After a brief discussion with @MonicaCellio (In the comment) - It has come to my attention that perhaps I chose the wrong words to describe my original idea (In the edit history). When I wrote "social features" I was actually suggesting an alternative way to for users to share their knowledge using a new type of post and articles and not just by questions and answers.
The basics of my idea was to allow users to write articles on topics relevant to the community on the SE websites just as any answer posted is expected to be too. Allowing users to write their own content (I.E posts/articles/etc..) will be granted as a privilege for advanced users so that not anyone could write stupid things, users that will write content must be established and well-familiar with the rules of SE.
I know anyone can start a blog, but it's require frequent maintenance and content updates, while writing on SE ensure that it addressed to a large, well-established community, with a similar fields of interest.
Posts writing will follow the same guidelines as asking and answering questions does, but it will provide an alternative for users that are mostly answering specific questions, as a new method to contribute to the community.
By writing, one may also reveal more about their personality, wit, way of thinking, ETC. That's when the "social" takes place - You'll also have "authors" and not just "users" you can remember by their catchy name, but people that you can remember by the field of interest they are writing content about.
They key points will be:
- Users will be able write rich content with advanced WYSIWYG HTML editor, content that doesn't require a question to answer, but that is still relevant to the SE website it is writing on.
- Users will be able to Upvote/Downvote other users posts.
- Posts will be listed on their author profile, so it will not just show the activity, but additional layer of user generated content.
- Popular posts with high reputation could be associated to tags making the information of tags richer with user generated content
- Users will be able to include links in answers not only to other questions, but also to posts.
- User will be able to comment on post to allow the author to correct and improve it. It will improve the interaction and offline discussions (Which are prohibited when it come to long discussions on questions and answers).
- I believe that users will be happy to share their own tutorials, tips and tricks - Because they are already doing so when answering questions, but before the can start, they'll have to earn enough reputation to ensure that only high profile users will be able to write high profile content, and not just any rubbish.
- It will provide another type of method for voting and getting earning reputation
- Users will be able to include content in their CVs on SO Jobs.
- Opportunity to earn some new badges.
So it's a Mega feature request and it require some detailed design work, but I do think that it will invite a new type of activity for users on SO (and the rests of the sites of-course).
