Identity and social software

Marc seems to have put his network on the below new tool, while other friends suggest that I connect to them through Linkedin like TJ

I myself sent a spam plaxo to my network to update my address book (that was before I had my new Mac, no Plaxo anymore). Actually 30% of my network started to use Plaxo too, thanks to my email.

They call that viral marketing and I am starting to hate it. Why would I share with ten tools my address book and my friends so that they make money out of it, start getting the network of my friends and of my friends of a friend. And keep sending tens of my emails to my friends to invite them to join, in turn they send my other invitations from other networks and so on.

I had very long and interesting discussions with Doc, Eric, Dave, Joi and Marc about FOAF and they all convinced that companies trying to make business on sharing your idea are quite wrong, for many reasons:

1. you OWN your identity

American Express, Avis, Air France and the like think one of their great value is their customer databases and what they know about you. OK it has some value but it is never up-to-date. For example I started flying on United Airlines and Air France or American Express do not know why. I know why and I could easily update a centralised software of file like FOAFif I want to share it. .

2. There are too many places to put your identity

It is a nightmare having to fill-in all these questionnaires, dozens of loyalty programs. Now the new buzz about social-networking want us to subscribe to all of them and give away on a golden plate our address book. No way.

3. The place where I would put my identity should belong to me

The right solution is clearly open source I think. I do not want to share my identity with all these tools. But I would agree to put it in a public place for the public information that I want to share with everybody (including the type of car I like to rent for example so that I do not have to say that each time to rental companies), and in a private place what I want to share say with my friends only. FOAF seems to willing to do that, I have not checked it enough to say what I think of it.

4. I decide from this place with whom I want to share that identity. They can then use it.

Friends, unknown people and marketing companies will come and check that file. This way a travel site can come sync with my identity and discover that I want to travel to Asia next week, and that I am ready to listen to offers from any company (or from my preferred list of companies) during a limited period of time, the time of my choice.

Wouldn't that be really cool ? You go to YOUR identity file (easily, on your blog), update it, say what you want to give to your friends or to travel companies etc.

We will soon add FOAF to Ublog. I like it.

I will still give a try to the social networking sites, to understand them better.

Here's Jason Calacanis' report on Huminity getting funding....

Another social software site raises money: Huminity raises $2-4m. Anyone know these folks? Huminity's product combines instant messaging and chat technologies enabling users to share their personal contact systems.

Sources inform "Globes" that Israeli start-up Huminity has raised $2-4 million, at a company value of $10 million, after money, in its first financing round. Sources close to the company said a leading Israeli venture capital fund, a US fund, and the CEO of one of the world's largest Internet companies participated in the round, which is close to completion. Huminity cofounders Oren Rossen and Nir Ben-Halevy declined to disclose details about the round. [The Social Software Weblog]

Hey Jason,

Huminity is actually pretty cool. They have this visualization of the social network feature - which is fluid and seems to work. But that's because it's a desktop app - not to say that lessens the feature any, but it does lessen the scope and distance you can travel with your social net.

I guess that brings up the issue - do these social networks change - if they're not browser based? I've heard of people having 'Friendster' or 'Tribe' parties - where everyone clusters in the kitchen or living room, playing with each others settings, friends lists and postings. But you can't do that, if your social net is tied to a desktop - on your machine at home.

[Marc's Voice]