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Posted on July 23, 2020 By Robert Payne

Plurk
The website's timeline set in horizontal fashion
Type of site
Social network service and Microblogging
Available inMultilingual (45 languages)[1]
Headquarters
Taipei
,
Taiwan
OwnerPlurk, Inc.
Created byThe A-team[2]
URLwww.plurk.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationRequired
Launched12 May 2008; 16 years ago (2008-05-12)[3]
Current statusActive
Plurk
Initial release31 October 2013; 11 years ago (2013-10-31)
Stable release(s)
iOS6.22.3 / 9 September 2024; 57 days ago (2024-09-09)[4]
Android6.43.3 / 13 September 2024; 53 days ago (2024-09-13)[5]
Operating systemWeb, iOS, Android
Size83 MB
TypeSocial media service
Websitewww.plurk.com Edit this on Wikidata

Plurk (/ˈplɜːrk/ ⓘ) is a free social networking and microblogging service that allows users to send updates (otherwise known as plurks) through short messages or links, which can be up to 360 text characters in length (as of 2016).[6][7]

Updates are then shown on the user's home page using a timeline, which lists all the updates received in chronological order, and delivered to other users who have chosen to receive them. A unique feature of its timeline is horizontal scrolling[8][6] which is unlike any other popular social networking or microblogging websites[9] like Twitter or Facebook, where users can see more posts running horizontally across the screen, with previous plurks to the right. Each of the threads shows timestamps below the timeline frame, and a counter for the number of responses; a thread can have as many as 300 to a thousand responses.[10] Users can respond to other users' updates from their timeline through the Plurk.com website, official mobile apps, by private or instant messaging, or by text messaging via compatible third party applications. Also unique to the site is the ability to post anonymous plurks using the "whisper" qualifier, affording users the ability to hide their username or identity.[11][12]

History

After months of development, Plurk was launched on 12 May 2008.[13]

The etymology of the name was explained by the developers as such:[14]

While it is difficult to track down the names of the creators of Plurk, and the "A-Team" link listed under "creator" leads to a page that lacks any real information, it is known that the current CEO is Alvin Woon.[6] In January 2013, it was announced that the company has been headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, while it has "landed [an] undisclosed amount of funding."[15]

Features and technology

Plurk's interface shows updates in horizontal form through a scrollable timeline written in JavaScript and updated through AJAX. Users can modify the interface using CSS and HTML scripts as well. Users can post new messages with optional 'qualifiers', which are one-word verbs used to represent a thought (e.g., 'feels', 'thinks', 'loves', etc.). There are also advanced features such as sending updates only to a subset of your friends, posting updates on events earlier in the day, and sharing images, videos, and other media.[16] Followers are allowed[clarification needed], but only limited to accounts that are not set as private. Users can upload media files through YouTube, links and webcam or from their computer. Plurks can also be 'liked', as in other social sites. In addition, it has a birthday reminder feature that places a birthday cake sign on all the user's messages on his/her birthday. Every plurker has his/her own Karma value. It is recalculated based on your activities. Higher Karma gives access to more emoticons and features.[17]

Plurk also supports group conversations between friends and allows usage of emoticons together with the usual text micro-blogging.[18] Plurk also supports the upload of users' own pictures as emoticons.

The Plurk.com developers allowed public access to the API on December 4, 2009.[19]

Due to messages being sent between users in near-realtime, many users use Plurk as an alternative to chat and interact with each other.

Availability in other languages

To help translate their base list of qualifiers/verbs, Plurk hosts its own translation website where users can submit translations of the Plurk user interface in other languages.[20] As of July 2008, Plurk is translated into over twenty languages.

