View Full Version : Dopplr.com invites Tripso Forum members
gravitas
11-26-2007, 03:08 AM
Hello All,
Dopplr.com the invite-only social network for active travellers has invited all Tripso Forum members to join!
You can join through this URL:
http://www.dopplr.com/join/tripso
How does Dopplr work? It allows you to share information about your future trips with a network of trusted friends; you can see where you friends are, where they are going next, and where would you be meeting them. Dopplr is about the serendipity of travel: who happens to be in the same city as you, or who will make a visit to your home town. Many travellers find this incredibly useful. Dopplr has a nice Facebook app, and it integrates to various services like Gmail, so you can import your existing contacts.
Dopplr is frequently used by many prominent travellers. In a recent New York Times article Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, said that Dopplr is his favorite non-wiki website in the Internet:
http://blog.dopplr.com/index.php/2007/11/18/jimmy-wales-loves-dopplr/
Tripso members travel so much that this should be very useful for all of you. Go and try it out!
Kairho
11-26-2007, 08:36 AM
I joined but am quite underwhelmed so far. I can enter my own trips and look at them. That's all ... cannot see anyone else, cannot find the Tripso group, and I get error messages. Beta indeed.
I'm always leery about putting a lot of personal information out there, without knowing the lengths to which a site provides security.
I try not to broadcast trip details, especially if the house will be empty. It's an invitation for a house burglary. We normally have a house sitter these days anyway, for our dog. When we're away, she seems to get more attention than when we're home. We don't want her to get lonely after all.
I think I'll continue to use email to send my trip details to family and friends.
gravitas
11-26-2007, 10:09 AM
I joined but am quite underwhelmed so far. I can enter my own trips and look at them. That's all ... cannot see anyone else, cannot find the Tripso group, and I get error messages. Beta indeed.
Hi, Dopplr is very keen on privacy: that's why you only share your trips with a trusted network by default. This means that you either need to find existing friends in Dopplr (you can do that by search, gmail contacts import, facebook, etc) and share with them, or you b) can invite the people you want to share your trip information with into Dopplr.
The service doesn't automatically share your trip information with everyone, as that would be a rather huge security/privacy issue. It's build to be very safe, that's why "celebrity travellers" like Jimmy Wales, and multiple corporate CEOs etc, are able to use it, enjoy it, and find it very useful.
When logged in, you can view the Tripso network from:
http://www.dopplr.com/account/fellows_network
If you can be more specific on the error messages I might be able to help with those. Thank you.
gravitas
11-26-2007, 10:13 AM
I'm always leery about putting a lot of personal information out there, without knowing the lengths to which a site provides security.
I try not to broadcast trip details, especially if the house will be empty. It's an invitation for a house burglary. We normally have a house sitter these days anyway, for our dog. When we're away, she seems to get more attention than when we're home. We don't want her to get lonely after all.
I think I'll continue to use email to send my trip details to family and friends.
You are very very right on the money here. Fully agree with you. That's why Dopplr keeps it safe: nothing is shared unless you explicitly agree/want that. Dopplr explains some of this in their FAQ:
http://www.dopplr.com/main/faq
The team who has build Dopplr are all active world travellers themselves, they have this exact same concern. If you don't specificly allow it: nobody will be able to see detailed information on your travels. That's why the service is so used by many "celebrity travellers" like Jimmy Wales, and lots of corporate CEOs etc, because they can rely on it being safe and private - just sharing trip info with the people you want to share them with, and nobody else.
Actually I read the FAQ already. G., I'm a techie, who does web sites for lots of companies, and computer security work as well. I'm interested in the electronic/software nuts and bolts.
When I first looked to use Amazon, for example, I looked into their security systems. I contacted them. Clearly, it would have been a mistake for them to go into details, but they told me enough. It wasn't good enough then, but a short while later it was.
Beyond that, I make it a practice to not store much personal information anywhere on the web unless the value of doing so, outweighs the risk. Even then, I limit my exposure. I don't store credit card information anywhere, for example, and never sign up for an account at a store unless I have to to make a necessary purchase.
