With developers scrambling for API keys to be the first to launch applications on the new OpenSocial, it seems that Google scrambled as well to get the platform out the door. From my research, it seems that each social network involved will have its own system for sandboxing, regulatory policies, terms of service and other miscellaneous restrictions, which will be different across all OpenSocial networks.
The philosophy that you can create one application for ALL networks gets thrown out of the window, because now you will have to write logic removing or allowing advertisements for certain networks, and even more logic for miscellaneous policies that will differ across each network. As the list of “containers” (networks officially teamed up with OpenSocial) grows, so will the differentiation of policies and terms of service. Just how messy will the backends get?
Can the networks find a standard amongst themselves to actually pull off the OpenSocial standard?
6 responses so far ↓
1 Rodney Rumford // Nov 3, 2007 at 11:28 am
You nailed it spot on.
“The philosophy that you can create one application for ALL networks gets thrown out of the window, because now you will have to write logic removing or allowing advertisements for certain networks, and even more logic for miscellaneous policies that will differ across each network”
It is never as “simple” as they would want you to believe.
Cheers!
Rodney Rumford
2 Ellen Leanse // Nov 3, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Good insights as always, Ryan…that said, the annoucement is a beginning, not an end. The shakeout to come in the next 6 months will be as transformative as Facebook’s post-F8 metamorphosis. Expect the impact on Facebook to be significant–and that will be a good thing. The market will ultimately determine the shape of Open Social and, by extension, it’s fit with/against what FB offers. I see a more open Facebook and some true developmental innovation as the wall-hopping begins…
3 Mei // Nov 5, 2007 at 11:31 am
you brought up a very good concern about standards. do you think you can link me to the articles led you to your conclusion that in open social “each social network involved will have its own system for sandboxing, regulatory policies, terms of service and other miscellaneous restrictions, which will be different across all OpenSocial networks.” ?
Mei
4 Mark Wayman // Nov 5, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Google’s move makes sense for many obvious reasons. OpenSocial is still wet-behind-the-ears (a Plaxo app. was easily hacked recently) but that will soon go away with such powerhouses behind it.
Good development resources are very expensive so being able to develop for one API and access 200 million+ users is definitely a bonus. That said it’s not going to be straightforward and I’m sure there will be some technical wrinkles to iron out.
It should be very interesting to see how this all plays out.
- Mark.
5 Arjun // Nov 8, 2007 at 4:30 am
Ya…correctly said…so wondering if it was a knee jerk reaction to facebook?
6 senatuskienlee // Dec 24, 2007 at 5:09 am
no,i totally disagree, youre looking for a solution from high end technology, but all it takes is an RSS feed, or a shared txt file, a plaxo, a SSO, a flash chat, and in human terms, thats a connected relationship. interconnectivity served, with a dash of salt, vinegraitte topped off with sprinkle of simplicity.
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