Reception

Plurk was occasionally referred to as a rival to Twitter, an earlier micro-blogging service, during its first year.[21][22]

In June 2008, Plurk received online attention when it was featured by Leo Laporte and Amber MacArthur on their net@night show in the TWiT.tv podcast network.[23][24]

Controversies

MSN Juku controversy

Main article: MSN China § MSN Juku

In November 2009, MSN China launched an Internet application called MSN Juku in beta. Observers noted similarity between the MSN Juku user interface and that of Plurk,[25] which was blocked in China in April 2009. Microsoft later indefinitely suspended MSN Juku, admitting to accusations that MSN China plagiarised about 80% of Plurk's original code, as well as elements of their CSS and unique user interface features.[26][27]

Post calling for the assassination of President Ma Ying-jeou

On 20 March 2010, Taiwanese police investigated an Internet threat posted on plurk.com that called for the assassination of the President of the Republic of China, Ma Ying-jeou.[28]

References

  1. ^ Nystedt, Dan (14 December 2009). "Plurk users bring microblogging to many languages". Network World. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  2. ^ Plurk.com. "The A-Team". Plurk Inc. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  3. ^ Amir Salihefendic (12 May 2008). "Plurk.com opens up". Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
  4. ^ "Plurk on the App Store". iTunes Store. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Plurk on Google Play Store". Google Play Store. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Costello, Sam (23 July 2023). "Plurk: What It Is and How to Join It". Lifewire. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  7. ^ Plurk EN (28 December 2016). "We've increased the max. of chars for each plurk". Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  8. ^ Wayne Smallman (4 June 2008). "What is Plurk?". blahblahtech.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  9. ^ Prashant Sharma (17 September 2008). "Why 'Plurking' is more FUN than 'Tweeting'". TechPluto.com. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  10. ^ Leggio, Jennifer (13 July 2008). "Eating a little crow about Plurk". ZDnet. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  11. ^ "How can I post an anonymous plurk?". Plurk FAQ. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  12. ^ Muzakir, Zaky; Margaretha, Indrie Grace (11 June 2020). "Anonymous story sharing: A new way to spread content?". Jakarta Post. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  13. ^ akan (20 May 2008). "das leben der anderen - a window into the lives of others". Plurk Inc. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  14. ^ akan (2 June 2008). "'Plurk'? An etymological deconstruction of the word you love to hate". Plurk Inc. Archived from the original on 20 June 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  15. ^ Jon Russell (23 January 2013). "One-time Twitter rival Plurk lands million-dollar investment and relocates to Asia". The Next Web, Inc. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  16. ^ Plurk.com. "FAQ". Plurk, Inc.
  17. ^ "Plurk - FAQ - Plurk". www.plurk.com. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  18. ^ Prashant Sharma. "Why Plurking is more fun than tweeting". TechPluto. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
  19. ^ alvin (4 December 2009). "Plurk API Service". Plurk.com. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012.
  20. ^ akan (28 June 2008). "Introducing the Plurk Collaborative Translation Project - Help Us Bring Plurk to your Language". Plurk Inc. Archived from the original on 22 July 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  21. ^ Michael Muchmore (23 June 2008). "Plurk.com - Full Review - Reviews by PC Magazine". Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  22. ^ Stii Pretorius (3 June 2008). "Plurk, the new Twitter?". Mail & Guardian Online. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  23. ^ Amber MacArthur and Leo Laporte (4 June 2008). "net@night 55: Tiffany Roll". TwiT.tv. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
  24. ^ Rafe Needleman (2 June 2008). "Plurk: Like Twitter, in good and bad ways". CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved 23 July 2008. An influx of users over the weekend (which is being blamed on or credited to Leo Laporte) has apparently overloaded the system, and occasionally users may find elements of it not working.
  25. ^ McGlaun, Shaun (1 December 2009). "Microsoft unveils Twitter clone called MSN Juku". TweakTown. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
  26. ^ "Microsoft China rips off Asia's No. 1 Microblogging Service". Plurk Labs Official Blog. 14 December 2009. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
  27. ^ "Start-up claims Microsoft China took its code". 14 December 2009. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
  28. ^ "Plurk User Calls for Assassination of Taiwan President". taipeitimes.com. 21 March 2009.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plurk

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