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Re:Facebook shows even more fear (of Google+, etc.) by oldstrangers on Friday August 12, 2011 @09:21PM (#2879916)
The similarities between Facebook and the old AOL should be alarming to anyone working for Facebook. Or maybe just anyone in general.
Re:Facebook shows even more fear (of Google+, etc.) by mostlycarbon on Saturday August 13, 2011 @08:11PM (#2882355)
Relevant article: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375715,00.asp

Dvorak argues that Facebook is AOL. I disagree, and think it's inferior to AOL. Mainly because Facebook neither provides an entry into the internet (like AOL's ISP did/does) nor has a viable, general purpose email system. Facebook messaging couldn't replace something like Gmail. I think the lack of those systems make it easy to abandon the service for something else.

Having 100+ "friends" on Facebook isn't a compelling reason to stay when most people probably wouldn't notice if 90% of those individuals disappeared from one day to the next. Most of your social network online is an illusion.

I'm testing out Google+ right now, but I'm doing so under an alias. The alias is known to my friends and everything I post and share is authentic. My change in attitude comes from 4 years of having a real identity presence online; I don't really see the benefit of shedding anonymity.