More on the Facebook Platform
More interesting posts this week on the potential and implications of the Facebook platform.
Marc Andreesen describes how, despite the failures of the walled gardens of AOL, Compuserve and Prodigy, few web properties have focused on the need to develop platforms. Yes, some have API's, enabling interaction from the outside, while others support basic widgets, but not the full development platform needed to foster a development ecosystem.
Andreesen also delves deeply into the pros and cons of the Facebook architecture. Interestingly, he points to what may soon be known as the Facebook Syndrome (a variation of the TechCrunch Effect), where when your application goes up on Facebook you are very happy because you have lots of users, and you are very sad because your servers blow up.
Meanwhile, in advance of her Web 2.0 presentation, Esther Dyson explores the non-technical implications of the growth of social networks. Esther points out that the new Facebook model:
- Mirrors the social relationships of the real world, which will require tools and applications to manage interruptions and to provide gradations of levels between "friend" and "stranger".
- Changes the business model online, allowing businesses to tap into existing social networks, rather than simply opening up a website in a vacuum.
- Supports the attention economy, where you establish a presence and gain attention back
It seems at all the recent conferences, there's been discussion of the need for businesses to establish a presence in Second Life. For those in the content and technology space, I'd put that on the back burner and begin to focus on their Facebook strategy.
Comments