BYTE MARKS
Web site gives Ryze to networking

By Burt Lum

There's networking and then there's networking.

When I first hear the word networking, I think of computer networking: the kind the Internet is built on, with computers connected with each other to create a web of connections over communication links.

The other sort of networking is social links connecting people with people. So in my line of business, you can't have enough networking.

But unlike computer networking, which requires technical expertise, people networking is an art. Some are masters at it. For others, it is a mystery.

One master networker is Hawai'i expatriate Keith Kamisugi, who is a two-peat in this column. Kamisugi recently turned me on to an online networking tool called Ryze at www.ryze.com.

Creation of an account is simple. Once there, you are connected to people in related lines of business and the start of an online network that you can nurture and develop. Ryze is a free service but also has an advanced service to which you can upgrade.

The Ryze (pronounced "rise") service is multifaceted. It allows you to get as involved with the system as you want. For example, in setting up your personal page, you can provide background information, where you are from, what schools you went to, what your interests are, where you work, etc. You can also upload pictures and use html tags to augment the look of your page.

Once you've created your page, the fun begins as you create links to friend's pages and leave comments, which start the networking process.

While navigating the friends list, I happened on a couple of people I have networked with outside of Ryze. Another master networker is Ray Tsuchiyama, an expat from Kalihi now living in Tokyo, whom I found through Keith's friend list.

Another cool feature is the tribe (now called network) signup. There are numerous special-interest groups, some technical, others social.

It's amazing what you can learn when you broaden your circle of influence. Send me a message if you sign up on Ryze. ;-)

Burt Lum is a click away at burt@brouhaha.net.