What would get me (and others) to shut up about Facebook?

July 20, 2007 By

If you haven’t been over to TechMeme (still my favorite tech news site) in the past two weeks you might have missed that I’m not the only one talking about Facebook.

Since I’m now the official “newest shiny object reporter” I was asking myself “what’s the next shiny object that will get me to switch my attention away from Facebook?”

Could it come from LinkedIn? Nah, they aren’t even playing the same game anymore. Their management team doesn’t understand developers, doesn’t have the cool culture or cool app platform that Facebook has, and it’s doubtful they’ll regain the high ground in the identity space. Plaxo? Nah, not a cool brand name and their shot is to sit down with Mark Zuckerberg and become the “Switzerland” for your Facebook data. Actually that’d be pretty brilliant for both Facebook and Plaxo to do, the new Plaxo really is a nice way to get your contact data from one app (Outlook) to the next (I’d like to move my contacts into Facebook and back out to Outlook again). Don’t ignore Plaxo, though, lots of people have been praising it lately for its moves into OpenID.

Is it Microsoft? Doubtful. Most of us still don’t really like the idea of Bill Gates storing all of our contact data and, anyway, even the coolest thing at Microsoft (Xbox) is having quality troubles, so not likely. Could Ray Ozzie pull a rabbit out of his hat? Maybe, but doubtful. There’s too much inertia at Microsoft that would keep them from building the kind of platform that would get me to shut up about Facebook.

Yahoo? Maybe, especially if Jerry stays focused on it. But they already have 250 million users on their email. That’s going to prove just as difficult a thing to deal with for Yahoo as it is for Microsoft. In other words, they’ll probably do something to make their users happy, but not disruptive enough to get me to shut up about Facebook.

So, what in the industry are we all forgetting about? Who has a platform that, if reengineered could all of a sudden pop up and make us all shut up about Facebook?

If you live in Brazil you know what it is. The thing I’m thinking about has a monopoly share of the social networking market in Brazil.

“Scoble, stop teasing me, what is it?”

Orkut.

Now, hear me out. I know Orkut is ugly. It doesn’t look like a Facebook killer. I agree. I signed in again this week just to see if anything is happening there. It’s not yet. But all the basics are there.

So, what kind of wine was I drinking to come up with this long rant? Some good Washington stuff (Reininger). But don’t hold that against me. Heheh.

Anyway, why could Orkut come back and get us all to shut up about Facebook? Do you remember who owns Orkut? Yeah, those evil kids over at Google.

Now, why is that important? Well, for one, most of the early adopters I know are on Gmail. I’m on it too, even though I keep my crusty old Hotmail account. Google has the best mobile app on my mobile phone too. Maps, if you’re on the iPhone, but if you’re on Nokia the Mobile Google app suite is really great. Lots of you, I know, are on iGoogle, which looks a little bit like Facebook’s profile page. Lots of you are using other things from Google. Picasa, for instance. Or customized Google searches. Or Google Reader. All of which would really benefit from having a Google Identity System.

So, could Google redesign Orkut, make it nice looking and functional (one of Facebook’s greatest attributes) which would appeal to people like me who are looking for the next shiny thing to use functional identity system and application delivery platform that gets everyone excited.

I don’t see anyone else who could get us all to shut up about Facebook. Do you?

Filed Under: 1
← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • samcollins

    Just wanted to draw your attention to the fact that it’s not just Brazil, but also India where Orkut is the most popular.

  • samcollins

    Just wanted to draw your attention to the fact that it’s not just Brazil, but also India where Orkut is the most popular.

  • http://www.SelkieRescue.com/ judi

    What happened on Second Life? Why did everyone stop talking about it?

    ILFB.

  • http://www.SelkieRescue.com judi

    What happened on Second Life? Why did everyone stop talking about it?

    ILFB.

  • BitCrazed

    Hey Robert – a question:

    Why do you trust Google to store all your information?

