4 ms·

Facebook was just an iteration over other social networks. If FB didn't exist today, things would be a tad different - we'd be using MySpace to connect, Flickr

Facebook was just an iteration over other social networks. If FB didn't exist today, things would be a tad different - we'd be using MySpace to connect, Flickr to share photos, and AIM to chat. It's not like they introduced the internet, or a cure to cancer.

bmj 15y ago
Well, except that unlike using Flickr for photos, AIM for chat, and MySpace to connect, using Facebook puts all your eggs in a single basket. As others have pointed out, that is likely the source of much of the disdain for FB 'round these parts.
- brudgers 15y ago
  I've got some eggs at Linkedin.
  - jaxn 15y ago
    Related: LinkedIn has a P/E of over 600 today. It makes Facebook's 100 seem almost conservative.
waterlesscloud 15y ago
Google was just an iteration over other search engines.
- AznHisoka 15y ago
  There's a magnitude improvement from Altavista to Google. Not so with Facebook over an alternative.
  - theorique 15y ago
    Were you using Friendster in 2004? At that time, Facebook was a real quantum leap over a site that didn't let you log in because it was too slow. For me, at least, that was the critical step - having a site that just worked.
    - AznHisoka 14y ago
      I take what I said back. For me personally, FB was a step back in terms of improving the quality of life, let alone any sort of leap.
- abhaga 15y ago
  An iteration with huge improvement. Would you say if Google wouldn't have happened, we would be fine searching on Yahoo, Altavista and Lycos? And webmail would be fine and dandy with Yahoo Mail and Hotmail if there was no Gmail?
  - waterlesscloud 15y ago
    Facebook was at least that big a jump over its previous alternatives. That's the point.
    - gtirloni 14y ago
      Personally I'm only on FB because my family insist on being there. The site is ugly confusing, I do not get any rewards from being there except that I, again, see my family's posts. If my family was on whatever other social network, I'd be there. So perhaps we should discuss how FB actually got luck and got people to sign up instead of praising some innovative web services. Hint: games and cat pictures.

bmj 15y ago

Well, except that unlike using Flickr for photos, AIM for chat, and MySpace to connect, using Facebook puts all your eggs in a single basket. As others have pointed out, that is likely the source of much of the disdain for FB 'round these parts.

brudgers 15y ago
I've got some eggs at Linkedin.
- jaxn 15y ago
  Related: LinkedIn has a P/E of over 600 today. It makes Facebook's 100 seem almost conservative.

waterlesscloud 15y ago

Google was just an iteration over other search engines.

AznHisoka 15y ago
There's a magnitude improvement from Altavista to Google. Not so with Facebook over an alternative.
- theorique 15y ago
  Were you using Friendster in 2004? At that time, Facebook was a real quantum leap over a site that didn't let you log in because it was too slow. For me, at least, that was the critical step - having a site that just worked.
  - AznHisoka 14y ago
    I take what I said back. For me personally, FB was a step back in terms of improving the quality of life, let alone any sort of leap.
abhaga 15y ago
An iteration with huge improvement. Would you say if Google wouldn't have happened, we would be fine searching on Yahoo, Altavista and Lycos? And webmail would be fine and dandy with Yahoo Mail and Hotmail if there was no Gmail?
- waterlesscloud 15y ago
  Facebook was at least that big a jump over its previous alternatives. That's the point.
  - gtirloni 14y ago
    Personally I'm only on FB because my family insist on being there. The site is ugly confusing, I do not get any rewards from being there except that I, again, see my family's posts. If my family was on whatever other social network, I'd be there. So perhaps we should discuss how FB actually got luck and got people to sign up instead of praising some innovative web services. Hint: games and cat pictures.