Just got this today. An invitation to be part of a shared Skype contact group.

Since I know Robert and much of his posse (collective, gang, tribe, pals, intimates, circle, friends, colleagues, bunch, troops, cadre) I clicked OK.

Next thing I know I have 51 contacts in this group, some already friends, but mostly strangers, like in a group chat. You can see the question mark status.

As with a group chat, you can add people to the group. However there is no host or moderator and you cannot remove other people from the group. You cannot delete a group, only leave it.

Skype 2.5 introduced this feature in 2006 and it hasn't changed much since. My wishlist:

1. Extend the client API to include making shared groups, sending invitations, adding people, renaming groups, and the other actions the client allows. Especially, provide a list of shared groups I created, I shared, of which I am still a member, and of which I am no longer a member.
2. Offer that API as a web service. I'm making/joining groups all over the place, on many sites. Make it easy for those sites - or applications working with those sites - to create and maintain the membership of Skype shared groups.

Skype's guide to the subject. Screenshots from my flickr Skype Shared Group Invitation (Set).

See also:

• Reed's Law. The value of large networks grows more when they help people form sub-groups.
• Ridiculously Easy Group Forming with blogging.
• Ridiculously Easy Group Forming with XFN by Tantek Çelik.