Web2.0 Meta-Talk: Twitter vs. Google and Facebook vs. Itself

[l33tminion]

Interesting chatter bouncing across the blag-o-sphere / twitter-verse / what have you:

There's some discussion of the Facebook redesign, which is generally loathed, leading Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, to proclaim that "disruptive" companies don't listen to their customers; presumably customers just drag you down. Actually, I don't think the

Comments

[chiaki777]

Alright, I'll bite since I've really been ignoring your posts in terms of lengthy unsolicited comments attacking everything with baseless opinions masked as noteworthy arguments in my own mind

[l33tminion]

Pretty much. Facebook proves that there are good things about walled gardens by ruining what's good about the one they made. Both opening up to new people (public profiles, non-college networks) and new features (Facebook applications) are steps away from the walled garden approach. Also, it's an interesting demonstration of how loosening the garden walls can strengthen a monopoly (well, maybe).

And people did warm to some of the previous redesigns (the original introduction of the news feed, back when that feature was useful) after initially hating them. So maybe Zuckerberg is on to something.

[chiaki777]

I'd say he's on to making money; not something useful for social networking for commercial or public groups though.

I certainly wouldn't want my work adding me on Facebook, which indeed is causing me stress since I lead a double life.

[l33tminion]

What I'm curious to see is how it will work out for him, making-money wise. Unless Zuckerberg has some new monetization method planned, it's all about the page-views.

[chiaki777]

See, that's exactly how he's doing it. He expects us to pay money? That's where people will begin to scoff.

[chiaki777]

What I'm far more concerned with on Twitter isn't something like it killing Google (seriously who comes up with this shit, I'd like to stuff CMN 143 down their throats in the forms of my hardbound Benjamin Barber's Consumed, available on Amazon for just $21.29!). Or perhaps I should stuff more of Todd Gitlin. We're awash in the luxury of near instant gratification for information and entertainment. To develop that idea further: we can get more done faster and better, but at the same time we can always do less and indulge more than ever as well

[l33tminion]

I've started to use Twitter a little lately, and I'll quickly admit that I mostly use it for stupid stuff.

This ADHD-ish phenomena is a vicious cycle, both cause and symptom of the constant information overload in out society. It's part of a bigger picture (more media, more art, more communication, but not more free time) which is not wholly bad. There are worse problems to have than having to choose between enjoyable things to do.

[chiaki777]

Funny thing. I wanted to go into Technopoly, but I thought that would quote TOO much from classes. But I do agree. The more media we have, the more technology we need to harness it, the more technology we have, the more media we have to deal with.