Quite recenltly, Facebook created controversy kicking out its user who was trying to extract his friends list for use in his other Social Networking site. Basically, Facebook was so trying to protect its vital information, the user generated content. I wrote a post on this during the turn of events here. With OpenSocial on the anvil, allowing data portability across its compliant websites, Facebook has been forced to make the move, it wouldn't have otherwise. But, obviously Facebook isn't going to get OpenSocialized.
So, a new alliance has been formed to provide data portability across the prominent Social Networking platforms. If successful, this would be the next big thing after the arrival of OpenSocial and Facebook. Eventhough, the alliance is just kicking up, participation of most big names in Social Networking domain seems to make the alliance relevant. Some of the big names have already jumped in: Facebook, Google(OpenSocial), LinkedIn and Plaxo.
Its still unclear on how the portability will be provided. But, certianly a big news for Social Networking app developers and websites operating in this space.
Dataportability.org has more info on the alliance.
Jan 20, 2008
Toggle your web page to screen mode
Came across a web page that has an interesting way to view the page. Typically, web pages are built to automatically resize to screen width or have a fixed width immaterial of screen size. But, this allows the user to toggle between narrow and widescreen view of the web page. It may not be technically complicated thing to do, but certainly an innovative feature.
Checkout the page with the feature. Look for "Switch view:" below the page header towards the right corner of the page. Alternatively, search for "Switch view:".
Checkout the page with the feature. Look for "Switch view:" below the page header towards the right corner of the page. Alternatively, search for "Switch view:".
Jan 5, 2008
Facebook - sign of growth(trouble)?
Facebook removed one of its users for trying to export his Facebook friends list to his other networking site. Facebook users shot back on hearing this news. Who the heck is Facebook to kick me out of the site? After all, its content like mine and millions of others that make up the 'Facebook' what it is today. Without users' content, its a piece of s**t. Atleast, this is how many Facebook users reacted on hearing the news.
What was the crime by the Facebook user, Scoble who got kicked out? Scoble tried to retrieve his friends list in Facebook for use in his other networking sites. Was it a crime in first place? YES. Atleast, as per the terms and conditions of Facebook usage. Hmm... i thought, it was ME, who added that contact to my friends list. And, now Facebook doesn't allow me to take it wherever i like to? Sounds unfair? Alright. Let's hear the Facebook's story. You own YOUR profile contents only. But, not others'. The contact details of your friends are certainly not yours and you don't have the right to distribute, as its deemed risky/whatever by Facebook.
As a fact, Facebook allows you to import contacts from your email address books such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL into Facebook and eventually, send a friend request or invite those email IDs. If Facebook doesn't mind scrape your email address book, what is wrong in someone else retrieving contacts from Facebook? Just like email address book maintains contacts, Facebook does the same. On the contrary, Facebook's only formidable competitor OpenSocial encourages users to share content/contacts across OpenSocial sites.
Unlike the past closed content model, where the contents were generated by sites and users were just consumers(Yahoo, MSN, Rediff), now is the generation of pro-sumer model, where user generates AND consumes content. Slowly but steadily, the user generated content is becoming the lifeline of successful sites. Facebook is the living proof of the model. LinkedIn, MySpace, Orkut are further proof of the power of user generated content. With OpenSocial encouraging users to share details across OpenSocial sites, how long it might take for Facebook to revert its decision?
The article that prompted me to write this post is here
What was the crime by the Facebook user, Scoble who got kicked out? Scoble tried to retrieve his friends list in Facebook for use in his other networking sites. Was it a crime in first place? YES. Atleast, as per the terms and conditions of Facebook usage. Hmm... i thought, it was ME, who added that contact to my friends list. And, now Facebook doesn't allow me to take it wherever i like to? Sounds unfair? Alright. Let's hear the Facebook's story. You own YOUR profile contents only. But, not others'. The contact details of your friends are certainly not yours and you don't have the right to distribute, as its deemed risky/whatever by Facebook.
As a fact, Facebook allows you to import contacts from your email address books such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL into Facebook and eventually, send a friend request or invite those email IDs. If Facebook doesn't mind scrape your email address book, what is wrong in someone else retrieving contacts from Facebook? Just like email address book maintains contacts, Facebook does the same. On the contrary, Facebook's only formidable competitor OpenSocial encourages users to share content/contacts across OpenSocial sites.
Unlike the past closed content model, where the contents were generated by sites and users were just consumers(Yahoo, MSN, Rediff), now is the generation of pro-sumer model, where user generates AND consumes content. Slowly but steadily, the user generated content is becoming the lifeline of successful sites. Facebook is the living proof of the model. LinkedIn, MySpace, Orkut are further proof of the power of user generated content. With OpenSocial encouraging users to share details across OpenSocial sites, how long it might take for Facebook to revert its decision?
The article that prompted me to write this post is here
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