Will Facebook go down the road of Bebo?

chops018

Was just thinking there that the Bebo craze only lasted for about 2 years, then Facebook came along but it seems to have lasted a lot longer.

When do you think it will faze out and be a distant memory like Bebo is now? Or do you think it will faze out at all?

admiralofthefleet

who cares if it does

dlofnep

Facebook was launched a year before Bebo, and a far better designed web-application. Bebo was essentially a poor man's Myspace. It seemed to have a niche following in certain countries, but at no point was it ever in demand as much as Facebook. Facebook has been operating now for over 8 years, and is going strong. There is always the potential on the internet for something to smash a site - but with Facebook's real main competitor (Myspace) dead in the water, it has no real competition.

I think Facebook will be around for a long, long time..

Cee-Jay-Cee

Bebo was a steaming pile of ****e with no functional layout. Facebook, while also a steaming pile of ****e, is structured and more grown up although it too will probably fall someday too.

Grimebox

I think its here to stay. Its global unlike Bebo. Bebo only took off in a few countries in europe

Kojak

What's bebo?

1ZRed

I hope it does! I hate Facebook integration in everything nowadays. Netflix, vevo, every stupid app ever made. It's annoying.

Why does everyone need to know what you're doing, what you're watching, and feel the need to stalk the living crap out of people like its normal?

And yet here I am, on Facebook

Cienciano

I never had a bebo page, but if I ever clicked on someones profile, there would be songs playing, shite flashing everywhere and it would more than likely crash my browser.
It looked terrible.

Facebook is much more functional and has so many users I doubt any social network site could take over from it, unless it offered something completely new.

chops018

dlofnep wrote: »

Facebook was launched a year before Bebo, and a far better designed web-application. Bebo was essentially a poor man's Myspace. It seemed to have a niche following in certain countries, but at no point was it ever in demand as much as Facebook. Facebook has been operating now for over 8 years, and is going strong. There is always the potential on the internet for something to smash a site - but with Facebook's real main competitor (Myspace) dead in the water, it has no real competition.

I think Facebook will be around for a long, long time..

Never thought of it like that, good point. Thoughts on Twitter being a competitor? It doesn't seem to be affecting it Facebook at the moment nor does Facebook seem to be affecting Twitter.

dlofnep

dlofnep wrote: »

Facebook was launched a year before Bebo, and a far better designed web-application. Bebo was essentially a poor man's Myspace. It seemed to have a niche following in certain countries, but at no point was it ever in demand as much as Facebook. Facebook has been operating now for over 8 years, and is going strong. There is always the potential on the internet for something to smash a site - but with Facebook's real main competitor (Myspace) dead in the water, it has no real competition.

I think Facebook will be around for a long, long time..

Long-term it'll make more money from the data we've handed them rather than advertising. The stock price has fallen since flotation and I don't think it's quite found its level yet. The switch to mobile by a lot of web users is another challenge.

LizT

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

who cares if it does

I do! For all the flack FB gets, it's a great way of keeping in touch with friends in other countries, sharing photos etc.

chops018

1ZRed wrote: »

I hope it does! I hate Facebook integration in everything nowadays. Netflix, vevo, every stupid app ever made. It's annoying.

Why does everyone need to know what you're doing, what you're watching, and feel the need to stalk the living crap out of people like its normal?

And yet here I am, on Facebook

That post also made me think. If I'm in work I'll go on Facebook on my phone throughout the day, when I'm at home I'll have Facebook open (although I won't be on it constantly it is still open), even when studying I'll always have Facebook open and have a quick "Facebook break" every hour or two. Seems that it very much part of our life more than we think (for regular users that is). I might try and see if I can give it up for a while, it would be very hard I'd imagine, there's feck all to do on the internet without going on Facebook for a bit when you get home.

dlofnep

chops018 wrote: »

Never thought of it like that, good point. Thoughts on Twitter being a competitor? It doesn't seem to be affecting it Facebook at the moment nor does Facebook seem to be affecting Twitter.

