Chirkut Vs Orkut

[Note: Some of my related popular posts are: 1) why mistakes are often mistaken - It talks about what are real mistakes. 2) Orkut used for crime, is orkut responsible for it anyway? ]

Orkut???? What am I talking about? Is it something to do with the dodgeball? I am sure you did not ask this socially unexpected question, as you too must be an ORKUT by now. Chirkut is non-dictionary hindi word often used in Utter Pradesh and Bihar (two states from India) to praise a person for being loser, stupid and dullard. Recently our favorite politicians have accepted this word as an integral part of their performance appraisal system (Interested people can read, “So what if am a ‘chirkut’?” by Samajwadi party’s Amar Singh).

As you have rightly guessed that orkut is nothing but a social epidemic created by a Google guy called Orkut Buyukkokten (his orkut id). I have never seen such a social virus that transmitted (verbally or by demonstration) from one social unit to another so rapidly. Its penetration rate in India is very high, redefining the scope of Indian web business, that’s the point when another community got created, “Chirkut”. At NIMC/AIM campus there are two groups, orkuts and chirkuts.

The formula for Chirkut is very simple,

~(set of people in orkut.com) = community of chirkuts.
In other words either you are an Orkut or a Chirkut. The propagation was so intense that almost every young soul I know is almost not a chirkut. Recently at Gym I heard two not so techy guys explaining their experiences at orkut.com . I hear it almost everywhere I go. I was forced to join orkut when my mailboxes were filled with invitations.

I myself am involved in creating communities (mainly niche and topic based, with nimc community as the only non-commercial one). Let’s try and understand the success secrets of orkut,

• It is not available for free: It created a virtual scarcity and a real demand. A little new to all the economics experts. In social networking a virtual scarcity can create good demand, provided the right environments.
• Word of mouth publicity: I never saw an ad for orkut but I got more invitations than those spammy mortgage promotional mails.
• Simplicity: It is very simple to use.
• One shop for all concept: I am with batchmates.com and various other communities but orkut.com is a social platform for every activity. Orkut is a right platform for anyone interested in anything.
• Really Good: It is really good with all 7ps of online marketing. You can really find some childhood friend by a simple search.

The biggest secret: The number game

It played the number game better. “Hey I have n number of friends, how many do you have?”,”I have Y scraps on my scrapbook how many do you have?”. When there is a number, people try to improve. And when there is a comparison chart, people try to compete for a better number. Orkut did exactly what I call the number game, he showed all possible numbers at all possible place to motivate people to improve their number.

Surprising factor:

“Orkut Buyukkokten had an interest in social networking and so developed his service”, says Google. At Google every employee is allowed to spare 20% of his or her time on their interest area. This is a product of a good policy, well done Google and Orkut. Do let us know how you joined Orkut with a comment.

The battle continues,

Chirkuts

(loosers)

Vs

Orkuts

(winners)

Other releated topics

• Is Orkut’s Memetic strength a misinterpretation?
• Blog planner beta is launched.

Read on the other interesting posts from my http://www.idealwebtools.com/blog/ and do not forget to subscribe to the blog.

13 Comments »

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1. Amazing Analysis……….. great post………..

   
   
   Rajesh on August 24, 2006 - 8:01 pm @ 8:01 pm

2. Why Orkut Is Popular In India (Chirkut)

   Many of you have probably noticed the increase of Indian users within Orkut…At long last we have an explanation.

   
   
   Inside Orkut on August 25, 2006 - 12:33 am @ 12:33 am

3. It is not a complete and in-depth study. Recently I was reading some research paper on blog communities and communities as a whole and I found that another secret for orkut success is the new linking structure. Though you might be having only 50 friends under your list but through these 50 friends you are connected to over a 1000 others and so on. The linking structure with a photo in it is also playing an important role. I have visited some of my friends friends to find out who they are. In other words Semantics of hyperlink structures are made similar to that of our exisiting society.

   
   
   AjiNIMC on August 25, 2006 - 6:14 am @ 6:14 am

4. Very Good article written, good analytical points. I liked the number maths.

   
   
   Jessi on August 25, 2006 - 6:47 am @ 6:47 am

5. You can read this document http://ame2.asu.edu/faculty/hs/pubs/2006/www2006-discovery-blt-final2.pdf , thanks to ravi for sharing this.

   
   
   AjiNIMC on August 25, 2006 - 9:30 am @ 9:30 am

6. hey,
   i liked dis article and i want 2 tell evry1 dat i had d same thought of chirkut and i had created a community named ‘chirkut’ in orkut on 5th august…i suppose b4 dis article was posted……few months back i was havin d same problem…..i wasnt a orkut user and my inbox was flodded wid orkut invitations…..and wen i joined in i found many of my skool buddies der and d whole skoool’s community 4 x-students…And i really liked d scrap freture of orkut….jus den i was thinkin and chirkut came in y mind….basically i was more interested in d rhyme wid orkut and d word chirkut is often used here in mumbai…..so i jus went on and created a community…….http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=18305630

   so i invite all chirkuts 2 join in dis group …..and i invite Mr. Amar singh 2 subscribe orkut and join dis community….

   
   
   Mitul Vasa on August 30, 2006 - 11:28 pm @ 11:28 pm

7. Good to see the comments. How can a chirkut join a orkut community as an orkut can’t be a chirkut as per this article :). Certainly we all have a chirkut in us, in some field or the other.

   
   
   AjiNIMC on August 31, 2006 - 12:29 pm @ 12:29 pm

8. [...] Are you orkut by now or still a chirkut? I doubt whether we have seen a better meme than “orkut”, creating a memeplexe. Let me get to the focused point, “Is Orkut’s Memetic strength a misinterpretation?” In other words, “Is Orkut’s marketing strength misinterpreted?” So what then are we talking about? You are right, “scrapbooks” the most viral of all orkut tools. [...]

   
   
   My Abode » Is Orkut’s Memetic strength a misinterpretation? on September 3, 2006 - 8:01 pm @ 8:01 pm

9. let us make chirkut also populer

   
   
   v srivastyava on September 6, 2006 - 12:53 am @ 12:53 am

10. hi folks, your discussion is fine, but no conclusions were drawn. could you please tell me some orkut tools? regards. b.b.goyal barnala

    
    
    b.b. goyal barnala on October 20, 2006 - 7:56 pm @ 7:56 pm

11. Orkut itself is a tool and a good way to keep in touch with friends. I am not aware of any tool for orkut activities. You can try this blog http://insideorkut.blogspot.com/2006/08/why-orkut-is-popular-in-india-chirkut.html .

    The above discussion was about how orkut is synonyms with smartness and no orkut account means you are chirkut. Now a day’s people are getting bored with Orkut. Many offices have already banned orkut.

    
    
    AjiNIMC on October 20, 2006 - 8:13 pm @ 8:13 pm

12. great compair!!

    
    
    rinku on June 23, 2007 - 12:01 am @ 12:01 am

13. Hi friends,

    I visited a website lately called Gapuchi, the features provided are comparatively better than orkut and matched to facebook and myspace. Though it is equipped with Audio Video chat too. I feel this is essentially needed that a site should have a chat platform specially when you are talking about social networking.

    check it out http://www.gapuchi.com

    regards,
    Akash

    
    
    Akash on March 6, 2008 - 11:41 am @ 11:41 am

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