Part of the problem, IMO, is that none of these sites purposefully aims for the creation of small "communities within a community" of around 100 people that seems to be a good number for people to deal with:

http://journal.dedasys.com/articles/2007/06/11/dunbars-number-and-online-communities

I'd be interested in seeing something build upon facebook. That way all your most trusted friends are there.

The problem with facebook, and/or linked in is that new ideas and friends are what makes a community great.

When I use facebook, I only really add people I know in real life, since I value privacy. When I use reddit, I want to learn about new things and different ideas. I just want a certain level of discourse, that's all.

Find a way to guarantee an intelligent, targeted conversation while at the same time allowing me to expand my sphere and you have a winner. Reddit tried this using it's "recommended" page, but I think they have failed, primarily because they don't place enough value in comments, IMO.

Right... it's not about simply isolating yourself with your real life friends on line. There's no gain there. The trick would be to do something like this:

The site figures out what you like and adds you to some sort of group with other like minded people. The members of this group don't change too often, and you principally interact with them, although perhaps you see things of interest to everyone on the site.

Shrug... if I had a clear vision of the answer, I'd try and build it:-)

Ah, yes, the old 'circle wanking' effect. Everyone vehemently agreeing with each other. I'll be addressing exactly that problem with delicious' inbox in part 2. I think I do have a solution of sorts, and I'd even go and build it, but kinda busy with http://tipit.to/ still :-P

I'll post part 2 later today!

Just posted part 2: http://fourstarters.com/2007/06/14/all-transactions-are-based-on-trust-part-2/

Would you join a Reddit that charged $5 a year and was invite only? You'd get to invite five new users per year.

I would have. I wouldn't now... the quality isn't there anymore.

A new Reddit, not any existing one. Different name, different code, same principle.

Speaking of that, how is the community at metafilter doing?

Amen brother, Amen. Reddit is unfortunately broken as badly as all the others.

Can't wait for part two.