Consider a party you've been invited to, but don't know many people there. The proposed tool would take the name of the host/organiser, the address and the time of the party as its input. The output would be relevant to your needs. Scanning the social networking profiles of the participants automatically, it will provide you with all the information needed to make the best of the event.
Some examples: what to wear, if/what to bring as a gift, what to bring to a bottle party, who to approach for which drugs, who to approach with which topics of conversation, location of the best/nearest late night curry or kebab, etc. The list is endless.-- Carmi, Mar 20 2012 I like this, though I would question its usefulness for the stated purpose. It might work better as a dead-eyed corporate product for conferences and conventions, relieving attendees of hours of gruelling prep by churning out a "targets & talking points" crib sheet, gleaned from these sources.-- calum, Mar 20 2012 Hmm... I was expecting more of a 'People's Revolution in a Box' sort of thing.-- Alterother, Mar 20 2012 // the social networking profiles of the participants automatically //
This relies on either (a) the host publishing a guest list, or (b) attendees flagging their attendance in their social network, and presupposes that participants do in fact subscribe to a social networking service.
However, these problems aren't insurmountable.
[+] For the idea of prelocating food outlets close to the party venue.-- 8th of 7, Mar 20 2012 You toyed with [Carmi], about a bun, 8th.-- blissmiss, Mar 21 2012 Socialist means to be involved in socializing apparently. I once posted a blunderbuss idea that flashed messages on retnas, one of which was socialist does not equal socialize. I once knew a rather confused person who made this mistake to absurd effect. It seems to be a pretty common mistake. My understanding is Socialist comes from the word social, as in the social, like saying "the people". Therefore a socialist would be concerned with the affairs of the people. That's very general and based on etymology. More specifically a socialist was concerned with improving the conditions that gave rise to the social masses.-- rcarty, Mar 21 2012 I can't get past the apparent discrepancy between the title and the idea. Is it that the party provides for the needs of the guests from the abilities of the guests? How is this socialist?-- nineteenthly, Mar 21 2012 Like others, I thought this would be some sort of DIY left-wing insurrection.-- hippo, Mar 21 2012 It's socialist because it is for the betterment of the particular society involved. In fact, it follows well along historical lines of socialism by being designed to be good for the party, rather perhaps than society as a whole.
Also, and I can't believe I've been reduced to this, it's a rather sad pun, [rcarty].
I think I shall have to go and have a lie down before I give anything a title again.-- Carmi, Mar 21 2012 Those are dubious definitions of socialisms. Nevertheless, that doesn't change the fact that for many the meaning is confounded already. An interesting discussion of this can be found in at least one edition of In the Shadow of the Silent Majorities or The End of the Social. I think some reason for the confusion is that many aspects of modern socializing such as those outlined in katy perry's' pop song last friday night or tgif are frowned upon by conservative type people. As a result imbibing in substances, multiple penetrating, and violating minor civil ordinances leads many people to conclude that their behaviour is socialist. In actuality however their stupidity in reaching this conclusion actually relegates them to the party of conservatives, as "all stupid people are conservative."
"A person who is not socializing at 20 has no heart, a person who is socializing at 30 has no brain?"-- rcarty, Mar 21 2012 [Carm], we would have shredded it know matter what it was called. If not the title, then something else. Somebody always finds the loose string and tugs at it.
Go do it to someone else's post; It's fun! [beanangel] is easy prey (no offense, [beany]), but you can set your sights higher and go snapping at [MaxB]'s heels.-- Alterother, Mar 21 2012 This would be a great tool for the Occupy [X] movement, both for social reasons _and_ Social reasons.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 21 2012 [AlterOther], I'm not worried about the shredding, it's what I'm here for. I'm worried that I'm creating all these false hopes in people because of my rather daft puns in the titles.
That [rcarty] is taking this all so seriously is also a worry, though I suspect he'll do better after a nice cup of tea.-- Carmi, Mar 21 2012 Any tone of seriousness was from straining on the loo, as it were.-- rcarty, Mar 21 2012 random, halfbakery