Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and OpenSocial
I'll be up front: I don't get social networking. That said, I like watching the progress of what I call the web-ization of social networking (things want to be free, things want to be open, etc).
But perhaps the most interesting thing I've seen so far is this quote from Brandee Barker of Facebook:
My guesses as to what happened:
But perhaps the most interesting thing I've seen so far is this quote from Brandee Barker of Facebook:
Despite reports, Facebook has still not been briefed on OpenSocial.You mean to tell me that after weeks of negotiations on a hundreds of millions of dollar deal, Google never told Facebook about its plans?
My guesses as to what happened:
- Google had been planning this as a contingency to losing the Facebook deal. If the FB deal went through, they may not have released this so soon.
- Or, perhaps, just perhaps, Google took the more-evil route. They knew Microsoft had more to lose (they really need to spur growth to their advertising business and show a big win), so they intentionally bid up the valuation on FB with no interest in actually winning, let MSFT close at a more expensive price, and then steal their thunder just a week later.
Labels: facebook, google, Microsoft, opensocial
posted by Ian Sefferman at 7:24 AM
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