Step 1: Get a lot of users; Step 2: ???; Step 3: Profit! This is why LinkedIn's ability to monetize is so important. Facebook has already raised half a billio

Step 1: Get a lot of users; Step 2: ???; Step 3: Profit! This is why LinkedIn's ability to monetize is so important. Facebook has already raised half a billion and will probably need to raise that amount again to survive until it comes out with its business plan. According to the TechCrunch figures, they're loosing $142M/year (dangerous assumption, I know). At that point, maybe Facebook can become profitable, but how profitable? I don't really feel like running net present value calculations (maybes someone else can), but when you're talking about VC of $1B and the better part of a decade before profitability, you quickly see how much someone has to make to actually be a worthwhile venture. Maybe Facebook will start making billions per year. Maybe Facebook just won't be able to monetize their traffic (to a profitable level).