Produsage is Now Essential

If we are all still a bit unsure of what produsage entails, here is a re-brief on what it means according to Axel Bruns. Produsage goes beyond production, we are now seeing a "user-led form of production."We all know the traditional model for produsage: (producer->distributor->consumer) which is also typical of Web 1.0 (fixed and divided, where consumers are not productive). Before Web 2.0 (active participation in the community) there was a "customer and producer" connection that dated back 50 years, which enabled user-feedback and market research to take place, and even the advice of customers that led to content innovation and improvisation upon existent products. This model of production has become a part of the virtual world. Here are some benefits that Axel Bruns has listed in his lecture:

- The contribution of the "editor" is immediately improved, and even changed.
- (Open source software) addresses the needs of diverse groups, whereas software developed by a small group of programmers may only be tenable to the "subset" of that particular community.
- With shared development, there is a "collective ownership" of content, so a software organisation cannot commercialise the product for their own financial gain.

And some disadvantages:

- The change in information content may be worse
- We cannot distinguish between negative and positive contributions
- The knowledge of the community is limited ("group think")..you need to increase the diversity within the community.
- "Disagreements" within communities eg. Irag and abortion issues
- "Revert War:" opposing views "erase" the opinion of the other side without end.

I don't believe that the disadvantages outweigh the benefits that "produsers" can bring to the table, because diversity is a key part of developing an efficient knowledge system in our world. A few programmers can't possibly know everything, and if the consumer is having problems with "closed software" like Windows, it is unlikely you'll ever get a response. If a patch is released, it's only a way to value-add to their product at your expense. These days, there are far too many other financial burdens we all face, so free services you can recieve (open-source, user-generated) is a relief. Why buy a book when you can read about it on Wikipedia? You have a mortgage, you can't afford the real thing. Parents don't have the time to drive little Johnny around to Michael's place, so Myspace or Online Gaming Networks are a stable alternative. When Aline Van Duyn (2006) explains that "high level media and advertising executives are now engaging with the surging popularity of social networking websites," i am positive that this will act in strengthening their popularity.

If it ain't broke don't fix it is the old adage that is relevant here. We are all produsers in our virtual worlds, we contribute and acquire new knowledge, we help ourselves and others, and this can only be a good thing.