What is a lens?
March 4th, 2006 by Bill
You’ll see references to the word “lens†all over the Internet. I don’t mean lens as in a camera lens but lens as it is referred to in Web 2.0 terms, marketing and business.
What you won’t find is a definition. So, what do they mean when they refer to a “lens�
I dunno.
This question came up when I came across the Why wouldn’t they? post on Seth Godin’s blog. It links to Squidoo where the word is used everywhere – but good luck finding a definition. You can also do a define:lens on Google but won’t find any reference to lens in the sense it is being used here.
Now, you can get a sense for the meaning by seeing how it is used. You can get a sense (eventually) as to why the word is used and what is being attempted in using it as a term. But it seems to me that if you want to speak to the broadest possible audience, if you want to have an impact and effect change in the way people see the world, you really ought to speak a language they can understand or at least define your terms.
I don’t have a problem with the word lens as it is used in a Web 2.0 context. I think it’s rather a good term. But good grief … define it!
In this context, what is a lens?
Update:
Well, I finally did find something on Squidoo. It was in the FAQs:
A lens is one person’s (lensmaster’s) view on a topic he cares about. More specifically, a lens is a single web page filled with information and links that point to other web pages, to continually updated RSS feeds, or to relevant advertising. It’s a place to start, not finish.
Might I suggest this should be on the home page? And maybe create a separate page just for the definition, or whatever needs to be done, so Google can find it? And when used in posts, bloggers link to the definition or briefly (in brackets) explain it? I think it would acquire quicker currency and produce much less bafflement that way.
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