  • BitCrazed

    Hey Robert – a question:

    Why do you trust Google to store all your information?

  • wreck

    I’m a bit tired of the Facebook thing myself. It’s just another service on the net among hundreds of others.

    If you like it and it works for you, enjoy it. I don’t like any of the social sites. I have a small family, a life, and I enjoy things, but I fail to see what Facebook or any other site is going to do for me. How will it improve my life beyond what it is already.

    My friends and I communicate via email. It works just find. While I dislike the asynchronous aspect of email, my friends and I both work for employers where IM is frowned upon at work, so asynchronous it is.

    What I’m holding out for is a Web services or services whereby I can see my friends in real time, talk with them without cost beyond my ISP, send them files in real time, share bookmarks instantly. I want all this on one site. Granted, I’ll have to have a webcam onboard or external, but that’s a minor detail.

  • wreck

    I’m a bit tired of the Facebook thing myself. It’s just another service on the net among hundreds of others.

    If you like it and it works for you, enjoy it. I don’t like any of the social sites. I have a small family, a life, and I enjoy things, but I fail to see what Facebook or any other site is going to do for me. How will it improve my life beyond what it is already.

    My friends and I communicate via email. It works just find. While I dislike the asynchronous aspect of email, my friends and I both work for employers where IM is frowned upon at work, so asynchronous it is.

    What I’m holding out for is a Web services or services whereby I can see my friends in real time, talk with them without cost beyond my ISP, send them files in real time, share bookmarks instantly. I want all this on one site. Granted, I’ll have to have a webcam onboard or external, but that’s a minor detail.

  • LayZ

    “and, anyway, even the coolest thing at Microsoft (Xbox) is having quality troubles, so not likely.”

    How is that even remotely related to MS possibly building a social networking app? You do understand the difference between software and hardware, right?

  • LayZ

    “and, anyway, even the coolest thing at Microsoft (Xbox) is having quality troubles, so not likely.”

    How is that even remotely related to MS possibly building a social networking app? You do understand the difference between software and hardware, right?

  • http://www.geise.com/ PXLated

    > “PXLated: everything is temporary if you take a long enough viewpoint.” <
    Yes, but you know what I mean, longer than 3, 6 or 9 months. I know that’s considered long to a certain crowd.

  • http://www.geise.com PXLated

    > “PXLated: everything is temporary if you take a long enough viewpoint.” <
    Yes, but you know what I mean, longer than 3, 6 or 9 months. I know that’s considered long to a certain crowd.

  • http://www.beercosoftware.com/ Chris

    “and, anyway, even the coolest thing at Microsoft (Xbox) is having quality troubles, so not likely.”

    Xbox and PS3 have contact management, crappy email, instant messaging and more. PS3 is about to come out of beta with @home which should be THE Social networking platform for all gamers ever with finality.

    http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-revealed/
    “PlayStation Home will be a free download, and will eventually include a virtual cinema for watching movie downloads”

    MS’s Xbox is legacy * 1000 as far as social network gaming platforms is concerned when @home RTM is in the PS store.

  • http://www.beercosoftware.com Chris

    “and, anyway, even the coolest thing at Microsoft (Xbox) is having quality troubles, so not likely.”

    Xbox and PS3 have contact management, crappy email, instant messaging and more. PS3 is about to come out of beta with @home which should be THE Social networking platform for all gamers ever with finality.

    http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-revealed/
    “PlayStation Home will be a free download, and will eventually include a virtual cinema for watching movie downloads”

    MS’s Xbox is legacy * 1000 as far as social network gaming platforms is concerned when @home RTM is in the PS store.

  • http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/members/divedi/ Dimitar Vesselinov
  • http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/members/divedi/ Dimitar Vesselinov
  • http://www.beercosoftware.com/ Chris

    That last comment was for LayZ.