I travel a lot, yet I don't see how the value of your product for me, outweighs the risk of using the site. I can easily broadcast my trip details to anyone I choose, via email. I don't see how your service adds value to that, without adding commensurate risk.
I will continue to decline your kind offer.
You are very very right on the money here. Fully agree with you. That's why Dopplr keeps it safe: nothing is shared unless you explicitly agree/want that. Dopplr explains some of this in their FAQ:
http://www.dopplr.com/main/faq
The team who has build Dopplr are all active world travellers themselves, they have this exact same concern. If you don't specificly allow it: nobody will be able to see detailed information on your travels. That's why the service is so used by many "celebrity travellers" like Jimmy Wales, and lots of corporate CEOs etc, because they can rely on it being safe and private - just sharing trip info with the people you want to share them with, and nobody else.
gravitas
11-26-2007, 06:35 PM
Actually I read the FAQ already. G., I'm a techie, who does web sites for lots of companies, and computer security work as well. I'm interested in the electronic/software nuts and bolts.
When I first looked to use Amazon, for example, I looked into their security systems. I contacted them. Clearly, it would have been a mistake for them to go into details, but they told me enough. It wasn't good enough then, but a short while later it was.
Beyond that, I make it a practice to not store much personal information anywhere on the web unless the value of doing so, outweighs the risk. Even then, I limit my exposure. I don't store credit card information anywhere, for example, and never sign up for an account at a store unless I have to to make a necessary purchase.
I travel a lot, yet I don't see how the value of your product for me, outweighs the risk of using the site. I can easily broadcast my trip details to anyone I choose, via email. I don't see how your service adds value to that, without adding commensurate risk.
I will continue to decline your kind offer.
I see what you mean there. Naturally security is a hugely important issue. For myself Dopplr far outweights the value thou: it is absolutely great to see where my friends are and who is coming to visit my city next week etc. This is all information that I cannot get by sending any amount of emails. Dopplr is a whole network that calculates conincidencies for each user against each user, and a task like that just cannot be managed by email. It is an incredibly useful tool for things like events and meetings planning (you see right away what are the best dates and locations), it is also a great tool for just some social fun: see where the road takes your friends and having the impulse to chat about their travels with them.
I know it's not really helping: but Dopplr really IS used by tens of thousands of people who have all the reasons to be sensitive about their data and security as well. There are tons of corporate CEOs and very wealthy folks in there (Founder & Chairman of LinkedIn.com is one of the investors onboard and also an active user) - and for them the value outweights the risks as well.
Hopefully Dopplr will be able to provide more details on security soonish, then perhaps you could consider taking another look at it?
Carchar
11-26-2007, 11:53 PM
I try not to broadcast trip details, especially if the house will be empty. It's an invitation for a house burglary. We normally have a house sitter these days anyway, for our dog. When we're away, she seems to get more attention than when we're home. We don't want her to get lonely after all.
And, of course, your dog is a viscious pit bull who would tear apart any unwelcome intruders that would enter your home while you're away! Right, Ned?
Our dog happens to be a "Lurcher" which is a member of the greyhound family. She's about as sweet as they come.
And, of course, your dog is a viscious pit bull who would tear apart any unwelcome intruders that would enter your home while you're away! Right, Ned?
Carchar
11-27-2007, 03:48 PM
Our dog happens to be a "Lurcher" which is a member of the greyhound family. She's about as sweet as they come.
Aw, Ned. I just was suggesting a pit bull as her public persona so no one would be tempted to "visit" your house while you're away...;)
Kairho
11-27-2007, 03:58 PM
Hi, Dopplr is very keen on privacy: that's why you only share your trips with a trusted network by default. This means that you either need to find existing friends in Dopplr (you can do that by search, gmail contacts import, facebook, etc) and share with them, or you b) can invite the people you want to share your trip information with into Dopplr.
