How much can we trust a Google-driven 'open' social networking platform? They did purchase doubleclick after all. While these social networks are interesting projects, I don't think it's a good idea to allow a single company like Google to run the underlying network and maintain the user information. Certainly such a "platform" is not stable in the long term for building startups on if for no other reason than the social graph owner(s) can shut you and your applications out on a whim.
Give me a scenario in which it is in Google's interest to shut down their social networking API overnight without warning. Just because they can doesn't mean they will.
I'm personally not to phased by this announcement. I don't think Facebook's real strength is its API but its core functionality. So any attempts to outperform them on this issue is commendable but I don't think it will bother Facebook that much.
It's about time somebody did that. I thought it might make a good startup, but couldn't think of any way to get random social networking services to sign on.
you're right. i'm sorry i should have been more clear. i was using adsense as an analogy. facebook needs to find its business model X, as google found adsense.
facebook definitely has a potential X that could be as profitable (or moreso) than adsense. but what that is i don't know. i'm sure they do though.