    You have to remember that were Facebook, Orkut ect… are all Yugos of Social networking, @Home is a high end BMW.

    It’s the difference between being seated in this chair
    http://www.panasonic.ca/english/personalhealth/massagechair/ep3513k.asp

    or being seated on a log stump in the woods.

    Not everybody can afford that chair, but those that can are going to be infinitely better off.

  • http://www.beercosoftware.com Chris

    That last comment was for LayZ.

    You have to remember that were Facebook, Orkut ect… are all Yugos of Social networking, @Home is a high end BMW.

    It’s the difference between being seated in this chair
    http://www.panasonic.ca/english/personalhealth/massagechair/ep3513k.asp

    or being seated on a log stump in the woods.

    Not everybody can afford that chair, but those that can are going to be infinitely better off.

  • http://blogspot.com/ Rodgers

    Least Facebook keeps the geeky sociopaths off the street, I give it that much at least.

  • http://blogspot.com Rodgers

    Least Facebook keeps the geeky sociopaths off the street, I give it that much at least.

  • http://blog.macb.net macbeach

    So what is your Orkut ID Robert?

    I deleted mine months ago too, although I generally like most things Google.

    Problem is that when they buy existing code that has been around a while it takes them a while to integrate it well.

    Orkut was very slow and buggy for a long time after the purchase. I’m having another look. Looks for one thing like they have managed to get the performance up in spite of the bazillion users in Brazil.

    Most of this social networking stuff bores me. On the other hand if I were looking to connect up with old college folks etc, I’d much rather use Orkut than Myspace. Come to think of it, I’d rather stick my hand in a blender than use Myspace.

    My hope though is that all these things are forced by user demand to interact with one another. I should be able to be seen by Myspace users or Facebook users by only having an Orkut ID, and visa versa.

    Of course we are still waiting for the Instant messengers to interoperate aren’t we? I won’t hold my breath.

  • http://macbeach.blogspot.com macbeach

    So what is your Orkut ID Robert?

    I deleted mine months ago too, although I generally like most things Google.

    Problem is that when they buy existing code that has been around a while it takes them a while to integrate it well.

    Orkut was very slow and buggy for a long time after the purchase. I’m having another look. Looks for one thing like they have managed to get the performance up in spite of the bazillion users in Brazil.

    Most of this social networking stuff bores me. On the other hand if I were looking to connect up with old college folks etc, I’d much rather use Orkut than Myspace. Come to think of it, I’d rather stick my hand in a blender than use Myspace.

    My hope though is that all these things are forced by user demand to interact with one another. I should be able to be seen by Myspace users or Facebook users by only having an Orkut ID, and visa versa.

    Of course we are still waiting for the Instant messengers to interoperate aren’t we? I won’t hold my breath.

  • LayZ

    @34 Fair point, but I still don’t see how the XBOX360 hardware problems are in any way related to Microsoft’s potential ability to deliver a social networking solution.

  • LayZ

    @34 Fair point, but I still don’t see how the XBOX360 hardware problems are in any way related to Microsoft’s potential ability to deliver a social networking solution.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    LayZ: not related in getting it out, but related in getting it seen as cool enough to get the attention to shift off of Facebook.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    LayZ: not related in getting it out, but related in getting it seen as cool enough to get the attention to shift off of Facebook.

  • Umesh

    This Chris guy @34 really bores me a lot Robert. Are you getting paid to have his comments here? He reminds me of Don Quixote.

    Also, since you touched on Orkut, I want to add it is the biggest social networking site in India. Its like Yahoo or Hotmail right now, even more popular.

    We don’t know (or love) Facebook very much though FB is really “shiny” and more sophisticated. Rather FB is simple and private.

    Everyone I know has an Orkut account. I know its ugly but its so easy to use. FB is beautiful but geeky for Indian tastes. Trust me. Orkut is a masala movie, very popular, though not refined. FB is an art movie, refined, but not as popular.

