Nic’s blog
I write about building businesses, failing and building a life, not a legacy.
Facebook goes all MySpace on us...is this the beginning of the end?
It had to happen. If you are going to open up Facebook (FB) to third party applications you have to expect that someone will come along and change things for those who want change.I hate MySpace because it's so unbelievably kitch and cheesy. Now FB can be those things too. Have a look at my profile.
I read about the application that allows you to do this on ReadWriteWeb. I am all for democracy and choice and blah blah blah, but I honestly think this is horrid.What are your thoughts?The application is put out by PageRage and will definitely help you take one step closer to a MySpace feel to your FB. I'm not convinced about the necessity for this sort of thing.*Note: You need to install the application to see my profile on Facebook and to see anyone else who has an altered profile. I cannot be held liable if your friends leave you and no one writes on your wall subsequent to adding this application to your Facebook.
Myspace: Tom lied about his age...who cares?
I don't give a toss that "Tom" lied about his age. Not. A. Single. Toss.Apparently this is newsworthy stuff according to Newsweek.
A few reasons why facebook is better than Myspace
I have just read a post outlining the top ten reasons why Myspace is better than facebook. I think that cheezhead has some good points but misses the reason that users and I stress, USERS, make use of social networks.cheezhead's top ten reasons why Myspace is better than facebook:
- Traffic
- Brand leader
- Media powerhouse
- Rock 'n Roll will never die
- Mo' money
- Rupert Murdoch
- Custom URLs
- Customizable pages
- News corporation and phat partners
- Classifieds
Now I agree with a couple of the above points: Custom URLs and Customizable pages are the main two. I think that custom URLs and the ability to change your page are great ideas. However in practice Myspace is simply difficult to use. I am fairly well versed in CSS and html and I struggled to understand where and how to customize a page. Thus if you are going to make pages customizable, make it simple or be like facebook and leave it out. The custom URL thing on Myspace is great.My reasons why facebook rocks:
- Groups - facebook has the uncanny ability to link people through groups. I have found tons of mates that I lost contact with years ago through these groups. While Myspace is filled with millions of useless users who become your friends to spam and promote a product or themselves. That's not what users are after. Plus the porn on myspace is terrible.
- Group Creation - the ability to create groups and invite your mates and others in to these groups is definitely a big plus.
- Simplicity - facebook makes users want to return and use their service because it is so ridiculously simple. Part of the simplicity factor is the fact that pages are the same and not customizable. If they couldn't make it easy, they left it out.
- Mini-feed - facebook's mini-feed is absolutely incredible. You can see which of your friends are friends with other people you might know. It allows you to see who is changing their profile pics, uploading photos, adding posts, blogging etc etc etc. This little tool is invaluable when it comes to finding people you know and meeting people you don't.
- Blog RSS - facebook makes it simple to add your blogs posts to your facebook page and allow your mates to read your posts. I have received hundreds of hits on my blog from my facebook profile. Myspace does this too, but screw me if I know how.
At the end of the day I don't care how much money Myspace earns, how many millions of users are on Myspace or if Ruper Murdoch owns my life online. I care about meeting up with people that I know and facebook does this better than Myspace by a long way.
FakeYourSpace - Online rent a crowd
Things have now reached a sad level in the social world of the web. Myspace has become a promoters paradise where the point of the exercise has been lost. Other social networks have also been abused by users and now this.FakeYourSpace allows users to buy friends. For a nominal fee of 99c users receive 8 messages on your facebook or myspace profile that are posted by "models" and will stay on your space forever. Now you can appear to be popular without actually knowing anyone or anything about anyone. How fucking unbelievably sad is this shit?Next thing you know there is going to be a big Hollywood movie made about some teenage loser who has no "space friends" and pays to have people post on his space and then gets caught. But wait, there will be a moral, people in cyberspace will all feel bad and become this twats friends. Please.I really, really think that this has reached a dire state. If you cannot make friends in the real world you WILL NOT be able to make friends in cyber space. If you think I am wrong, you are one of these losers. I will not be apologising for saying any of this so don't ask me to. If you have ever thought of paying for visitors on your site then you are also one of these losers. Everyone tries to get more hits, that's fine, add content, submit to search engines make things interesting etc etc etc, but paying to have visitors you have never met, seen or heard of before to post comments on your site is upsettingly sad. Go and see a psychologist.To the man/woman who thought this idea up: Well done. This is capitalism at work, at it's best. I applaud you for recognising a niche and exploiting it. I am just upset that I didn't think of this first.