Well, I don't have any issues with privacy ... if I don't want to give out my address and SSN I won't. But I'm certainly not going to import my contact list (!!!) and compromise their privacy. And inviting someone to here to share info seems an extra step as I already communicate with my known contacts about trips.
Seems to me the point would be to meet people I don't already know! For example, a few people here know I'm going to Bucharest but that's a small number ... I see Doppler as a way to find people I do not previously know who can advise about Bucharest or may be there the same time.
The team who has build Dopplr are all active world travellers themselves...Dopplr really IS used by tens of thousands of people ... There are tons of corporate CEOs...
Would be nice to converse with them. Alas, they don't come to Tripso and are completely invisible to me on Doppler.
mtp51
11-27-2007, 05:20 PM
G -
"tons of corporate CEOS", "celebrity travelers" - you keep pounding that home....and your point is?
I think we're supposed to ooo and ah, and sign up because people like the founder of Wikipedia are supposedly members.
If they told me that Stephen Hawking was a member, that would impress me, but I still wouldn't necessarily sign-up.
Personally I consider "celebrity use and endorsements" worthless. I take that back. If I knew that Paris Hilton was a member, for example, I'd definitely not sign up. If my next door neighbor or my father were members, that would be more meaningful.
G -
"tons of corporate CEOS", "celebrity travelers" - you keep pounding that home....and your point is?
mtp51
11-27-2007, 05:38 PM
no oooing and ahhing for me, Ned. I'm completely unimpressed. Start talking big shots & celebrities and you've lost me!:mellow:
gravitas
11-28-2007, 02:32 AM
G -
"tons of corporate CEOS", "celebrity travelers" - you keep pounding that home....and your point is?
Point there is privacy. You could claim that those people have more to worry about privacy than the average person (more eyes on them all the time, more wealth to protect, lower threshold for somebody to do nasty things with their info if they get the chance), and since there are so many people from that general category in there the privacy issue must be trustworthy, right?
gravitas
11-28-2007, 02:41 AM
Well, I don't have any issues with privacy ... if I don't want to give out my address and SSN I won't. But I'm certainly not going to import my contact list (!!!) and compromise their privacy. And inviting someone to here to share info seems an extra step as I already communicate with my known contacts about trips.
Seems to me the point would be to meet people I don't already know! For example, a few people here know I'm going to Bucharest but that's a small number ... I see Doppler as a way to find people I do not previously know who can advise about Bucharest or may be there the same time.
Would be nice to converse with them. Alas, they don't come to Tripso and are completely invisible to me on Doppler.
I'm sorry but that is precisely not the purpose of Dopplr. The service has done a survey to its members, and only couple of percent (I think it was 3% or 4%) wanted to meet other travellers they don't already know. To most members it would be a big privacy problem if the site somehow automatically would put them in touch with people they don't know. Dopplr is an intimate network, with people your want to share your travel info with.
The typical usecase is: your family, colleagues from work, colleagues from past workplaces, your MBA alumni association friends, people from your hobbies and interests etc. Include enough of them and Dopplr becomes incredibly useful: it can be used with great efficiency to cordinate meetings, and automatically lets you know about coincidencies that happen within your network. There's alot of value in that. Dopplr also goes deep into benefiting from the expertise within your network: it allows people to post tips and recommendations (either publicly or to their networks only) and lets you know what locations your network visit the most (who has the most amount of visitor-expertise concerning a location).
If you want to find other travellers you don't already know (random people) then there is a service called wayn.com out there. It has about 8 million members and unfortunately it's mostly used to find a date (read: sex) from a random location a person is travelling to, almost a dating site with travel aspects.
CraigTPE
11-28-2007, 03:07 AM
The skeptic in me is screaming to get out.....
Vague references to CEO's and celebrities sound like a load of hooey. During my 2 decades in the travel business, especially those spent at MIA, I've had the chance to get to know "tons" of CEO's and celebrities. I don't believe any of those I knew would have the time or inclination to participate on such a site. On business trips they're too busy to look for serendipitous meetings and on vacation trips, they're usually looking to escape alone or with their family. Who knows, though.....
