Mark Lazen thinks Facebook is on its way out.
excerpt:
There are a number of reasons to believe that FB is bound for a mind-blowingly profitable death. And the interface is a symptom, not a cause.
The reason it's impossible to figure out where to go and what to do with that interface is because FB is trying to be all things to all people. It's a photo gallery. It's a meeting place. It's an email system. It's a game arcade. It's a shopping mall and gift exchange.
Aside: If one more person gives me a "gift" of any kind on FB, I will flip out. It's not a gift. It's a picture of a gift. Or not even. And what you've actually done is steal a minute of my precious time, the time it took to log on and realize FB is crying wolf again.
And what is it with you and your gifts anyway? Do you not have enough to do?
But onward: Scoble seems to think that becoming all things to all people will represent the company's culminating "Phase 7": World domination.
I am of a more cynical mindset. I believe that when you're everything, you are actually nothing.
FB's impossible challenge--one they've unconsciously embraced--is to compete to be the best at everything. Yes, people love to post pictures at FB. But can FB compete with Flickr, a company focused only on providing that one service? Can FB compete with dedicated gaming companies? And while FB is busy trying to secure its far flung borders, it faces a threat to its core "status update" business from a tunnel-visioned competitor called Twitter.
The Sauce
He has a point. Facebook has so much going on--it's like a costume party at your high school reuniuon held in a busy casino.
Your thoughts? Be a friend and let me know what you think. The comment section is open.
