Social networks - the future of online interaction - General

Not entirely sure of where this belongs [i](although given its neutrality, I'll post it here for now)[/i], nor am I sure of how to endure the length of this post [i](it's merely a request for an opinionated discussion)[/i]. Given the advances in online social communication - from small discussion groups to social networks [i](e.g. Friendster, Myspace)[/i], with each form building atop its predecessor with major improvements, and thereby tackling major troubles encountered by users [i](e.g. From the emptiness of Friendster, to the great openness (albeit too-much) of Myspace, and then to what could be defined as a social networking standard: Facebook)[/i] - what further advances may arrive from this exponent of interaction [i](or has it hit a stand-still)[/i]? IMO, for 4 years no new major network has taken the place of the contemporary standard [i](FB)[/i], but I've heard from many that they believe that another will take its place setting an additional standard atop current generation of online social interaction. Thusly, [i](in hopes to incite a discussion of the future of online interaction)[/i] I'm wondering of what Facepunch thinks will be the next standard and of its primary features, and possibly of how it'll impact our productivity/entertainment.

Some kids the other day asked me how many facebook friends i had ''80'' Then we played farmville

The problem is, no one is currently ballsy enough to try to make a new facebook, and rightfully so. As much as people are starting to hate facebook, it's convenience for communication and organizing large events makes it a popular tool of choice. I know the topic is social networking, but facebook has pretty much become synonymous with the term. Even if someone comes out with a new social networking site, it will have to have some HUGE new feature that makes communicating much easier, or some neat gimmick that attracts people to it. The reason that facebook has become such a fantastic social networking tool is because it combines everything that would normally take multiple online tools (email, picture host, messenger client, personal website, video host, etc) and combines it into one. I'm not even going to touch on the developer aspect of it, which includes third-party developers to created games and applications, which in turn allows users to become more hooked on the facebook platform. Unfortunately facebook is also a company that makes it's profit by sharing all your information to advertisers in order to create personalized ads. This results in masked advertising as they know exactly what you like and want and then they go ahead and push that item on you. Besides that, they sell your information to data collection agencies for absolute bank profits. This makes for an absolutely sound and near bullet proof business plan. In other words, facebook nearly perfected social networking from a social AND financial aspect, which not a lot of companies are able to do. What about Myspace? I think Myspace died because they tried too hard to incorporate a lot of different tools, while neglecting the smaller, more important aspects of the site (which ironically is what facebook is starting to do, thereby we may see the downfall within the next few years). It had too many features for the time, one main one which made me angry was personalized personalized profile themes utilizing HTML. This made for some pages that destroyed eyes while others gave viewers cancer from how terrible it looked. Besides that, there was no easy way to prevent spam messages. Every day, someone I knew clicked something which hijacked their profile making them post shit on everyone's wall. Besides that, spam-bots and spam-accounts sent a bunch of messages. Every day I had to clean out my inbox from about 10 messages about some chick who apparently wanted to suck my dick or something. What Myspace really needed to focus on was security and privacy. What they did instead was introduce a bunch of gimmicky features. Facebook used to be a fantastic tool when it was relatively new. Now it sucks because of everything they've done to it. It's hard to pull the plug, however, because of how wide-spread it's become. I talk to too many people through it that I other-wise would not be able to communicate with because they're all in college in different parts of the country. Using the phone is not a viable option because you can't share pictures with it, and mail is too slow. What are we left with? I mean this is not to say that something won't take over. Something new will eventually come out and it will knock the socks off facebook. What that new service will be? It has yet to be thought of. However facebook is just one aspect of social networking. Dating sites make bank off of the idea that no one wants to be alone. There are many different services out there. A lot of these work on the ploy that everyone can see each others profiles, but no one can communicate unless you pay a subscription service. The problem is, however, these types of sites are incompatible with other social networking sites such as facebook because there is a social wall so to say between the two. I don't see people wanting to share their relationship status in detail on a facebook-like site where all your school-mates and colleges can see it too. Video sharing is another aspect which does, however, fit into the facebook-styled theme, albeit only a little. People would want to share videos about themselves on a facebook-like site, and rightfully so. The positive aspect of a separate video sharing site is people seem to be more willing to submit videos about other things. There is a possibility that a facebook-like site could merge with a video-sharing site such as Youtube, granted similar tools are put into place. The problem, however, is the more features you add to a site, the more bulky the site becomes and the less popular it will become. In other words, it's going to be a while before a social-networking site combines [I]everything.[/I] Unless a way to make it streamlined, not bulky, and incorporates some huge new tool that is completely revolutionary to the way we communicate, then it's not going to happen.

I see nothing wrong with it and the people who are adamantly opposed to such have no concept of moving on. A new form will come out, people will migrate to it. [I](whats with all these, by the way)[/I]

Soon enough you won't even have to go out of your house. Not like that happens a lot anyways.

Facebook has been going to shit for a while now, constant changes to the interface despite user desire.

Some people will inevitably hate change and a small minority will voice there opinion. The overwhelming hordes of people who aren't bothered, or like the change will not bother posting anywhere that they like it and the few people you see posting negatively about the change will make you think there's a large number of people who don't like it, but it's relatively few.

only cool kids don't social network at all :clint:

[QUOTE=skynrdfan2;26640527]only cool kids don't social network at all :clint:[/QUOTE] Not even forums either.

Social networks - the [B]yesterday [/B] of online interaction

[QUOTE=not_Morph53;26662557]Social networks - the [B]yesterday [/B] of online interaction[/QUOTE] So, what do you think the "tomorrow" of online interaction will be? And what improvements do you think will manifest throughout social media networks?

[QUOTE=livelonger12;26663817]So, what do you think the "tomorrow" of online interaction will be? And what improvements do you think will manifest throughout social media networks?[/QUOTE] Personally, I think social networking will become like Twitter eventually, you have a status update with your little picture and a little profile of yourself, and friends. Put whatever you like on it, and ta-da. Sure there might be other aspects to it, like if you're on the computer perhaps there'll be a way to communicate via video conference or some of the sort? Dunno, I can't really see too much being done with Social Networking Sites nowadays.

[QUOTE=livelonger12;26663817]So, what do you think the "tomorrow" of online interaction will be? And what improvements do you think will manifest throughout social media networks?[/QUOTE] Holograms my friend. [I]Holograms.[/I]

[QUOTE=JaxJesse315;26664015]Holograms my friend. [I]Holograms.[/I][/QUOTE] :q::fh:

[QUOTE=JaxJesse315;26664015]Holograms my friend. [I]Holograms.[/I][/QUOTE] But I like the freedom of being able to talk to my friends while im naked and looking at porn in another window. Holograms would just ruin that :saddowns:

[QUOTE=darcy010;26665225]But I like the freedom of being able to talk to my friends while im naked and looking at porn in another window. Holograms would just ruin that :saddowns:[/QUOTE] Not unless you find away to turn on your hot female friends's cameras when they're getting changed.

Oh come on diaspora/google me, save us from Facebook already!

[QUOTE=skynrdfan2;26640527]only cool kids don't social network at all :clint:[/QUOTE] Not social networking because everyone else does it just as bad as doing it because everyone else does.

[QUOTE=darcy010;26665225]But I like the freedom of being able to talk to my friends while im naked and looking at porn in another window. Holograms would just ruin that :saddowns:[/QUOTE] Luckily, not everyone is as uncomfortable with their body as you.

Wow, you use a lot of brackets. [i](Just sayin')[/i]

[QUOTE=deano270;26669634]Wow, you use a lot of [b]brackets[/b]. [I](Just sayin')[/I][/QUOTE] *Parentheses