Twitter is a micro-blogging site, more than a wide-scoped social networking website. It's goal is to be as simple and low-key as possible. I don't think it's a direct competitor to Facebook... They just share some similar features. Most people have an active account on both of them - I use both frequently and find both useful for different things.

4zn76tysfajdxp

1ZRed wrote: »

And yet here I am, on Facebook

This isn't Facebook.

1ZRed

Kamden Kind Housefly wrote: »

This isn't Facebook.

Well FU

Edit: Tabs! Of course I mean it's open in a tab as well as this..

peewee_44

bebo was proper rubbish and I cannot believe I had an account. Facebook is good bit it needs to cop on big style allowing certain pages to go ahead saying it don't breech any rules what about human decency

Qwerty Dub

Kinda think Facebook & Twitter are here to stay, for a while anyway.

Most companies and people have Twitter and/or Facebook now.

#Hashtags on Tv programmes and 'like' this and 'like' that.

Its a big part of day to day stuff and it allows people and businesses to interact with customers so much more. For that reason I think it will be around for a long time.

On a more personal level, some people might eventually get sick of looking at the holiday snaps of a person you went to school with 15yrs ago and wouldn't say hello to in the street but added them because you want to have over 300 friends to look cool.

Totally gone off Facebook now. Pretty much only read it when on the loo. Twitter is very good. You see what you wanna see and you follow what you wanna follow. Its a fantastic resource for all things of a personal interest all in one place. Under used if I'm honest.

RUCKING FETARD

dlofnep wrote: »

but with Facebook's real main competitor (Myspace) dead in the water, it has no real competition.

Google+ signs up 400 million users, with 100 million active

1ZRed

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

Google+ signs up 400 million users, with 100 million active

People are actually using Google+? :eek:

Xavi6

I like Facebook and hope it stays.

Come at me haterz.

dlofnep

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

Google+ signs up 400 million users, with 100 million active

Forgot all about Google+

Which kind of proves my point in a way...

OneArt

1ZRed wrote: »

I hope it does! I hate Facebook integration in everything nowadays. Netflix, vevo, every stupid app ever made. It's annoying.

Why does everyone need to know what you're doing, what you're watching, and feel the need to stalk the living crap out of people like its normal?

And yet here I am, on Facebook

Just make sure your Facebook isn't linked to anything else you do on the Internet. Make sure you're always signed out. Don't put up relevant information. Not sure about apps though, I don't use a smartphone (still got an ancient Nokia coz my friend gave it to me for free) and I always log in and out of the site when I go on.

I think Facebook (or any other site just like it, to be fair) is fantastic because it's quick and easy communication with friends and family who live far away. You just have to be smart about what kind of information you put up there and what it's connected to.

Facebook may die out but the whole social media thing is going to last a long time. It's nice to know that those you care about are only a comment away.

Nervous Wreck

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

Google+ signs up 400 million users, with 100 million active

1ZRed wrote: »

People are actually using Google+? :eek:

I would imagine that's just posturing to promote the site.

Omackeral

Bebo StuNNahz 2k8.. fUk all De haterz, JealOusy iz an illNEsS.... Get wel SooN BitChezz xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

gobnaitolunacy

Kojak wrote: »

What's bebo?

Something teens used bully each other on, back in the day.

zef

Hopefully it will f off soon.
Whats wrong with e-mail? Why do people need to share inane shyte?
Or those awful PETA videos...

the groutch

I'd give facebook about 2 year, maybe 3 at a push.

smash

Bebo was originally set up for old school friends to keep in touch, but it quickly became popular with kids who were still at school. Facebook was set up to be an exclusive social network for certain universities with no messing and no option to f*ck up the layout with your own designs. Once it opened to the public though it kind of felt a bit like bebo in a sense that every retard was there (and still is).

Opening up business pages saved Facebook from turning into a bebo and kept it slightly professional. The API's gave people and businesses a chance to add their own business tools which was also good.

