Comments on: MySpace vs Facebook – The “Duh” Difference

By: alpha

alpha — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:47:31 +0000

The main reason you’d care about someone using the same app as you is that you are looking to waste some time and none of your contacts have added an application you want to play with… You don’t actually care who that person is… but you want them to challenge you.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 23:43:48 +0000

In related news, water is wet

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:26:49 +0000

Facebook is geared around real world networks, such as work or uni. Why would I care about a stranger using the same application as me, I only care about my friends?

By: Gian Carlo Martinelli

Gian Carlo Martinelli — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:01:02 +0000

You’re totally right.. Orkut (very used in Brazil) is also very open… one interesting consequence is the huge number of fake profiles created. People on Orkut try to show off, and the main passtime for it’s users is to check other peoples profiles and ‘scraps’ (like the Wall of Facebook).
Many people, today, are concerned about the types of information they make available in Orkut since there have been some “rumors/urban legends” that tell stories about people being kidnapped because of personal info available in the social network (the school they go to, the car they own, etc).
We’re seeing a lot of brazilians migrating to Facebook, and I believe ‘security’ and ‘privacy’ are main drivers.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:33:37 +0000

Agreed – although comment #3 bring up some valid counter-points to the notion that facebook lacks focus on meeting new people.

An interesting conversation none the less, steve. When the idea train slows down I like to read these little “consider this” posts you come up with… it’s never the same tired crap everyone else is blogging about on slow news days.

By: Michael St. Hilaire

Michael St. Hilaire — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:05:44 +0000

I agree with everything up to the last paragraph.

I think both are about connecting with friends and meeting new people. I would say Facebook was ORIGINALLY about connecting with friends and maybe meeting people in a very controlled manner through your network of friends. However I think due to the new apps platform we are seeing a shift in this.

One example is we are seeing movie sites pop up on facebook now:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4341403637

This used to be something you would only see on Myspace. Apparently thats not the case anymore.

Also, I believe Facebook apps that allow people to meet new people will be wildly successful. Look at iminlikewithyou as one example of this (although they haven’t really opened up yet to get the masses of users)

If I was making an app that allowed you to meet new people, I certainly wouldn’t steer clear of facebook by any means.

By: Wayne Mulligan

Wayne Mulligan — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:32:29 +0000

Agree – that’s the primary value add facebook brings to the table. It’s not about forming new contact and connections online – it’s about enhancing the contacts and connections you already have offline. Adding value to these real world or “off line” relationships, in my opinion, is dramatically more valuable than building new virtual relationships.

By: Jordan Mitchell

Jordan Mitchell — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:56:32 +0000

Agree