The first eight years of linkedin's exist and that was all about connecting people with each other, getting your network types. For the last two, we have connected people to insights. That is what this is all about. Getting some of my john taft to write about what he is seeing in the markets. What is the most important thing that is going on in his world. Sharing that. And what you see is people are responding to it. Every post gets about 100 comments. No one is anonymous. When people are commenting, they're commenting with their professional identities. When a comment, their bosses see it, their employees see it, their business partner cia, so there is no trolling, no flame wars that go on. People are respectful, they push back, but they are respectful and you know who is saying it. So that level of engagement is what you are pushing linkedin to become more than just an internet rolodex. Something that people can log into and stay on the whole day.

There are ~100 active, regular, repeat writers:

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130422121929-15077789-how-linkedin-quietly-built-a-massive-media-empire

Frankly, it's an amazing set of ever-growing content LinkedIn has assembled:

The program launched with 150 thought leaders and has since grown to 300 -corporate giants such as Branson, world leaders such as Obama, and authors such as Daniel Pink. Each person writes as much or as little as he/she wants, and LinkedIn users can subscribe to their articles, and comment on them or share them with their own professional networks. Many write about broad topics such as leadership and careers, while some write about their own specialized areas of expertise.

Some interesting stats from the Influencers page: http://www.linkedin.com/influencers

First of all, only one person has more than a million followers. Richard Branson, with 2.2 million.

Right now, there are 49 influencers with more than 100,000 followers.

Right now, there are 99 influencers with more than 50,000 followers.

That says to me we're still very much at the beginning of this new era for LinkedIn.

I like it. At first I wondered whether it'd be redundant, just another place to place and read articles, but I find that I follow the greats... people who I'd miss in a Twitter feed or maybe wouldn't pop onto each individual blog. I'm enjoying the professional groups as well... some I engage in, and some are people so intent on the field that it'd be like attending a Star Trek convention. Best to just watch and learn. 

I think a lot of people feel that way too, Dawn.

I'm hooked and I can't stop staring!

Is your stuff up there? I'd put something up but next to that crowd...lets just go with, "no."

I like LinkedIn's efforts with Influencer commentary, and respect the idea of providing a forum where anonymity can't be used as a shield behind which people feel safe to be nasty in their comments. But I wonder if lack of anonymity is really that safe a bet. Look at reality TV and the current state of a lot of the TV news (Fox anyone?). TV journalism used to be a sober and professional source of information. Now one of the best sources of news are comedy shows.... (thank you Jon Stewart, Steven Cobert & co). I can't help but wonder if it is only a matter of time before knuckle draggers with no concern for having their real names known begin spouting off. Lack of anonymity certainly doesn't stop Bill O'Reilly...