The presence of any type of customer on the site doesn't prove anything about the site's security measures. Details on the system might. I'll defer to Ned on that one.
I'm just not interested either. If there's someone I want to see or travel with, I'll contact them directly.
Craig, you bring up an interesting point, which I had thought about. I too don't believe that CEOs or celebs would spend the time or even care about a site like this. Moreover, the CEOs and CFOs I know, and I know quite a few, would never broadcast their travel plans to anyone, this way. Business travel is often confidential, and when they do go on vacation, they want all the privacy they can get, and go to secluded hideaways to accomplish that. If they want to get together with someone, they give out a direct invitation, rather than broadcast to a serious of people via a web site, where their "friends" may or may not have the time to see it.
The more I think about this site, the more dubious is sounds.
The skeptic in me is screaming to get out.....
Vague references to CEO's and celebrities sound like a load of hooey. During my 2 decades in the travel business, especially those spent at MIA, I've had the chance to get to know "tons" of CEO's and celebrities. I don't believe any of those I knew would have the time or inclination to participate on such a site. On business trips they're too busy to look for serendipitous meetings and on vacation trips, they're usually looking to escape alone or with their family. Who knows, though.....
The presence of any type of customer on the site doesn't prove anything about the site's security measures. Details on the system might. I'll defer to Ned on that one.
I'm just not interested either. If there's someone I want to see or travel with, I'll contact them directly.
gravitas
11-28-2007, 07:38 AM
Craig, you bring up an interesting point, which I had thought about. I too don't believe that CEOs or celebs would spend the time or even care about a site like this. Moreover, the CEOs and CFOs I know, and I know quite a few, would never broadcast their travel plans to anyone, this way. Business travel is often confidential, and when they do go on vacation, they want all the privacy they can get, and go to secluded hideaways to accomplish that. If they want to get together with someone, they give out a direct invitation, rather than broadcast to a serious of people via a web site, where their "friends" may or may not have the time to see it.
The more I think about this site, the more dubious is sounds.
Are you guys serious? Have you seen A Small World: http://www.asmallworld.net/ that's a "social network" with 100k+ members and many of them fit that profile. There are Hollywood directors in there, etc tons of other people who fit the category: the whole purpose is to be exclusive, invite-only, and private. Many people who use asmallworld.net are also Dopplr users, and asmallword.net has a travel-function of their own built into the service. They also have very active Facebook groups.
The point being: you can hardly judge the behaviour (needs + wants) of an entire small but active and exclusive user segment based on a few odd experiences.
Some business travel is confidential, sure. I think you seriously unuderestimate the need for these people to network, stay in touch with their contacts, and do business through trusted relations. Big part of that happens around travel - why do they visit conferences? trade shows? schedule meetings abroad? take on key note apperances? etc. Continuing on that: why would anybody use Linkedin.com then? Sure that kind of "privacy wanted during travel" - is a special use case, but that's a very minor subset of their total travels, these people travel _a lot_
To me it looks like you are making huge big assumptions about a whole sector of users without any basis in reality - just quoting a few odd encounters you'v had with somebody that might belong to that group. And at the same time there are all of these services out there (asmallworld.net being a very good example) that gather up quite a bit of user growth from precisely this profile. Making a few observations about the reality around you gives a whole lot different view than what you are trying to paint there.
Mr. G., it's one thing to network using the internet (I do.). It's another to broadcast your travel plans, and have to carefully figure out who should know what your travel plans are, and who should not, every time you go somewhere.
By the way, it's you who are making a lot of assumptions about me at this point. You know little of my background and life, beyond the few morsels of bread crumbs left at Tripso.
I think we're going to have to agree that I completely disagree about the utility of the site. Maybe it's too rich for my blood?
gravitas
11-28-2007, 08:12 AM
Mr. G., it's one thing to network using the internet (I do.). It's another to broadcast your travel plans, and have to carefully figure out who should know what your travel plans are, and who should not, every time you go somewhere.