    Privacy? Social networking sites have been made to mainly strut your stuff. :-) That’s what makes them viral.

    I told my friends about FB, they are not buying it. Orkut is enough they say.

  • Umesh

    This Chris guy @34 really bores me a lot Robert. Are you getting paid to have his comments here? He reminds me of Don Quixote.

    Also, since you touched on Orkut, I want to add it is the biggest social networking site in India. Its like Yahoo or Hotmail right now, even more popular.

    We don’t know (or love) Facebook very much though FB is really “shiny” and more sophisticated. Rather FB is simple and private.

    Everyone I know has an Orkut account. I know its ugly but its so easy to use. FB is beautiful but geeky for Indian tastes. Trust me. Orkut is a masala movie, very popular, though not refined. FB is an art movie, refined, but not as popular.

    Privacy? Social networking sites have been made to mainly strut your stuff. :-) That’s what makes them viral.

    I told my friends about FB, they are not buying it. Orkut is enough they say.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Umesh: i generally don’t block any comments. Chris pisses me off lots too, but I leave him here cause I believe in freedom of speech, for better or worse.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Umesh: i generally don’t block any comments. Chris pisses me off lots too, but I leave him here cause I believe in freedom of speech, for better or worse.

  • http://www.apprate.com/ Jeremy Toeman

    Good post here – I think it’ll be a long time to get a shift from Facebook. It’s got the massive momentum of 18-25 year olds who use it in a way that anyone outside of age group really doesn’t understand unless they’ve done a lot of hands-on observation.

    Further, the tech/biz community is adopting it, and while there’s a lot of hype around things like Twitter, Facebook is a much bigger time investment for people, making them much less likely to change.

    We launched apprate.com specifically because we think the opportunity for Facebook-related platform plays will be huge. Of course, I also own fbapprate.com, but I liked hedging my bet with the more generic name. :)

  • http://www.apprate.com Jeremy Toeman

    Good post here – I think it’ll be a long time to get a shift from Facebook. It’s got the massive momentum of 18-25 year olds who use it in a way that anyone outside of age group really doesn’t understand unless they’ve done a lot of hands-on observation.

    Further, the tech/biz community is adopting it, and while there’s a lot of hype around things like Twitter, Facebook is a much bigger time investment for people, making them much less likely to change.

    We launched apprate.com specifically because we think the opportunity for Facebook-related platform plays will be huge. Of course, I also own fbapprate.com, but I liked hedging my bet with the more generic name. :)

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Jeremy: yeah, I just posted to my profile a video done of a physicist at CERN that was poured into FaceBook. Great stuff.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Jeremy: yeah, I just posted to my profile a video done of a physicist at CERN that was poured into FaceBook. Great stuff.

  • daspark

    I signed up for Orkut years ago when that hideous thing came out and I haven’t touched it since.

    What I love about Facebook is it’s become the dialogue of my friends’ and even business colleagues’ lives. It takes the Twitter/Jaiku/Pownce world and combines it into the little actions you can actively take on a social network. So whether I manually type in “I’m having a ham sandwich” or I post a picture, both appear as a single line microblogged action.

    I have a summary of why I think Facebook has become so successful here: http://www.sparkminute.com/?p=213

  • daspark

    I signed up for Orkut years ago when that hideous thing came out and I haven’t touched it since.

    What I love about Facebook is it’s become the dialogue of my friends’ and even business colleagues’ lives. It takes the Twitter/Jaiku/Pownce world and combines it into the little actions you can actively take on a social network. So whether I manually type in “I’m having a ham sandwich” or I post a picture, both appear as a single line microblogged action.

    I have a summary of why I think Facebook has become so successful here: http://www.sparkminute.com/?p=213

  • Pingback: Executive Conversations with Steven Groves

  • Umesh

    It’s wrong to say Orkut came out after FB. Orkut in India had hit the roof in 2005 itself, at a time when Facebook was completely unheard of.

