[LINK] My prediction: Facebook will beat MySpace and newcomer iYomu and all

[Stilgherrian]

Gentle Linkers,

iYomu, "social networking for grown ups", officially launched yesterday at
http://www.iyomu.com -- with US$1M in prize money up for grabs. I wrote an
article for Crikey [subscriber-only content at
http://www.crikey.com.au/Media-and-Arts/20070813-Why-MySpace-for-grown-ups-w
ont-fly.html] explaining why I don't think it'll fly. I also reckon that in
the long term Facebook will win out over MySpace.

My argument in the Crikey article is that the key to success on the Internet
is massive, uncontrolled growth. That means attracting a lot of users fast
-- and then selling out to someone like Rupert Murdoch before it all
implodes. The problem is, the very nature of iYomu works against that rapid
growth.

My article is at http://stilgherrian.com/internet/iyomu_versus_facebook/ and
I'd appreciate comments -- especially if you can tear apart my arguments
(politely, of course!).

At the very least, you'll find a few choice quotes from an essay by danah
boyd called "Viewing American class divisions through Facebook and MySpace"
which makes for interesting reading -- you'll find that at
http://www.danah.org/papers/essays/ClassDivisions.html -- and one on what
"friend" means in social networking sites at
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue11_12/boyd/

Enjoy! ("Will you be my friend?")

Stil


-- 
Stilgherrian http://stilgherrian.com/
Internet, IT and Media Consulting, Sydney, Australia
mobile +61 407 623 600
fax +61 2 9516 5630
ABN 25 231 641 421