A social life needs more space than a feed

A feed is good at showing what happened recently. It is a narrow way to organise everything a person might want from a social network. An introduction, a family album, a recommendation and an ongoing conversation each deserve a place that fits how people use them.

TouchGrass gives profiles, posts, albums and circles different jobs. Your profile can introduce you. An album can keep a day together. A circle can give a conversation its intended audience. These pieces help people understand where something belongs and how to find it again.

They also make different expectations possible. An older recommendation can still be worth following. A small conversation can stay small. A person can keep a useful profile while spending their time elsewhere. None of those things requires an endlessly replenished stream.

We think social software should be built around those ordinary uses. It should also give people ways to keep their material and connect beyond the service. A network becomes worth using when it offers room for a social life, including the parts that move slowly and the choices that lead people elsewhere.