By the way, it's you who are making a lot of assumptions about me at this point. You know little of my background and life, beyond the few morsels of bread crumbs left at Tripso.
I think we're going to have to agree that I completely disagree about the utility of the site. Maybe it's too rich for my blood?
Yes I agree with you there; you do have to figure out who to let know about your travel plans and that's precisely where Dopplr is a good tool. It let's you share only with a trusted network that you have selected and can fully control. It automates and replaces the manual email sending and provides so much more value with all the additional stuff there.
Same could be said about assumptions to the other direction as well, and I'm sorry about that. Maybe alot of this has to do with cultural differences? I come from a scandinavian culture where openness is a value, and the whole region has pretty much the lower corruption etc rate in the world. People generally trust each other quite a lot. In this country they publish all private taxation information yearly (yes, really): you can see on public lists (and eveningpapers) how much everyone made money and how much taxes they paid (in summarized detail). naturally celebrities and corporate CEOs are always checked out carefully. Privacy is a non-issue here, and there's a whole generation of scandinavians that are happy to broadcast their home addresses in Facebook profiles etc (I don't go that far myself). Coming from that cultural background it is sometimes hard to understand all the fuzz about privacy coming from typically Americans. I don't even know anyone here that would have been a victim of any kind of identity stealing, and I doubt my friends would know anyone either. A lot of that has to do with different standards in banking etc (how hard it is to abuse your information): in here you cannot even open a bank account no matter how much you would know somebodys address, picture, phone number and a birthdate. That doesn't cover it, the means of identification are much more heavier than that and information is hard to abuse.
Coming from all of that it is somewhat of a challenge to fully understand why somebody doesn't think sharing serendipity about travels would not be useful - when I myself (and my network) finds it so very useful all the time.
But I'm glad we can have an intelligent chat about the topic, really appreaciate that, thank you.
Kairho
11-28-2007, 08:14 AM
Making a few observations about the reality around you gives a whole lot different view than what you are trying to paint there.
Yet my own reality is my view of the world. I don't need another "community" to talk to Ned or John about my trip next week.
I'm sorry but that is precisely not the purpose of Dopplr. The service has done a survey to its members, and only couple of percent (I think it was 3% or 4%) wanted to meet other travellers they don't already know. To most members it would be a big privacy problem if the site somehow automatically would put them in touch with people they don't know. Dopplr is an intimate network, with people your want to share your travel info with.
I now understand the purpose. But my purpose would be to meet others ... after all, that's a major reason to travel in the first place. As to the privacy issue, it looks like such public "announcing" is opt-in, thus there is no privacy issue as it is voluntary.
I'll give it another day or two to see if anyone wants to talk with me, then I'll delete my account as needed. Speaking of which, as this thread is not about any Tripso feature, I'm going to relocate it to a more appropriate forum.
Kairho
11-28-2007, 08:25 AM
On the constructive side ... I see problems (which are correctable) with specifying where someone is going on a trip. As it stands, the system seems to assume that a trip consists of visiting one place, and that place is a city.
That leaves out regional trips such as "Chile and Argentina," long distance treks such as "Overland from Cairo to Capetown," and wide geographic areas such as "Copper Canyon, Mexico." I am doing the latter but the closest Doppler would permit was some two-bit town in Texas.
jae shavers
02-14-2008, 01:49 PM
This sounds like a "myspace" for travel. I also don't see the value of sharing this information thru your site. Anyone that I want to know about, I already do ~ those that I want to share my plans with, I already have.
candyharrington
02-15-2008, 05:03 PM
I don't know, I don't consider it the same as linkedin. I joined linked at the invitation of a colleague and professionally it's been very good for me. I can't really see the benefit of boradcasting my travel plans to folks, because the ones I'd want to give those details to I can count on one hand, and I don't need a network for that. Plus I'm one of those professionals who for professional reasons does not want her itinerary/destiantions sometimes mentioned.
So I'm pretty much in agreement with Mr. Ned here.
But I do like linkedin:)
Candy