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I just don't see how this is something to celebrate. Facebook is an awful company and an awful product.

return0 13y ago
Many developers have benefited greatly from either facebook exposure or their platform. It has become kind of a sine-qua-non for web applications at least. It's commonplace however to denigrate big monopolies (ibm, microsoft) and facebook is one of them.
neals 13y ago
I don't think they look at it like that themselves though...
brudgers 13y ago
The comment does not support its assertions with examples, reasons, or rationales.
matthewmacleod 13y ago
Don't be obnoxious. Facebook has obvious problems as a company—privacy violations, data retention, lock-in, and so on—and as software, especially with regard to the frequency with which it's buggy as hell. However, it's also had more impact on the utility of the web for most users than almost any other product, save for perhaps Google. More than one-seventh of the entire human population now uses Facebook every month, which is incredible. And to achieve that in only 10 years—obviously by providing a service that many people feel is worthwhile—is still something that we can admire, regardless of the other issues around Facebook.
- jpeterson 13y ago
  However, it's also had more impact on the utility of the web for most users than almost any other product, save for perhaps Google. If by "had more impact" you mean "changed it into a medium for idle entertainment". Seriously, what problem does Facebook solve? Does it even do a very good job solving this problem? Does it have any redeeming quality whatsoever? From where I stand, it's just another dumb fad that was in the right place at the right time. It's the slap bracelet of this generation.
  - robryan 13y ago
    At the top of the list I would say would be bringing a critical mass of users under the one service. Everything kind of follows from that, the actual service is less important and can likely be replicated by many companies.
    - PavlovsCat 13y ago
      > At the top of the list I would say would be bringing a critical mass of users under the one service. That sounds like damage to route around, not like a solution to a problem.
  - the_watcher 13y ago
    >> Seriously, what problem does Facebook solve? Does it even do a very good job solving this problem? Does it have any redeeming quality whatsoever? Seriously? Reconnecting with old friends (and it solved this problem so much better than anything else in history that it's laughable). Keeping in touch with family across the world. On a very simple level, it's basically replaced a folder on my computer for storing pictures, and now they are available to me no matter where I am. If you want to talk about making money, it's made demographic targeting widely available to those who couldn't afford a television ad, or wanted actual metrics. Slap bracelets came nowhere near the level of adoption Facebook hit. Calling it a fad is looking at the facts and willfully ignoring them.
yitchelle 13y ago
The standard reply "don't feed the troll" would be applicable here. I am surprised that this type of comment shows up in HN. However, hate Facebook or love Facebook, it does provide some social gluing at various levels. I mean, when my parents see pictures of their grandchildren playing on Facebook, their faces light up and smile. This type of interaction is valuable for my parents. I know that they are other ways of doing this, but this works at some level. For me, happy 10th birthday Facebook!
the_watcher 13y ago
That is simply incorrect.

Many developers have benefited greatly from either facebook exposure or their platform. It has become kind of a sine-qua-non for web applications at least. It's commonplace however to denigrate big monopolies (ibm, microsoft) and facebook is one of them.

neals 13y ago

I don't think they look at it like that themselves though...

brudgers 13y ago

The comment does not support its assertions with examples, reasons, or rationales.

matthewmacleod 13y ago

Don't be obnoxious. Facebook has obvious problems as a company—privacy violations, data retention, lock-in, and so on—and as software, especially with regard to the frequency with which it's buggy as hell. However, it's also had more impact on the utility of the web for most users than almost any other product, save for perhaps Google. More than one-seventh of the entire human population now uses Facebook every month, which is incredible. And to achieve that in only 10 years—obviously by providing a service that many people feel is worthwhile—is still something that we can admire, regardless of the other issues around Facebook.

jpeterson 13y ago
However, it's also had more impact on the utility of the web for most users than almost any other product, save for perhaps Google. If by "had more impact" you mean "changed it into a medium for idle entertainment". Seriously, what problem does Facebook solve? Does it even do a very good job solving this problem? Does it have any redeeming quality whatsoever? From where I stand, it's just another dumb fad that was in the right place at the right time. It's the slap bracelet of this generation.
- robryan 13y ago
  At the top of the list I would say would be bringing a critical mass of users under the one service. Everything kind of follows from that, the actual service is less important and can likely be replicated by many companies.
  - PavlovsCat 13y ago
    > At the top of the list I would say would be bringing a critical mass of users under the one service. That sounds like damage to route around, not like a solution to a problem.
- the_watcher 13y ago
  >> Seriously, what problem does Facebook solve? Does it even do a very good job solving this problem? Does it have any redeeming quality whatsoever? Seriously? Reconnecting with old friends (and it solved this problem so much better than anything else in history that it's laughable). Keeping in touch with family across the world. On a very simple level, it's basically replaced a folder on my computer for storing pictures, and now they are available to me no matter where I am. If you want to talk about making money, it's made demographic targeting widely available to those who couldn't afford a television ad, or wanted actual metrics. Slap bracelets came nowhere near the level of adoption Facebook hit. Calling it a fad is looking at the facts and willfully ignoring them.

yitchelle 13y ago

The standard reply "don't feed the troll" would be applicable here. I am surprised that this type of comment shows up in HN. However, hate Facebook or love Facebook, it does provide some social gluing at various levels. I mean, when my parents see pictures of their grandchildren playing on Facebook, their faces light up and smile. This type of interaction is valuable for my parents. I know that they are other ways of doing this, but this works at some level. For me, happy 10th birthday Facebook!

the_watcher 13y ago

That is simply incorrect.