4 ms·

In my opinion, such a platform, or several, using an entirely different paradigm, already exist. To overtake Facebook, it is simply a matter of making it as ea

In my opinion, such a platform, or several, using an entirely different paradigm, already exist. To overtake Facebook, it is simply a matter of making it as easy to use as Facebook, and Facebook annoyances having reached a breaking point. Whether there is yet sufficient impetus to do the UI work and whether Facebook users are ready to move on to the next thing is another question.

donw 15y ago
I'm going put put my two cents in, and say that a platform capable of replacing Facebook for discussion and community on the web has already been created. It's called Reddit. Bear with me here, I realize this is probably an unpopular opinion. On Reddit, all content is open -- I don't think I've ever seen a 'closed' sub-reddit available only to members. I'm not sure it's even possible. Yet, in spite of all communities being effectively open, most sub-reddits have a strong sense of community, and are very active. Personally, I really enjoy proggit and r/math for this reason -- active discussion, community moderation, and a strong sense of community.
- user24 15y ago
  but you still have to register for reddit... reddit's owned by conde nast, it's not an open platform. Conde nast could at a moment's notice shut the entire thing down, or put it behind a paywall, or sell your 'likes' to an advertiser. This is a problem common to all centralised solutions.
  - 101001010111 15y ago
    This is the type of thinking that will hasten Facebook's demise. And it's a perfectly reasonable line of thought. The next time you hear the phrase "It doesn't scale" in reference to something, ask yourself why it needs to. In some cases it might not. Centralised approaches (e.g. websites on the open internet) obviously need to scale. Facebook is a public website. And it's on the open internet, for anyone with an account to see and ready to be hacked by those with skill who do not need accounts. I always come back to this: How many people do you really need to be reading your profile? Friends, coworkers, family, ... potentially anyone, anywhere in the world with a computer and an internet connection? It just does not make sense.
  - icebraining 15y ago
    Nitpick: Reddit is no longer owner by Condé Nast, they are now a subsidiary of the parent company, Advance Publications.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]
  - vidarh 15y ago
    No, you don't have to register. You have to register to post. As for shutting it down: The code is open source, so while it'd be hard to unite around a common replacement, if they tried to shut it down it would not be the end.
- Raphael 15y ago
  There are private subreddits, such as Gryffindor.
- markkat 15y ago
  True. I have little interest in actual discussions on G+ or FB because of the public use of my full name, and the connections that I have there. There are, and will remain, plenty of people that enjoy interaction that has a bit more anonymity. r/truereddit is quite good. I think part of what has happened to these dwindling forums is that they are functionally out-dated, and a bit too insular. -It takes too much time for new people to get up to speed on most boards. (dont forget Hubski, btw. :))
- quanticle 15y ago
  There is a closed subreddit available to members who have purchased Reddit Gold: /r/lounge.
  - comex 15y ago
    (If you haven't seen it, that subreddit is just "look how rich I am" silliness.)

donw 15y ago

I'm going put put my two cents in, and say that a platform capable of replacing Facebook for discussion and community on the web has already been created. It's called Reddit. Bear with me here, I realize this is probably an unpopular opinion. On Reddit, all content is open -- I don't think I've ever seen a 'closed' sub-reddit available only to members. I'm not sure it's even possible. Yet, in spite of all communities being effectively open, most sub-reddits have a strong sense of community, and are very active. Personally, I really enjoy proggit and r/math for this reason -- active discussion, community moderation, and a strong sense of community.

user24 15y ago
but you still have to register for reddit... reddit's owned by conde nast, it's not an open platform. Conde nast could at a moment's notice shut the entire thing down, or put it behind a paywall, or sell your 'likes' to an advertiser. This is a problem common to all centralised solutions.
- 101001010111 15y ago
  This is the type of thinking that will hasten Facebook's demise. And it's a perfectly reasonable line of thought. The next time you hear the phrase "It doesn't scale" in reference to something, ask yourself why it needs to. In some cases it might not. Centralised approaches (e.g. websites on the open internet) obviously need to scale. Facebook is a public website. And it's on the open internet, for anyone with an account to see and ready to be hacked by those with skill who do not need accounts. I always come back to this: How many people do you really need to be reading your profile? Friends, coworkers, family, ... potentially anyone, anywhere in the world with a computer and an internet connection? It just does not make sense.
- icebraining 15y ago
  Nitpick: Reddit is no longer owner by Condé Nast, they are now a subsidiary of the parent company, Advance Publications.
  - deleted 15y ago
    [deleted]
- vidarh 15y ago
  No, you don't have to register. You have to register to post. As for shutting it down: The code is open source, so while it'd be hard to unite around a common replacement, if they tried to shut it down it would not be the end.
Raphael 15y ago
There are private subreddits, such as Gryffindor.
markkat 15y ago
True. I have little interest in actual discussions on G+ or FB because of the public use of my full name, and the connections that I have there. There are, and will remain, plenty of people that enjoy interaction that has a bit more anonymity. r/truereddit is quite good. I think part of what has happened to these dwindling forums is that they are functionally out-dated, and a bit too insular. -It takes too much time for new people to get up to speed on most boards. (dont forget Hubski, btw. :))
quanticle 15y ago
There is a closed subreddit available to members who have purchased Reddit Gold: /r/lounge.
- comex 15y ago
  (If you haven't seen it, that subreddit is just "look how rich I am" silliness.)