Memo to Ed Whitacre
Invitation from Alec Saunders

Doostang: DooNot… yet

Last week I got a couple of invitations to join yet another social networking site. As many of you may be aware, I am a huge fan of LinkedIn, and Plaxo.  This one, Doostang, promises to be by invitation only (thereby increasing the trust level), and focused on jobs and job hunters.  Because Iotum needs developers, testers, and an Engineering VP, I decided to give it a shot.

I have a good rolodex. I dutifully loaded my plaxo address book into it, and then sent out invitations to the 2300 or so folks in my address book to invite them to join me also. 

  1. The website crashed during the mailing process.  I had no idea whether or not it had actually succeeded.  At least some of the invitations must have gone out, however, because…
  2. Bounce messages started arriving. Hundreds.  Doostang has made it onto the spamcop blacklist, and sites that use spamcop are rejecting mails from them.
  3. And finally… mails that do arrive are buggy.  My friend Bob Frankston mailed me this code fragment after attempting to sign up:


Microsoft VBScript runtime error ‘800a000d’

Type mismatch

/sign_upfaild.asp, line 45

I’m all in favor of the Web 2.0 mantra of ship early, and ship often.  But please make sure the darn thing is at least minimally tested before you ship…

Bookmarking:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.
  • del.icio.us
  • digg
  • Reddit
  • TailRank

This entry was posted on Monday, November 7th, 2005 at 11:02 pm and is filed under Tech & Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

53 Responses to “Doostang: DooNot… yet”

  1. JP Says:
    November 8th, 2005 at 7:15 am

    Hi Alec,

    I got your invitation, so mine was processed as per your blog entry. I’m giving a whirl to DS today as well. Jobs on this site are very interesting though!

    JP

  2. JP Says:
    November 8th, 2005 at 12:49 pm

    Had a chat with Pavel, the president on my experience. Details here : http://jphebert.name/jpblog/?p=176

  3. Mike Says:
    November 8th, 2005 at 9:57 pm

    I agree there are problems with the system, but as a Harvard MBA who is going to graduate in a few months, I am using Doostang more than any other tool I have at my disposal. The quality of their jobs is incomparable to anyone/where else, from finding a position at many hedge funds to a Director of Sales for an MTV in Europe, to Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts and even internships for my classmates who are MBA 2007. Let’s stop the negative and start helping them, at least for the next few weeks while I use Doostang to find a job!

  4. Nick Says:
    December 11th, 2005 at 9:00 pm

    Alec and friends,
    I am a long time reader of the blog (but first time poster) and was hoping that one of you could invite me to Doostang. My email address is nducoff@hotmail.com - thanks!

  5. Alec Says:
    December 11th, 2005 at 9:03 pm

    Done!

  6. Mattr Says:
    April 13th, 2006 at 4:22 pm

    Could someone please send me an invite to doostang? I have heard great things about it and would like to get signed up but don’t seem to know anyone who is a member. My email is mattrosen96@gmail.com

    Thank you

  7. Joe Says:
    July 13th, 2006 at 11:28 am

    Hi Alec,

    Can you please send me an invitation to Doostang? I have heard great things about it. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks,

    Joe

  8. Rachel Says:
    July 25th, 2006 at 9:04 am

    Hi can someone invite me to doostang?

  9. Christina Says:
    August 7th, 2006 at 7:35 pm

    Hi,

    The site looks interesting…can anyone send me an invite at cahoya2000@hotmail.com? I’d like to check it out more, but I don’t know anyone on it.

    Thanks!

  10. Zeno Says:
    October 18th, 2006 at 3:53 am

    Hi Alec and friends,

    Could someone please send me an invitation to doostang? I am an actuarial analyst and would like to seek for relevant positions thru this highly-rated site. My email address is cyzwong@gmail.com - thanks

  11. Andrew Says:
    October 23rd, 2006 at 12:00 am

    HI, looks like Doostang would be a added benefit to me. Can someone sign me up?

    Thanks

  12. Matt Says:
    October 24th, 2006 at 1:23 am

    Not wanting to be, but it looks like I am, just another reader wondering if someone (Alec?) could be so kind as to send a Doostang invite my way. Thanks! mattpersons@hotmail.com

  13. Alec Says:
    October 24th, 2006 at 8:52 am

    You should have invites in the mail. Good luck in your job hunting.

