It’s been a long time since I first joined Koprol. But, I just became more active on it nowadays. Since, I attended to Yahoo Open Hack Day at Jakarta, few months ago. It was on November 2009, I suppose. And hey, this is my first time making a special post about Koprol on my blogs – if I’m not mistaken. 
So Koprol? What is it?
Anyhow, Koprol – a ‘creature’ which is addressed at www.koprol.com and displayed so many latest posts from a nearby nor the same location with us, is growing more and more user than before. Do you want to know why they could? Because at last Saturday (9 Jan.2010), one of Koprol’s founders, is interviewed at Apa Kabar Indonesia Akhir Pekan Show of tvOne. Wondering who, I guess? Well, it’s Fajar, which his nickname was @fajar at Koprol.
What’s on the show?
At the show, Fajar was interviewed with Daniel from Kaskus. The topic itself about online forum and so, whose Indonesia isn’t losing anything from international netters. Why? Because Indonesians have Koprol and Kaskus, social media which is also awesome as Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, and of course.. Friendster
Well, back to Koprol itself, as I mentioned before, Koprol just became growing more nowadays. Since the TV interviews, Koprol’s users growing until thousands! Even, on the same day with the TV interviews – Saturday (9 Jan.2010), the added users grew until 4,000 users! And, last Monday (11 Jan.2010), more 1,000 users was added. Well, that’s a lots of numbers, I suppose.
Isn’t it a good job to be on TV, eh? Is it the first time for Koprol on the media?
Koprol was also interviewed by The JakartaGlobe, Media Indonesia, and also Metro TV – if I’m not mistaken. 
And, the case was almost the same with yesterday, the Koprol’s new users was increasing highly so Koprol must added new servers! It’s such a logic, since so many users means so many data loads, and more storage is needed of course. And, after added 5,000 more Koprol’s users on 3 days on a row, they would added more servers so the data loading more reliable and could saved so many people on Koprol.
What’s more on Koprol?
A lots! Do you want to know it? Okay, let’s start it with the ‘check in’ concept which is given by Koprol. With this concept, each users would be detected where they’re belonged, in any locations which is saved on Koprol’s database. And, no need to fear of lost direction, since Koprol used Google Maps for the guidance, instead of GPS. And, it makes a lot users easier to ‘check in’ on a location after searched it on the database.
What if the location doesn’t exist on Koprol?
Well, if it doesn’t exist yet, so suggest it to the developer team of Koprol. It’s quite easy, just suggest it via form whose will be displayed if the location that we searched isn’t exist. And, each location suggest would be monitorized and approved by @wiqzz the district administrator of Koprol which is a person with full attentions – watch out for any ‘gombal’ things!
So, what’s next after I checked in?
After you checked in, you could share what’s happening on that location, what’s going on, what’s interesting, and so. You could also rate the places nearby the location where you checked in, by liking it or disliking it. In each rate users could also gives any personal comments about it. And, this is one of many Koprol’s power as Satya ever spoken, “Each rate on Koprol is done by social – of users,” who’s making the good or bad criteria of a locations is decided by any users. Satya (@satya) is one of many founders of Koprol.
What if I don’t want to rate? Is it okay?
Well, it’s okay. But, with any rate, each time a user would checked in the same location later on, he or she would knew which places is better to be visited or not. And, the location’s rating would be more joyful if it’s a movie theatre, restaurant, café, buildings, offices, and other places which is so many people visited. Even though, location’s rating of a city nor a district is possible.
Back again to location’s check in. If we’re so mobile and changing places so many fast, it would be ‘not cool’, eh?
Well, if you’re changing places so fast, it would be ‘not cool’ to searched back again the location on the internal search engine. BUT, there’s an easier way! So, if we’re moving on places which we’re so many times checked in on it – e.g. school, office, home, etc – just make it our favorite location with our own names. So, if those places already on our favorite terms, we could easily moved our check in on it, with teleport features. Yes, it does like the Star Trek things! Even some of users would say, “It’s faster than using a flying rugs!” And to use it is so easy! Just add this text, #favorite place#, in each start of the roll. So, here’s an example, if my destination is my office as my favorite place, so I would type, #office# just arrived, on my roll! And, it would checked in automatically on the location, with our own roll on it.
Could we send a private message such as Facebook or Twitter?
Of course you can! And, how to send it is easier than the other two. Because, we don’t need to click nor open new tabs or links which directs to private message. We just type the messages as this example, to:(username) (messages) – The real roll would be like this one, to:billy is it true? – And, it could be typed directly on our status box! We don’t need to open messages tabs, DM (direct messages – as on Twitter), etc. And, as a private message, the message would be sent to our destination’s inbox, and no one else would see it. Except if you typed it wrong, nor write it wrong. Of course, it’s out of my business, Koprol, and also the dev team. 
By the way, what is a roll?
OOPS! You haven’t known it yet, eh? Roll is a name for any thread of updated status which we’re made on Koprol. If it’s on Plurk, the name would be also plurk. And, in Twitter the name would be twit. In forums, the name would be thread or tret. But in Koprol, the name would be roll – or is it proll? I can’t remember it precisely, though.
Can we add some friends on Koprol?
Why not? Koprol is also a social media, which allows any users to know each other, which is provided with adding friends, following users, or just checked in a location with so many users. Some of Koprol users even made a location based community, and holding a kopdar sometimes! For examples, there are sikodok for Depok’s Koprol Users, Sukoco for Koprol users from Surabaya, and many more.
What is kopdar?
Kopdar, means kopi darat, or meet up on English is an old proverb for meeting with some people in a non-formal situations. And, me –finally- could attend a kopdar itself with some of Koprol users which is on the same location! Well, not only on the same locations, but also in the same office complex. Even actually, when I was on my early days on Koprol, on my office locations would be only me as a Koprol user. But then, it’s increasing, until becomes a lot and at the meet up (kopdar) on last Monday (11 Jan. 2010), 8 Koprol users attended it which is held at office’s canteen.
So, Koprol just for meet up, eh?
Now wait a moment! Koprol is not just for meet up (kopdar), but it’s also a good guidance of a nice place to eat/drinks/hangout/see movies which is recommended by so many people around it, nor who checked in on it. But there’s one condition to use it, just don’t forget to check in on it. And, Koprol also could be used as a review and database of places which we have or haven’t been there. As an example, would be my self, because I’ve checked in and also rated Beijing (PRC), which it was a place of living and working for a while.
But how could I checked in if there’s doesn’t have any computers and internets?
You could use you mobile phone, since Koprol also has a mobile site on m.koprol.com, which would be a good assistant to be updated when we’re mobile. And, Koprol is great if we’re using it on mobile! – based on my own experience.
Wow, it sounds cool to join Koprol. So, how it should be done?
Easy.. just log on to www.koprol.com, prepare your profile pictures, and also e-mail address. And, checked to your place, and ask your friends on real life and also in nearby to Koprol-ing. It’s better to Koprol first, than heard people saying, “What? You already joined Koprol today?”
Let’s go then, and Koprolize yourself!
PS: Koprol users also called as Koproler or Koprolers. — more images is coming to complete this posts!
Have you joined Koprol?
