- Yahoo, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, & AOL go here somewhere
- should also probably have included SixApart, WordPress, & Plaxo.
- Ning goes here somewhere
Social Graph Platform Wars
my rather insane visualization of the Social Graph Platform Wars
i created a more recent version here in March 2008 for GSP West
Comments and faves
Eric Olson, Brian Caldwell, cacaman, Yateski, and 35 other people added this photo to their favorites.
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
i'm sure i'm missing some folks & a few inaccuracies here & there, but here's my first take on the Social Graph Platform Wars.
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
intentionally missing from this are Yahoo, Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, & AOL... until they announce something.
(and unintentionally missing are SixApart, Wordpress, & Plaxo -- sorry guys, will add you in next rev).
joseph77b (54 months ago | reply)
Oooh - Can Flixster be the ewoks? Watch out for ewoks - cute but deadly! :)
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
goddammit i hate the Ewoks...
i hope George Lucas burns in hell for ruining Star Wars for the "adults".
vanessafox (54 months ago | reply)
You're totally missing Mahalo ;)
anrahman (54 months ago | reply)
Interesting visualization...
All these guys are doing is trying to make everyone a zombie and change the way you "poke" someone (a pointless feature to begin with). Most of these are just a sneaky way to add valuation and page views and engage pre-teens and those with fascinations at that level.
Google is just using it to collect deeper demographic data on everyone at all levels so that they can optimize their ads (with this current/upcoming dip in the economy, all of these advertisers will have less dollars and will be going for whatever gives the most bang/buck).
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
@anrahman: wow what an upbeat & optimistic perspective.
you club baby seals on the weekends, don't you ?
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
@vanessa: and Spock.com too...
anrahman (54 months ago | reply)
haha - good one. When's your baby seal clubbing app coming out?
I really am not trying to be a pessimist here and my true nature is anything but a downer - and I should add that I am a fan of your commentary. I just honestly have not thought this trend is 'that cool' - I just wish that more of these talented programmers would come up with better ways to engage the public and that top level bloggers would stop hyping some of these things.
I see the value it brings to viral media - but I also don't like the exploitations that are inevitable ala beacons (in the more general sense) and news like this recent letter from a House member to Google is maybe going to reveal just exactly the real 'evil empires' are.
anrahman (54 months ago | reply)
I should add that I have developed a Facebook application in the past and see the value of these networks having these platforms too and more 'openness' - I just don't like most of what is ultra-popular so far.
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
you should come to our event tonight... see what our students have put together. it's not all just fun & games. some apps are making money; others have social purpose. there's obviously light-hearted stuff, but there is value being created too.
Ten Million in Ten Weeks:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7824525282
anrahman (54 months ago | reply)
Agreed - would have loved to attend. Unfortunately I'm based out of Cornell University and it's finals week here ;)
Would love for you to come teach us something out here
rmatei (54 months ago | reply)
This is a nice overview Dave, but all the ovals are a bit overwhelming. Not that you'd wanna spend any more time on this, but it'd be clearer if you distinguished between networks, platforms, apps and other startups by using different shapes/colors for each.
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
yeah, i wasn't trying to be perfect on the sizes... in fact, was trying to hurry up & get it posted while all the news stories on Bebo were flying around. i spent about an hour to get it close to reality, but there are still quite a few inaccuracies / missing items. anyway, it's not exact but i think it's reasonably close.
(re: networks vs platforms vs apps vs startups... yeah, maybe not real soon ;)
baquia74 (54 months ago | reply)
Hi davemc500hats,
you should include Cinemavip a social network for the entreteinment industry.
Maybe you could complete your graph with a category for vertical social networks.
David Henderson (54 months ago | reply)
And we wonder why real marketers have not embraced social media in a meaningful way? Yet...
Dragon_I (54 months ago | reply)
You should be a professor for encapsulating everything so succinctly ;) Just joking - great job Dave.
kenjimori (54 months ago | reply)
where is Ning?
davemc500hats (54 months ago | reply)
yep, missed them too. my bad.
(and i was just emailing with them... ima doofus)
davemc500hats (49 months ago | reply)
here is more recent version:
www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/social-graph-pl atform-wars
still quite inaccurate, and i don't profess to have everything covered... sorry.
my work is comparable to my pay, if u know what i mean ;)