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Facebook is not going become the next Google. If they do get lucky, they may be the next Microsoft, though. If Facebook manages to crowd everyone within their

by Goladus 19y ago

Facebook is not going become the next Google. If they do get lucky, they may be the next Microsoft, though. If Facebook manages to crowd everyone within their walls because of the hassles of spam and anonymity, Facebook will have an enormous amount of control over protocols and standards. Part of my negativity towards Facebook is because I think that will be a very bad thing in the long run. I agree that it's possible, but I'm praying something better comes along.

mariorz 19y ago
I've said this before and I'll say it again. The whole "walled garden" meme is, at best, uninformed. It has an open API (has had one for a long time), it is an open platform (anyone can write apps, any language). What walls are you referring to?
- Goladus 19y ago
  The core functionality of facebook involves personal profiles that people log into. One must join facebook and volunteer personal information. This is the entire basis of facebook's value, without that it's nothing. In order to interact with these users, you must use Facebook's API, you must use the protocols they decide to support, and you must interact with their servers. It does not matter whether they are open or not, what matters is who controls them. In order to exploit users using Microsoft operating systems, you had to use their API and you had to use the protocols they decide to support. Google made it to the top and stayed there by being the best at what they did, and figuring out a good way to make money off it. If Facebook wins it will be because they've managed to get enough people hooked to their network and unable to leave without consequences, much the same way people wouldn't switch away from Windows in the 90s. For the record, I don't think Facebook is going to become the next Microsoft. That's just where they're headed if they manage to pull it off.
  - mariorz 19y ago
    I understand what the core functionality of Facebook involves, the fact that you must join does not make it "closed" at least by any reasonable definition that affects developers. Also the amount of control Microsoft has over developers and users is not comparable at all with a service like Facebook. You're talking about an OS that comes pre-installed in the computers most people use, they generally don't know how to keep it updated, much less remove it and install a different one. Anyone can join a new web service. Oh and btw part of the reason Google stays at the top (at least with regard to revenues) IS because they're at the top. Having an enormous inventory is a big part of the ads business.
chollida1 19y ago
> Facebook is not going become the next Google. If they do get lucky, they may be the next Microsoft, though. What do you mean by this statement? Microsoft is larger and makes more money that Google, do you think that Facebook will be bigger that Google? I'm not sure I'd agree with that; what make you think this?
- Goladus 19y ago
  If Facebook manages to become as useful as everyone is hoping, then yes I think it is very possible. If every internet user in the world in the world had a Facebook account they used, it would be incredibly valuable. But it has to be everyone. I don't think it'll get there, because I don't think they'll be able to achieve the critical mass of users that Microsoft did with windows. They've managed to lock in college students-- meanwhile millions of people aged roughly 27+ barely use Facebook, and have little incentive to change their lifestyle to accommodate it. Will Facebook be able to keep hooking college students for 20 years until the older generation becomes irrelevant? Will Facebook figure out how to get these users somehow? If they can't answer that then I don't really see it taking off the way everyone says. I don't think it will happen, because Facebook just isn't better than its alternatives (generally speaking, I'm not talking about MySpace I'm talking about the various other ways people use the internet without using facebook).

by Goladus 19y ago

mariorz 19y ago

I've said this before and I'll say it again. The whole "walled garden" meme is, at best, uninformed. It has an open API (has had one for a long time), it is an open platform (anyone can write apps, any language). What walls are you referring to?

Goladus 19y ago
The core functionality of facebook involves personal profiles that people log into. One must join facebook and volunteer personal information. This is the entire basis of facebook's value, without that it's nothing. In order to interact with these users, you must use Facebook's API, you must use the protocols they decide to support, and you must interact with their servers. It does not matter whether they are open or not, what matters is who controls them. In order to exploit users using Microsoft operating systems, you had to use their API and you had to use the protocols they decide to support. Google made it to the top and stayed there by being the best at what they did, and figuring out a good way to make money off it. If Facebook wins it will be because they've managed to get enough people hooked to their network and unable to leave without consequences, much the same way people wouldn't switch away from Windows in the 90s. For the record, I don't think Facebook is going to become the next Microsoft. That's just where they're headed if they manage to pull it off.
- mariorz 19y ago
  I understand what the core functionality of Facebook involves, the fact that you must join does not make it "closed" at least by any reasonable definition that affects developers. Also the amount of control Microsoft has over developers and users is not comparable at all with a service like Facebook. You're talking about an OS that comes pre-installed in the computers most people use, they generally don't know how to keep it updated, much less remove it and install a different one. Anyone can join a new web service. Oh and btw part of the reason Google stays at the top (at least with regard to revenues) IS because they're at the top. Having an enormous inventory is a big part of the ads business.

chollida1 19y ago

> Facebook is not going become the next Google. If they do get lucky, they may be the next Microsoft, though. What do you mean by this statement? Microsoft is larger and makes more money that Google, do you think that Facebook will be bigger that Google? I'm not sure I'd agree with that; what make you think this?

Goladus 19y ago
If Facebook manages to become as useful as everyone is hoping, then yes I think it is very possible. If every internet user in the world in the world had a Facebook account they used, it would be incredibly valuable. But it has to be everyone. I don't think it'll get there, because I don't think they'll be able to achieve the critical mass of users that Microsoft did with windows. They've managed to lock in college students-- meanwhile millions of people aged roughly 27+ barely use Facebook, and have little incentive to change their lifestyle to accommodate it. Will Facebook be able to keep hooking college students for 20 years until the older generation becomes irrelevant? Will Facebook figure out how to get these users somehow? If they can't answer that then I don't really see it taking off the way everyone says. I don't think it will happen, because Facebook just isn't better than its alternatives (generally speaking, I'm not talking about MySpace I'm talking about the various other ways people use the internet without using facebook).