Facebook does appear to really be the strong new kid on the block, though I don't think MySpace has had its day, yet. As a 'user' (well, 'Social Networks' really are the 21st Century drug of choice!), MySpace has become that adrenalin-fuelled one-night stand (!) I was blinded by the light, woke up and er, now see, in the case of MySpace, a slap-dash, somewhat sleazy vibe to it. I always found it pretty un-user friendly; a nightmare to find one of your 50 zillion friends if you didn't have their e-mail address. Furthermore, if your close friend wined they weren't in your 'Top 8' or 'Top 50' (!), it wasn't easy to re-shuffle them, searching amongst the millions of other friends. Spam was creeping into the site pretty badly too, in fact this cyber-conspiracy claimed in part that's all MySpam, MySpace was set out to be(come).
As for Facebook - f*cking props to Marc Zuckerberg, (pictured far right) allegedly turning down $1billion (according to 'Fast Company' magazine). Facebook exudes a new buzz (like anything fresh); is there room for another to push it out the way? For now, I doubt it. It's got a 'Twitter' tendency with 'users' posting phenomenally random, irrelevant mumblings (if you're not particularly connected to them), you know, like, "Feeling bored, as I stare out the window at work, can't wait to eat my Twix later" or "Going to catch Spiderman 3 in about an hour - yipeee".
Then, I suppose like most 'Social Networks' such banter manifests itself into 'Groups' that spring up by the second. Hey, join the 'We Love Homer Simpson dubbed in German society' or 'I've got sand in my crotch, can you help?' club. OK, bit harsh, I have clocked more sensible 'Group' use e.g. 'Find Madeleine' (highly topical hence its exponential growth) & 'Facebook Developers'.
Also blooming in Facebook's cyber-Spring season are 'Applications'; do you need 50 ways to show off photos/music etc.? Again, harsh, 'Marketplace' has potential and is probably the tip of Facebook's entrepreneurial iceberg. Facebook's 'transparency' such as Marc's open letters and the Facebook Blog is all good plus Facebook's hyper-hyperlinking really reinforces what a 'Social Network' needs to do in one word, connect!
It will be interesting how Facebook handles: Spam, Competition and/or its strategic alliances, leading to: Multi-Platform distribution and growth.
I'm just finishing up 'Music Supervision' on "Daylight Robbery", skillfully directed by Paris Leonti and those 2 very words ("Daylight" & "Robbery") remind me of BT.
BT think it fine to charge a £4.50 'Payment Processing Fee' for your phone bill if you don't pay by Direct Debit. "In a world" (said in Don La Fontaine or Hal Douglas deep booming voice-over style) where we 'rinse' (out) the likes of "Google" & "Skype" for FREE, is BT appearing unethical & glaringly greedy? Dear Consumer, is it time to bring on Talk Talk & OFCOM ?
(Since writing this - I was informed of this post on MoneySavingExpert.Com and I can see both sides e.g. Cardew's point:
A. There is an outcry because BT are going to charge customers extra if they don't pay by DD.
B. Yet many(most?) companies for years have offered a discounted tariff(including BT) if you pay by DD and this has never seemed to bother people.
If 'A' is unfair, is not 'B' unfair?
All companies agree that paying quarterly in arrears for goods/services is(for them) the more expensive option. It eases their cash flow costs and there are less costs chasing unpaid/late bills.
Incentive or penalty? is it just a matter of presentation?
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