    I’m not trolling for Orkut, just correcting Robert there. When he talks about Orkut as the next shiny thing that he’d like to rave/rant about..I feel like saying “hey wait a minute…Orkut’s even older” Pownce is the new shiny thing…but I think these things are a waste of time…too geeky…

  • Umesh

    It’s wrong to say Orkut came out after FB. Orkut in India had hit the roof in 2005 itself, at a time when Facebook was completely unheard of.

    I’m not trolling for Orkut, just correcting Robert there. When he talks about Orkut as the next shiny thing that he’d like to rave/rant about..I feel like saying “hey wait a minute…Orkut’s even older” Pownce is the new shiny thing…but I think these things are a waste of time…too geeky…

  • http://twitter.com/spinchange spinchange

    Google actually has been working on redesigning Orkut. They even backed a project @ Carnegie Mellon University to explore how & what it would take to create a “Grand Unified Social Network.
    I wrote about it here:http://www.thesocialbookmarker.com/2007/07/google-carnegie-mellon-and-grand.html

  • http://www.thesocialbookmarker.com Chris Duffy

    Google actually has been working on redesigning Orkut. They even backed a project @ Carnegie Mellon University to explore how & what it would take to create a “Grand Unified Social Network.
    I wrote about it here:http://www.thesocialbookmarker.com/2007/07/google-carnegie-mellon-and-grand.html

  • Pingback: The Technology Free Press » Blog Archive » What Could Get Scoble to Shut Up About Facebook?

  • chris

    Funny what you say about Linkedin since it’s the only networking site I’m part of due to being pinged by so many people that I used to work with in various companies. And a lot of people are in the same boat as me, our time is too precious and we’re not self-absorbed enough to get involved with myspace, and have busy enough social lives that we have zero interest in facebook. Yet getting us hooked in professionally has seemed to have worked.
    Where do you think Linkedin misses the boat?

  • chris

    Funny what you say about Linkedin since it’s the only networking site I’m part of due to being pinged by so many people that I used to work with in various companies. And a lot of people are in the same boat as me, our time is too precious and we’re not self-absorbed enough to get involved with myspace, and have busy enough social lives that we have zero interest in facebook. Yet getting us hooked in professionally has seemed to have worked.
    Where do you think Linkedin misses the boat?

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Chris: I was on LinkedIn too and dropped it because there’s an expectation there that you’ll do stuff for people. I know they made a choice to tell everyone you wouldn’t do anything for others, but that just seemed rude and not fitting in with the usage model there.

    More and more people I trust, like Jeff Pulver who runs some of the biggest conferences in the industry, are telling me they are getting off of LinkedIn. http://pulverblog.pulver.com/archives/007226.html

    Facebook’s application platform is why you’ll need to move someday.

  • http://scobleizer.com/ Robert Scoble

    Chris: I was on LinkedIn too and dropped it because there’s an expectation there that you’ll do stuff for people. I know they made a choice to tell everyone you wouldn’t do anything for others, but that just seemed rude and not fitting in with the usage model there.

    More and more people I trust, like Jeff Pulver who runs some of the biggest conferences in the industry, are telling me they are getting off of LinkedIn. http://pulverblog.pulver.com/archives/007226.html

    Facebook’s application platform is why you’ll need to move someday.

  • http://kislove.wordpress.com/ sumanth
  • http://kislove.wordpress.com sumanth

  • Pingback: A.Connector » Blog Archive » Creaks from the floorboards of the Net

  • http://yale.facebook.com/profile.php?id=310464 Han Xu

    Actually, what would be so brilliant about a play by Google to upgrade Orkut would be that they wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of trying to convince their users to migrate to it. Take all of their GMail users, import their address book and saved addresses, and BAM — instant social network. Then you integrate Groups, Calendar, Docs & Spreadsheets, and you could see a much more complete platform come up overnight.

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →