Abstract
Social software is developing very fast in China. It has changed a lot in the past few years. After the biggest group was accepted in the early age, they are the promoters of social software. They have introduced this new method of communication into others’ lives. New things are easy to accept by the younger demographic. Fortunately, this group of people is also a generation under the China one child policy. They are the stars within their families, so they are cared by their parents, and grandparents. When they introduce new things to their families, it is easier for their parents to accept them. Because of this, social software is spreading out very fast. Because of this, China’s economy has become stronger and stronger. After this group of people grew up, social software became a resource for them to create value within their lives.
Impacts of social software in China
Social software communication is the most effective way of communicating. It is adopted by people, all over the world because, it makes a lot of changes within their lives. Instead of mail, phone call, or fax, people are using multifarious social software in their everyday social contact, because they think it is an easier way to connect with others. So, Most of the communication will happen by using these kinds of software.
One example of this is the popular app Facetime. Facetime, allows people to chat with each other. It has features much like a land line, but it also has the function of being able to see the caller’s face. Another popular platform is Facebook. Facebook, allows users to share regular updates about their lives with their friends. In turn, their friends can see their status and choose to like it using social media buttons. Wechat, another popular platform, allows users to leave a voice a message and attach a photo to let others know what they are doing. This saves time instead of having to chat with someone. Overall, social software makes lives wonderful. Such as a color TV did when it became available to the general public.
As one of the biggest economic entities, social communication software has a made a huge impact on China. Since the year 2000, social software has become more and more popular. People here regularly use many kinds of software in their everyday lives to communicate with each other. Not only is social software changing people’s lives, but it is also helping them to create value.
Social software is an electronic form of communication. It is used to communicate with others daily. “When many social communication ways appeared, smartphone and computers are changing the method of daily communication” (Cheng 2007). “It also occupies most of the daily time of people” (Cheng2007).
Because of Pop culture, social software, and social communication platform became an industry that many wanted to get into. It was like a snowball rolling down the hill, the market of social software became bigger and bigger. From the beginning, most users were only teenagers. Adults accepted this technology later, and even elders got into the social software market.
People have found that these kinds of software are making their lives more efficient. Though a simple phone call can be more convenient, calling software such as Retel is cheaper because it only uses Wi-Fi. That is why software is easily accepted by a lot of people, and most people think that social software is making a good impact on their lives.
Social software is a big economic entity in China. Social software in China is used more than foreigners think. A lot of people who are not familiar with China may think electronic products are still a luxury thing. However, they are wrong, because that was 20 years ago.
According to a research report, “due to January 2015, cell phone users were estimated to be over 12 billion, while the popularized rate is 94.5% in the whole country”. (Zhang, 2014).
Before the year 2000, beeper and landline phones were still being used by most people. However, cell phones that were in use before 2005 did not allow the user to browse the internet, or read the news, and the small screen was only in black and white, instead of color like it is today. Nowadays, the smartphone occupies the market.
Recently, touch screen mobile phones became available to the general public. This was following the development of electronic production, where many kinds of social software are used. One of the most famous platforms in China is called QQ, and is a representative of the early social software development. Tencentlnstant Messenger was born in 1999, which people have nicknamed QQ. It was the first attractive social software at that time because its perfect design is easy to use.
It occupies the whole online chat rate. In 2000-2002, this company shared an integrated QQ software. They added in a lot of functions such as face time, chat by group, and “QQ show”. In 2003-2004, QQ was able to be used on the cell phone. In 2005-2006, many functions such as QQ online pets, QQ music, and Q-zone appeared. Using this software, people can share their status, or ideas, with their friends. After the smartphone became popular, QQ became the most advance social software at that time. It became a platform which included many kinds of software such as chat, phone, facetime, and group chat. It even included the ability to shop, pay bills, read, and play games (Xiaoaojianghuhu, 2014). Because of this, it developed as one of the most famous software in China. Because it enriched people’s lives.
There are many ways people can connect with one another, because of the many kinds of social software available. In the last few years, Weibo, MoMo and Wechat, have become the most popular software. A lot of people use up to 5 of them to chat, share, and make new friends. People who were born after the 90s, seem to be the biggest and earliest group of social software user (Anonymous 2013).
In a report in regards to using social software or platforms, it was found that, out of all Chinese university students, at least 97.61% use QQ (Anonymous, 2015). This implies, that at least 97.61% students in this particular university are using social software (Anonymous, 2015). When they want to share their status or situation, they normally use Weibo (Anonymous, 2015). Weibo allows strangers to see their links. However, if they want to share it with only their family or friends, they can use Wechat, which is more private. Furthermore, when they want to make new friends, MoMo would be a good choice, as this software can help them to discover the users of MoMo nearby. These software’s make their lives wonderful, because it allows them to communicate with their friends in a convenient way, and making new friends. That is why social software platforms are popular, and easy to accept by Chinese people. During this time of technological development, social software is making peoples’ live convenient, efficient and wonderful.
Social communication software, has its pro and cons. For example, the characteristics of QQ feature the ability to chat online, or, on facetime. People can send messages, share big files, and email. Another pro of this software is that it has a large user group, a stable using system, and a big expression package. However the cons are that a lot of ads pop up after opening QQ. The mandatory install default widget fails to sort the waste information, and is making users crazy (Anonymous, 2015).
However, because this software includes many kinds of functions, people still use it (Anonymous, 2015). They can do a lot of things by only using QQ, and It means saving time during chat, or working (Anonymous, 2015). But they reject the ads, and widget because those are useless (Anonymous, 2015). No one wants to get a link which pops up suddenly when they are working (Anonymous, 2015).
In the last few years, because more and more advertising companies cooperate with QQ, it gives a bad impression to the user. Because of this, some people have started to change their choice. So, Wechat has now become common. They found that Wechat, is a more efficient way to communicate. The most useful way is to leave a voice message. Instead of sending a ton of words, the voice message is always a good choice. That way, they can send as many voice messages as they want at one time, as well as attaching some funny expressions called emoji’s. Wechat also has a sharing function, which is called “discover”, and saves a lot of time compared to QQ.
People can share their lives just by clicking a button, and their friends can receive their updates in real time. This function also protects them from a virtual reality. Users can set the receiver in a group of people rather than all of their friends. Moreover, Wechat has a cooperation page which can help people’s lives become more convenient. It has an online pocket where users can link their bank accounts. They can pay bills by only using Wechat software such as, online shopping, transferring, and public transportation payment. This software can also be used as a search engine. People can download books, articles, and music for free of charge. This is how Chinese people use social software in their in daily lives, and why they choose to use social software platforms.
Nowadays, social software is not only changing people’s lives, but it also helps them to create value. As anyone in the world knows, the Chinese economy has permeated in every corner, and there are many questions about how they did it. Actually, social software has helped a lot in this area. When the real economy is behind fashion, the virtual economy began to dominate the market. In the past, self-employed people needed to have a certificate from the government. It will take a long time to go through a complex process. However, people who are familiar with social software, have used it to start their business online.
For example, Amazon users, can hold their own business by only using software. When a buyer searches for the goods online, and is willing to buy it, the order will go through the software directly to the factory. Amazon allows the seller the ability to sell these products at a cheaper price than a real market. Buyers can conveniently pay for the goods, by using the function of Wechat. The entire process is online. This means that, everyone who has a phone with this software can do this. In other words, it promotes the operating procedures of trade, and saves time and resources.
For example, people born after the 90’s are the biggest groups in China, and occupy 11.7% of the total population (Situation of trading online, 2010). This demographic tends to use social software to trade online (Beijing Association of online Media, 2013). With social platforms such as Taobao and Jingdong being the most popular among them (Beijing Association of online Media, 2013). More and more people have become accustomed to trading online. Social software helps online self-employed people create their value. On one hand, software saves people time and brings more convenience to people’s lives. On the other hand, people can earn money by using software.
Social software is making a big change in China. In the future, it will probably become more and more popularized in China. Software function will continue to become more perfect and more convenient to use, and it can help people to make wonderful lives. Social software has its positives, and negatives, so users should keep clear eyes on what platforms they choose to use. Overall, people can use social software to improve their lives, and create more value within them.
References
Anonymous., (2013). Report of social software due to 90s’ lives.
Anonymous., (2015). Report on the benefits and different kinds of social software.
Anonymous., (2015). Report of using social software or platform for university students.
Beijing Association of online Media., (2013). Report of the situation of 90s shopping online.
Cheng, L., Hupfer, S., Ross, S., & Patterson, J. (2007). Social Software Development Environments. Dr. Dobb's. Retrieved 3 March 2016, from http://www.drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/social-software-development-environments/196900164.
Leepuffy., (2010). Situation of trading online.
Limin Z., (2014). Cellphone user is over 12 billion, popularized rate is 94.5%. Xiaoaojianghuhu., (2014). History of QQ.