I can't see it going away but I wish it would. It's worth a lot because of the levels of personal data stored on its users. Some of which the data commissioner has issues with, in Ireland they've been given 30 days to sort out some of their concerns.

And for what it's worth, YouTube sharing has Facebook, bebo and google+ listed in their sharing options ahead of even twitter. I know google+ is their own product and fb is a no brainer but they must know something about Bebo that we don't.

smash

zef wrote: »

Whats wrong with e-mail?

It's outdated technology. Especially with cloud services that are out there now.

Franticfrank

I believe Facebook are slowly going down that Bebo route and making their pages more complicated with the additions of stuff like Timeline and this whole 'share the most important events of your life with everyone' attitude. The key to social networking is simplicity and Facebook are going to shoot themselves in the foot moving away from that. Pissing off users by changing their default email address from John@gmail.com to John@facebook.com didn't really help either.

eth0

Hope so. FB,twitter,google+,netflix the whole lot of them can go and the sooner the better

smash

eth0 wrote: »

Hope so. FB,twitter,google+,netflix the whole lot of them can go and the sooner the better

Netflix?

eth0

smash wrote: »

Netflix?

Yea, feck em! There's more I wouldn't mind seeing gone either

flyswatter

1ZRed wrote: »

RUCKING FETARD wrote: »

Google+ signs up 400 million users, with 100 million active

People are actually using Google+? :eek:

No joke , in the entire time since that was launched my newsfeed had enough on it to account for about 5 minutes posts in facebook, total ghost town.

smash

eth0 wrote: »

smash wrote: »

Netflix?

Yea, feck em! There's more I wouldn't mind seeing gone either

It's not a social network, it's a video streaming website so what are you on about?

krudler

eth0 wrote: »

Yea, feck em! There's more I wouldn't mind seeing gone either

whats wrong with netflix? its a dead handy resource if you're into movies or playing catchup with loads of tv.

People whinge about facebook all the time yet never do anything about the people who annoy them, someone always posting inane sh1te? unfriend or stop their messages showing on your feed, simples.

smash

flyswatter wrote: »

No joke , in the entire time since that was launched my newsfeed had enough on it to account for about 5 minutes posts in facebook, total ghost town.

But it's easy for them to claim numbers because its automatically linked to YouTube accounts etc now. I've closed mine 3 times and it just keeps opening again. It's probably in every t&c update.

stoneill

A well penned letter in times of leisure or timely telegraph for urgency is all you need.

Amalgam

The EU legislation coming down the line to make it possible to request 'proper' data deletion by a site user may make Facebook's existense a tad more fragile. They've been quite coy and sly about how they remove a user.. if at all. (just hidden)

I'm not bothered by the site much, one thing I loathe is commercial companies tying in a lot of interaction and promotions through Facebook. Sod off.

eth0

krudler wrote: »

whats wrong with netflix? its a dead handy resource if you're into movies or playing catchup with loads of tv.

People whinge about facebook all the time yet never do anything about the people who annoy them, someone always posting inane sh1te? unfriend or stop their messages showing on your feed, simples.

DRM and the fact that it uses silverlight. People suddenly forgot how evil the film industry has been for the past 10 years when netflix came along

If you unfriended everyone posting inane sh1te on fb then you'd have just about 0 friends. FB == heavy exposure to inane sh1te unless you close your eyes while browsing it

stoneill

stoneill wrote: »

A well penned letter in times of leisure or timely telegraph for urgency is all you need.

Back in the day (before telephones) some towns had up to six postal deliveries a day, and a stable full of telegram boys on bikes waiting to deliver a telegram.

Joekers

Facebook is skynet

maximoose

Facebook is going to sh*te. It used to be grand for what it was, now they are adding too many stupid things and making silly changes that don't need to be made.

Why the hell is my news feed clogged up showing pictures or a status of someone I dont know that a mutual friend has liked? What is the point in that?

