A dirty little semi-secret here at FuzzyCo is that I don't open Evites. Sorry if you've tried to invite me to something by that method. I've had to endure some ribbing from my friends -- "Is it that much work to click on a link?" And, frankly, the answer is kinda "yes". So I was happy to find out that it's not just me. Anil Dash, writing about Evite-competitor Socializr, says:
The fact that Evite's emails don't include the bare facts about the event you're being invited to speaks to their contempt for their users. I'm sure they had elaborate meetings years ago to justify this, but the right answer go[t] lost along the way. [emphasis his]
I've never used Socialzr, but I'm willing to encourage my friends to start using it for their group invites, if they'd like me to actually show up. (And, yes, it's all about me.)
Update: I don't have any events to invite people to, but I thought I'd put my money where my mouth is and sign up with Socializr. Seems nice so far.
Matt Stratton
I've viewed Evite as a "necessary evil" for a while now, just because so very many people use it.
Given a choice, I'd much rather use Google Calendar for this kind of thing, but I've met stiff resistance when I've attempted that.
That being said, thanks for the tip on Socializr. I am a sucker for all things Web 2.0, so I think I might try it as an Evite replacement, and see the reaction.
Matt
I'd like to invite you to also check out MyPunchbowl.com. You don't need to register to try it out.
Best,
Matt
Founder, MyPunchbowl.com