podim2008.ning.com — would something like this facilitate your community development? Can widgets for trading be far behind??
Beyond Money 
Hi Thomas,
I’ve recently been involved in developing a trading system for the popular Drupal social network platform. You can have a look:
http://bazaar.openmoneyfoundation.org
thanks, jmz
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Sepp, Thanks for that evaluation of Ning.
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Dear Thomas:
I’m writing to re-connect through our ‘commons values’.
I was invited by Joanna Campe to make a presentation at the Fourth World Congress at Ft. Mason in 1986.
My presentation was a whole-systems analysis of the three material/energy streams that pass though all inhabited buildings. It social form comprises a curriculum for an urban farming school (researched and analysed) as will as a detailed description for a radio series where there is organized participation.
The school is called EARTHSEASON and the radio series will be called RECYCLE RADIO/Seeing Green.
I’d be very much cheered hearing from you.
Namaste.
Richard S.Bennett, Esq., B.A.
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I can only recommend the platform (www.ning.com) for any community or interest group. Personally, I got involved with Ning only two months ago, through a group discussing LETS exchange and looking into the theory behind currency systems:
http://openmoney.ning.com/
I have also started a Ning group centered on natural medicine and freedom of choice in health matters.
http://openmoney.ning.com/
I must say that the platform is easy for anyone to handle, even without any specialized knowledge, and it provides the best of several different systems. It unites blogs, discussion forum and social network characteristics, with video and photo sharing and is ideal for developing conversations around any issue or area of interest.
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