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skbasket
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« on: May 20, 2008, 11:02:20 AM » |
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I am new to all this, so I have nothing much to base my opinion on, but there are 424 loans available, changing constantly, but up and down.
This seems like alot. Is it? What is the average # of open loans at a given time (if there is such a thing)?
Sandy
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Sandy
"When I let go of who I am, then I become who I might be."
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cpbailey
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« Reply To This #1 on: May 20, 2008, 11:10:40 AM » |
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Sandy,
400 loans is the new normal, I guess. Last week it was 300. A month ago 100 ish was normal. If Kiva appears in a huge media event, then prior to it they keep the numbers lower to try to store loans for the event. When Oprah hit, there were times that there were NO loans available and then just a handful which disappeared quickly. When I started it was about 40-50 loans, but there were fewer people loaning so they moved at a fairly slow pace.
As someone new, does 400 seem like a good number?
Colette
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skbasket
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« Reply To This #2 on: May 20, 2008, 11:26:47 AM » |
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I don't really know what to think about 400+ loans. There certainly is a selection so it does widen the funding choices. There also isn't anything older than May 8,2008, which is around 2 weeks.
I do find it interesting that the new loans get lots of attention, and frequestly get funded the same day or the next, But if the loan misses this action, for whatever reason, then they tend to go into a black hole, at least until they become one of the older loans.
I haven't completely figured out the feature page. Besides the popularity, the older loans, or the ones that only need a small amount to fund should be a small part of the determining formula. This would help close out some of the loans, helping Kiva to be a "first-in, first-out" sort of system.
I do think that if there were a few more sort options available, one might be more able to find "the perfect loan", if there is such a thing. We all have that little difference in what we are looking for.
Sandy
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« Last Edit: May 20, 2008, 11:27:45 AM by skbasket »
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Sandy
"When I let go of who I am, then I become who I might be."
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cpbailey
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« Reply To This #3 on: May 20, 2008, 11:51:10 AM » |
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Sandy,
Sometimes I use a sort in conjuction with some other parameters. For example, to post the agriculture loans I did new to old and agriculture. I then weeded out loans with cows or references to animals, looked up the rest. When I got to old territory, I could stop listing them.
I also will select gender female to focus on female lenders which I prefer. Sometimes I will check out the artist category (not many there as those go fast). I have also gone to the fifth or so page from old to new.
You can also type a keyword into the box on the right side of the screen. So if something is important, you can try that. I put country in there if I want to see a particular country, but it could be a partner's name or town even.
It seemed easier when there were 100 or even 150. Now it is a mental chess game...
Colette
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KivanSteven
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« Reply To This #4 on: May 20, 2008, 05:10:33 PM » |
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I think we here at KF, (those around when there were very minimal loans for a time, and even when there were below 100, which was for a majority of Kiva's existence up until recently), we all became accustomed to being in the know on just about every loan that passed through Kiva, and that is obviously not the case any longer. I dont mind the number of loans, but I guess for those of us here who enjoyed keeping on top of it all, it has become just slightly less personal and engaging because all of the numbers at Kiva are becoming so much more vast than they once were.
I guess that is a typical feeling for most people that are involved early on in something they are passionate about--as it grows, it changes and is even a little less familiar, so Kiva might even feel a little more distant than it once felt when it seemed we could grasp everything going on. Its like your childhood friend growing up and evolving into someone you are a bit less familiar with, and so then also less close to. As things progress and move forward, you look back more often and remember how it once was--I guess that's the personal side of it all for me. But I am very pleased with and proud of Kiva for the distances they have already covered--they really are still just getting started when you think what 5 or 10 years from now might look like.
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« Last Edit: May 20, 2008, 05:15:28 PM by Ahimsa Steve »
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I find not direction in the readings of those with whom my eccentricities are similar, but rather validation.
My only solace is that I find a peaceful place where I might be resigned to my depriving loneliness.
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wind5001
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« Reply To This #5 on: May 21, 2008, 01:54:04 AM » |
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I guess that is a typical feeling for most people that are involved early on in something they are passionate about--as it grows, it changes and is even a little less familiar, so Kiva might even feel a little more distant than it once felt when it seemed we could grasp everything going on. Its like your childhood friend growing up and evolving into someone you are a bit less familiar with, and so then also less close to. As things progress and move forward, you look back more often and remember how it once was--I guess that's the personal side of it all for me. But I am very pleased with and proud of Kiva for the distances they have already covered--they really are still just getting started when you think what 5 or 10 years from now might look like.
Well put, Steve! I am indeed feeling a bit more distant. The main reason for this is that without the combined effort of KFs we would not be able to spot "extraordinary" loans. I liked that I had time to look for a nice loan and then joined it. Now, it seems more a matter of pure chance. I don't want to complain, it's fun in itself if you see something nice and just hop on without looking much further because the choices are too many anyway... |
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cpbailey
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« Reply To This #6 on: May 21, 2008, 09:28:29 AM » |
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I wonder if Kiva is moving all their loans out by end of month...
I notice that loans for the week is well below what it was when we had only 100-120 loans at a time.
Maybe a new policy will happen soon...
Colette
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Dagfinn
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« Reply To This #7 on: May 22, 2008, 11:13:19 AM » |
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I too would like to see more function when to choose loans. But then again I would not as I try to broaden my view on to whom I lend. Like when recently when I have tried to pick up Tajikistan entrepenours browsing through the lot there I stumble across many more that I find interesting and want to support. Most of all I think I miss a bit knowing more from Kiva itself, that they are transparent is such a good thinmg and a major motivator for me to be on here - but also it makes me wish even more  Anyway - we are all now up to a lending volume at roughly 2 mio a month which I find stimulating to be part of. Dagfinn A. |
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