5 ms·

There is a logical flaw in his comment that "Facebook needs publishers". Although that is true in general, it does not follow that they need you as a publisher.

There is a logical flaw in his comment that "Facebook needs publishers". Although that is true in general, it does not follow that they need you as a publisher. As others have said, it is insanity to invest time and money into a business that is partly controlled by somebody that you have exactly zero control over. Same as having a single supplier or a single customer.

rjtavares 5y ago
Thousands of companies in the world are built around a single customer or supplier. Nothing wrong with that, as long as it treated as an existential risk (which doesn't seem to be the case here).
- Retric 5y ago
  There is very much something wrong with it or it wouldn’t be an existential risk.
  - dspillett 5y ago
    It is fine to initially build around a single source/sink, often you have to as you lack the resources to successfully be any more generalist, and often a new product/service evolves out of an interaction with that one entity (or pair of entities if the product acts as a bridge). The risk is staying in that state too long, and the trick is knowing how and when to start diversifying, or at least having a plan for diversification in case it is needed at short notice.
- nonameiguess 5y ago
  That's what contracts are for. Lockheed would be screwed if the government just decided to up and cancel every program that purchases Lockheed products, but they can't. They placed an order, agreed in writing, and can't just change their mind and not pay.
dspillett 5y ago
> it does not follow that they need you as a publisher This is a large part of why eBay favours the buyer[†]. Yes, they need sellers, but if you stop selling the buyers don't go away so someone else will take your position in their market (no change for eBay overall) or increased competition will increase prices (so eBay make the same despite lower sales due to % of sale based fees). People buying from sellers using eBay as a platform are the more treasured resource, much the same as the people reading from publishers who are using facebook as a platform, and the same dynamic exists in many other places. Only when a resource is truly both in specific demand and scarce does this situation reverse. [†] or at least it feels that way to most sellers, buyers still sometimes feel shafted too though that are shafted less than sellers.
6510 5y ago
I [almost] never use facebook. When I log in the feed that is suppose to contain my contacts posts (that I'm usually asked to look at) is for the most part marketing materials (both free and paid for) People think I need this or feel entitled to my attention? o my?

rjtavares 5y ago

Thousands of companies in the world are built around a single customer or supplier. Nothing wrong with that, as long as it treated as an existential risk (which doesn't seem to be the case here).

Retric 5y ago
There is very much something wrong with it or it wouldn’t be an existential risk.
- dspillett 5y ago
  It is fine to initially build around a single source/sink, often you have to as you lack the resources to successfully be any more generalist, and often a new product/service evolves out of an interaction with that one entity (or pair of entities if the product acts as a bridge). The risk is staying in that state too long, and the trick is knowing how and when to start diversifying, or at least having a plan for diversification in case it is needed at short notice.
nonameiguess 5y ago
That's what contracts are for. Lockheed would be screwed if the government just decided to up and cancel every program that purchases Lockheed products, but they can't. They placed an order, agreed in writing, and can't just change their mind and not pay.

dspillett 5y ago

> it does not follow that they need you as a publisher This is a large part of why eBay favours the buyer[†]. Yes, they need sellers, but if you stop selling the buyers don't go away so someone else will take your position in their market (no change for eBay overall) or increased competition will increase prices (so eBay make the same despite lower sales due to % of sale based fees). People buying from sellers using eBay as a platform are the more treasured resource, much the same as the people reading from publishers who are using facebook as a platform, and the same dynamic exists in many other places. Only when a resource is truly both in specific demand and scarce does this situation reverse. [†] or at least it feels that way to most sellers, buyers still sometimes feel shafted too though that are shafted less than sellers.

6510 5y ago

I [almost] never use facebook. When I log in the feed that is suppose to contain my contacts posts (that I'm usually asked to look at) is for the most part marketing materials (both free and paid for) People think I need this or feel entitled to my attention? o my?