Facebook Wins

In the weeks since Facebook opened up to application developers, tech industry power players have jumped into the site in a big way -- as users. People like Ning CEO Marc Andreessen, Lotus founder Mitch Kapor and Real Networks CEO Rob Glaser all have Facebook pages now. The tech community on Facebook is starting to look like a college campus, minus the flirting...for the most part, anyway.

I, too, jumped into Facebook a few weeks ago. I've tried MySpace, LinkedIn, Orkut and many of the other networking sites that were hot at one time or another. I believe Facebook is different. It seems to get it right in ways none of the others can touch. It's a combination of factors: the fact that you can't pretend to be someone else; the way it creates networks around workplaces and other affiliations; the ease of use (SO much better than MySpace), and other touches.

Now, the addition of apps such as iLike and Slide seem to put Facebook over the top. Facebook now is not just a social networking site. It's a platform that can live, breathe and evolve. I have a feeling it will be a vital part of on-line life for years to come.

Would love to hear other thoughts on Facebook's new apps...

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