"Sponsored stories" i.e adverts, bugger off.

And I am f*cking sick of seeing these "Lyk if u care, ignore if u luv canceraids" pictures and a picture of a baby with a giant tumour things.

BraziliaNZ

For all of you that moan about it, I bet you all still use it. I had to get rid of mine after just getting sick of seeing what my cousin was cooking her "man" for dinner and what shoes certain people had just bought and so on. We never needed it before and it hardly lights up your life, if you're going to moan about it just delete your account and be done with it.

allibastor

all thing shave a limited shelf life on the net, but with the finance they have access to at face book, they will just buy over as many smaller competitors as possible like microsoft does and stay afloat longer that way.
also once a new outlet for advertising comes along facebook will loose a lot of value

Duggy747

It'll eventually burn itself out by changing and adding too many things. What attracted people the first time was how simplistic and basic everything was.

Now, it's full of apps, adverts, and pretty much just shìt. I've ignored probably 95% of my friend's list from the utter muck they post leaving my wall a bit of a baron wasteland.

It's still handy for getting in contact with friends living abroad, 2 second chat on Facebook so we can properly chat on Skype, then.

syklops

dlofnep wrote: »

Forgot all about Google+

Which kind of proves my point in a way...

One of the reasons people started using the Google search engine was its nice, crisp no nonsense front end. Unlike MSN and Yahoo who had their frontpages littered with news and ads like a cheap porn mag, the google page was neat. When Facebook came out originally, it too had a cleanness that Bebo lacked. No horrible music when you went to a persons page, no flash dancing everywhere.

Unfortunately, whoever designed Google+ forgot that straightforwardness and neat looking pages is what many people want. Just logged onto my G+ now and it resembles FB now with multiple columns of stuff. While the circle thing makes privacy a bit easier to manage, its a bit convoluted. FB is the easier one to use, therefore the various idiots I am friends with will continue to use it, and I use it because of them(the ones I am actually friends with, not the ones whose friends request I have accepted but I dont subscribe to their sh!t and they can't see mine).

Pawwed Rig

Facebook as a company will have to reinvent itself roughly every 5 years to stay in existence. It is a fad that is there until the next big thing comes along as is google. For those old enough we remember Bebo, Infoseek, Alta Vista etc etc that failed when the current favourites arrived on the scene.
Facebook is a marketing company and personally I do not think they are overly successful. I have never clicked on one of the ads displayed on Facebook.
One of the big issues is how to advertise to mobile users as they think the screens are too small. Iphone 5 anyone?

Sir Pompous Righteousness

Due to the nature of competition, yes it will eventually fade , like myspace and bebo.

Blisterman

eth0 wrote: »

DRM and the fact that it uses silverlight. People suddenly forgot how evil the film industry has been for the past 10 years when netflix came along

If you unfriended everyone posting inane sh1te on fb then you'd have just about 0 friends. FB == heavy exposure to inane sh1te unless you close your eyes while browsing it

That might be more a reflection on your friends, than on Facebook.

Setun

1ZRed wrote: »

I hope it does! I hate Facebook integration in everything nowadays. Netflix, vevo, every stupid app ever made. It's annoying.

Why does everyone need to know what you're doing, what you're watching, and feel the need to stalk the living crap out of people like its normal?

And yet here I am, on Facebook

Because this information is perceived to be worth an awful lot of money. Facebook have to tread a fine line between harvesting data to appease the shareholders and reassuring users that their privacy is protected. Because Facebook's shares have fallen to approx 50% of their peak worth on the day of the IPA, you can expect much greater pressure on Zuckerberg and co to find new ways to sell user data to advertisers. For those of you who don't use Facebook but use twitter, tumblr, etc, you can expect the same - it's already set a precedent for IPA's of the new generation of social networks. The twitter interface has already changed quite a lot over the last couple of years, and not for the sake of usability, but to improve on how much data they can collect about their users.