  14. Reeba Says:
    November 10th, 2006 at 9:55 am

    Could you be kind and send me an invite to doostang.Thanks! reebamathen@gmail.com

  15. prashi Says:
    November 16th, 2006 at 8:17 am

    Can any please invite me to doostang. My email id is mailprashi@gmail.com
    Thanks in advance.

  16. Andrew Says:
    December 8th, 2006 at 11:38 am

    Hi Alec,

    If you have the time could you send me an invite to doorstang please, my emal is a_d_forrest@hotmail.com

    Thanks!

  17. Jess Says:
    January 1st, 2007 at 3:47 pm

    Can anyone please invite me to Doostang. I’ll really appreicate it and thanks.

    sample_2007@hotmail.com

  18. Dustang Member Says:
    January 21st, 2007 at 2:22 am

    Everyone who has posted on this page will NOT get invited. Just because of the age of aquariums. Did the russians stopped when the germans bombed pearl harbor? Ick been iene Net!

    Now sit down, shut up, and hold on — to hope, hope and faith, weekdays at 6:30 on channel 23 WRNA!

  19. Yuri Says:
    February 23rd, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    Can anyone please sent me an invite to Doostang.com
    Thank you for all your help

    email: ys.resources@yahoo.com

  20. Hung Says:
    March 5th, 2007 at 6:25 pm

    can some one please send me an invite to Doostang.com too?
    thanks

    BIGBANG642001@hotmail.com

  21. Amanda Says:
    March 5th, 2007 at 7:45 pm

    could someone please send me an invite to Doostang? cool_splash1@yahoo.com

  22. Drew Says:
    May 28th, 2007 at 7:13 pm

    Alec,

    I am a long time reader but I have never posted before. I was interested to see (like the many above) if you or anyone could send me an invite to DooStang. My e-mail address is drew.cesario@gmail.com. I know you don’t recommend it, but I think that I can’t afford to shut any door of communication that presents itself. Have a good one.

    -D

  23. Alec Says:
    May 29th, 2007 at 7:03 am

    Give it a shot. I’ve just been looking at it a little more today. Wrote the review quite a while ago, obviously, but it looks much better now.

  24. yon nuta Says:
    June 5th, 2007 at 1:47 pm

    Could someone please send me an invite to doostang? I have heard great things about it and would like to get signed up but don’t seem to know anyone who is a member. My email is contactyonnow@gmail.com

    thanks, yon

  25. Drew Says:
    June 14th, 2007 at 3:26 pm

    Alec,

    I recently got booted off of DooStang because I invited too many people at once. I know this may sound absurd, but not only will it not recognize my username, but Doostang is not recognizing my e-mail address as well. As ridiculous as this sounds, I was interested to see if you could send me another invitation. Although DooStang has a long way to go, as far as technical support of the website, I think it severs a great service for communication. drew.cesario@gmail.com

    Thanks,

    Drew

  26. Darin Says:
    June 16th, 2007 at 12:45 am

    I want to post an opening for a Customer Experience position at my company (a leading commercial mortgage lender), but I just found out that I have to be invited in order to post it on DooStang. If anyone is interested in inviting me so that I can start posting our positions I would be very grateful! My personal email is darinphillips@yahoo.com, which is best for the invite to any social networking site. I do have a recent MBA grad starting a rotation on my team late next week, but I would like to find some additional talent and bring them into our Coral Gables office as well.

  27. kEndE Says:
    July 24th, 2007 at 4:58 am

    Hi Alec,

    I do not know u, but I would like to ask u to invite me to Doostang too. :)

    thx kEndE

  28. chaudhrx Says:
    July 31st, 2007 at 8:23 am

    Hi Alec - Can I get an invite, as well? I’d greatly appreciate it!

    Thanks in advance!
    ~Reshma
    rchaudhuri@gmail.com

  29. austinz Says:
    August 25th, 2007 at 1:59 am

    Could someone please send me an invite to doostang? I have heard great things about it and would like to get signed up but don’t seem to know anyone who is a member. My email is

    axf.zheng@gmail.com

    thanks, austin

  30. Ranju Says:
    September 2nd, 2007 at 1:41 pm

    Hi Alec:

    Read a recent review of the site in businessweek… am quite curious to check the site out for myself.. more so, because i have ur opinion which says do-not-yet, as against the business-week article which puts a highly-recommended tag to it…

    would really appreciate if you could send an invite my way..one to check it out..and two, to check some interesting jobs out..

    thanks in advance..

