azeem.azhar.co.uk [18 December 2002]
Azeem compares Friendster with its predecessor, Six Degrees. Six Degrees collapsed under its own wait; Azeem notes how fast and cute Friendster is (note date).
“The value of Friendster is that it has got us excited again. It isn’t the killer application for the social network. But it is another attempt to find that application.”
“It toys with serendipity. It has some exploratory tools. But it is still a centralised system. It still imposes a cost to create a presence and maintain that presence. And it has yet to prove–althought it may yet prove–functionality and utility over the long-run.”
After someone noted that he added the author in his comments, he responded with: “But i don’t know who you are!! since friendster is for dating, i want to make sure i can really vet everyone on my list…. i wouldn’t want my friends being stalked…. okay. okay. i’ll add you!”
iwire [17 December 2002]
“Very useful for the forgetful; but what exactly is the point? All of this either duplicates functionality already available by (a) knowing who your friends are and what they look like or (b) using e-mail and other more basic ways of keeping in touch. At the margin (and if the network is big enough) it might be useful for getting introductions to people other people know, but even that is questionable.”
“All of those capital letters and all that FUN do hide a decent point point, namely that there are occasional costs and barriers involved in friends introducing their friends to other friends. But that doesn’t mean that an all encompassing friends web-site is the best way to overcome them. Instead, it reflects the fact that most people have different groups of friends because their friends don’t have much in common anyway.”
“So, a muse for the day: social networking tools tend to be used by people who like social networking tools to show off to other people who are interested in social networking tools. Basically, its network bragging.”
blackbeltjones [17 December 2002]
“has accounted for a major dip in productivity in our office. Unlike previous social network building apps like sixdegrees or ryse there is something about it which is incredibly compelling.
Is it:
The ease of use of the well-considered IA and user-interface?
The photos?
The “privacy of the mall” feeling of a private public place that you feel confidence in?
The fact it’s not dressed up in “personal-productivity” speak and is just obviouslly about reinforcing and discovering social ties, and, ahem… dating?”