  31. Alfredo Says:
    September 5th, 2007 at 1:58 am

    whould like an invite to doostang

  32. Sonal Gupta Says:
    September 13th, 2007 at 3:05 am

    Hi,
    Can you please send me an invitation ?
    I will greatly appreciate your help….

    Thnx !!

  33. Elizabeth Says:
    September 24th, 2007 at 10:01 pm

    I would like to join doostang.com

    epoore@flagler.edu

  34. Juan Says:
    September 26th, 2007 at 8:40 am

    Hi fellows !

    Could anyone please send me an invite to DS ?
    I appreciate, thanks!

    J.

  35. Juan Says:
    September 26th, 2007 at 8:41 am

    … please send invite to:

    pericopalotes75@latinmail.com

    thanx again

  36. Habib Says:
    October 1st, 2007 at 2:50 pm

    Hello, I just found out about Doostang. Trying to get my career moving in the right direction, can you please send me an invite to Habibmirali@gmail.com , Thanks again.

  37. Scott Says:
    October 23rd, 2007 at 4:23 pm

    Could anyone please send me an invite to DS ?

    scottvanzee@gmail.com

  38. alex Says:
    October 27th, 2007 at 7:43 am

    hey mate, I was wondering if you could kindly send me an invitation to Doostang, thanks a ton.

    ghy2004cnuk@yahoo.co.uk

  39. Alan Says:
    November 5th, 2007 at 11:55 am

    I’d like an invitation to Doostang, please. Thanks

  40. Michelle Says:
    November 5th, 2007 at 11:16 pm

    Could someone please send me an invite as well?

    slezakm2000@yahoo.com

    thanks.

  41. Lea Says:
    November 7th, 2007 at 1:32 pm

    I got an invitation from a name I don’t even recognize! A gmail search shows nothing received from them ever before. That could be the source of the spamcop problem?

    Also, their Wikipedia entry reads like a corporate press release. Could people who have experience as users of the site do some work there, so newcomers have some objective information to judge the site by?

    http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FDoostang&ei=nfYxR-T8AYeIgALZqaCJAg&usg=AFQjCNEHwNqo0nyt2LL9StC43kBQTLE6yw&sig2=fJAaVCF7QGJsJQHBGYvAUw

  42. Vitaly Says:
    November 22nd, 2007 at 4:27 am

    Please send invitation to Doostang carlbro@kahovka.net

  43. Joe U. Says:
    November 29th, 2007 at 12:12 am

    Can someone send me and invite to Doostang - ju6034@yahoo.com. I greatly appreciate it.

  44. Tym M Says:
    December 19th, 2007 at 4:57 pm

    I’m jumping on the bandwagon and asking for an invite to Doostang as well. Thanks!

  45. Tym M Says:
    December 19th, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    Oops…can’t send an invite without this….timem1@gmail.com

    Many thanks!

  46. Jamie Says:
    December 27th, 2007 at 7:05 pm

    Hi could anyone send me an invitation please?

    jamiehaozhou@gmail.com

    Thanks!

  47. Holly Says:
    January 16th, 2008 at 11:31 am

    Hi,

    I was wondering if anyone can send me an invitation. I am interested in investment banking and consulting.

    wavelink12@hotmail.com

  48. Liana Says:
    January 16th, 2008 at 9:16 pm

    Hi Alec,
    Could you ask you to send me an invite to Doostang at liana.burtsava@gmail.com?
    Many thanks!

  49. Jonathan Says:
    February 14th, 2008 at 8:30 pm

    please invite me to doostang…greatly appreciated!

    Jonathan

  50. Steve Says:
    March 25th, 2008 at 8:38 pm

    Can you please send me an invite? Thank you.

  51. Rozamond Sweeney Says:
    March 29th, 2008 at 4:51 pm

    Will you please invite me to doostang? rsweeney@gmail.com

  52. Adrian Says:
    April 8th, 2008 at 5:01 am

    Could you please invire me to “Doostang” as well?
    Thank you in advance..
    directiveway@yahoo.com

  53. Anthony Says:
    April 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 am

    Will you please provide me with an invite? Anthony.Guisti@gmail.com

    Thank you

Leave a Reply