February 28, 200917 yr I have always wanted to do it but i have no php skills, i can create graphics and webpages but not do the php stuff so the question is , would anyone like to help create a rival to the mighty facebook? it can be done
February 28, 200917 yr It can't. Not unless you've got a multi-million £/$ budget. Facebook spend millions on development and advertising, and unless you have something EXTREMELY special/unique, then it will just be yet another facebook wannabe. Sorry to sound so negative, but I think you're wasting your time.
February 28, 200917 yr Author yes quite a few but i would be letting out too many ideas/secrets , i will tell those that are interested
February 28, 200917 yr Author i would not like to be like facebook, just want to be better than them.
February 28, 200917 yr Author its ok but anything can be started on a budget of £1, its also about making a site people can use easily and putting the features on there people want, and also a site they can trust with their data.
February 28, 200917 yr Why the next facebook... You want something unique not the next something else.
February 28, 200917 yr Author thats exactly what i want to make...... something different but im no good with php
February 28, 200917 yr It's just not practical. That market is already heavily saturated, it's almost impossible to rise up through the ranks and create something potentially massive. We do not mean to sound negative, but it is very unlikely that it will succeed. Have you thought of doing something similar but in a different market? I.e. A dating site? A gaming site with social networking built in? For example - it's main concentration would be on the game, but the social networking features could be integrated and prove popular. Being further developed as time goes on to become massive. It's not really possible to create a social networking network anymore and for it to be an instant success. I remember about five years ago I started to develop a PHP Internet Game, but I got bored and alternate work plans came along and it was just a catalyst to where we are now. It's still sat on my hard drive now. Who knows, one day Super Life may flourish!
February 28, 200917 yr It's just not practical. That market is already heavily saturated, it's almost impossible to rise up through the ranks and create something potentially massive. We do not mean to sound negative, but it is very unlikely that it will succeed. Have you thought of doing something similar but in a different market? I.e. A dating site? A gaming site with social networking built in? For example - it's main concentration would be on the game, but the social networking features could be integrated and prove popular. Being further developed as time goes on to become massive. You're describing Match.com and Xfire . Also who are you going to get to host your website for £1?
February 28, 200917 yr Also who are you going to get to host your website for £1? An old pc hooked up to the interwebs in the corner of the room?
February 28, 200917 yr Author well that could work cannot tell if your joking or being serious though, after a while you could attract investors if your site became a success and then move to real servers , google started off in a garage , just remember that
February 28, 200917 yr You're describing Match.com and Xfire . I wouldn't know! I don't use social networks much apart from the obvious ones so i'm completely estranged from the industry. I was just suggesting that he might have more luck with something along those lines.
February 28, 200917 yr Nonsense... Facebook rival... ha ha ha ha It could be done, it just needs a good service. Look at Myspace for example, at it's peak I don't think anybody thought that it could be replaced so easily! The "next Facebook" just needs to offer some unique features and be aimed at a certain area of the market so as to avoid market saturation. Once it catches it will inevitably get users from other demographics. If you don't think it's possible this is pretty much how Facebook overtook Myspace. The creator made it available to only Harvard students at first and then slowly expanded it, university by university until it had a diverse enough user base to expand it globally.
February 28, 200917 yr Some PHP dude I know has already set about creating something like this, just for fun. It's actually not bad considering it was created by just one guy in a very short space of time. You can see it here (Although obviously, you'd need to sign up to gain the full experience).
February 28, 200917 yr yeah its probably pretty easy all we gotta do is throw some code together and then make millions, is how the internet works!!! I agree with meshach: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
February 28, 200917 yr I want to build a site where people can find private landlords/letting agents that accept DSS Payments... have a look there is none... well one but its crap and hasn't been updated in months...
February 28, 200917 yr Author i think i should change the topic to the biggest jokers on the forum are in this thread. some of your comments are rude and others are helpful to those that have helped, many thanks
February 28, 200917 yr Facebook didn't actually spend millions in development, it was one guy and a couple friends putting together something for their Uni, then it became so popular, all Uni's were using it. Then eventually it was released to the public. They've only spent a lot on advertising and promotion since the website has become popular. I don't see a problem with wanting to be the 'new' Facebook. After all, I'm pretty sure Facebook was just the 'new MySpace'. Personally I don't think people here have the time or resources to create something close to Facebook.
February 28, 200917 yr By the time a site got as popular as facebook they would probabaly buy it and just merge the two.
February 28, 200917 yr Facebooks app system, and the scale of the site right now requires millions of dollars. To start a networking site wouldn't be too hard, but once it gets slightly larger, you need to invest money. Sorry for the rude response, but I'm allowed to laugh at something funny.
March 1, 200917 yr The thing is, if you're planning on creating a system like this, first you're going to need the money for investment, and secondly, you're not going to make any profit. Facebook doesn't even break even.
March 1, 200917 yr No, it's true. Facebook has always made a loss, and probably will for some time to come.
March 1, 200917 yr That is actually a good point Traxor/ZigPress. It might be worth taking into account lynamcool. In the current economic climate, it's going to be incredibly difficult for you to make a profit from something like that. As said, Facebook doesn't break even. If memory serves me well, I think they made a Net Loss of $3.63 Million Dollars. Which is about £2.54 Million Pounds. All the good companies are finding it difficult, so are we. I don't want this to sound rude and ignorant, but, if Facebook can't make a profit? Why should you? No one knows, especially in the UK, how long this recession is going to last. Maybe it's not just not practical, but also not economically viable.
March 2, 200917 yr The $3.63m loss was 4 years ago in the company's first year... They now turnover over $300m/year and are worth about $5billion. Their financial records haven't been released since 2005 so how anybody can say Facebook doesn't even break even is beyond me. I'm just going on common sense here so if you can actually prove to me that Facebook makes a loss, I'll believe it. It would be amazing for them to be valued at $5billion after 5 years operating without profit. Obviously their income has increased every year so even if they do not even break even yet, they will very soon and describing Facebook as a bad business model is laughable! Most companies make a loss in their first 1-2 years (bigger companies, around 5 years) so you can't be discouraged by that fact.
March 2, 200917 yr The fact that they're worth that money doesn't mean that they're earning that money. They're making a loss. I watched a Q & A with the creator of Facebook.
March 2, 200917 yr Facebook tried to buy twitter (which also isn't making any money, except from the japanese version which is ad funded) for some ridiculous sum (it was like $250million, but it was in facebook shares, suggesting they don't actually have that kind of venture capital). Myspace isn't a profitable business, but Rupert Murdoch bought Intermix (myspace) it to plug his other products, so the savings he makes on advertising counter-acts it. Twitter's business model comes into play this year, which should be interesting as they've stated it's not from advertising, but they're currently running at a loss. A business is only worth what someone's willing to pay, but to some people like Rupert Murdoch, it's not about direct profit. It was more about reducing cost and gaining a grip on the internet which they had failed to do so successfully prior to the purchase of intermix. Is this a little off topic from the original post?
March 2, 200917 yr The fact that they're worth that money doesn't mean that they're earning that money. They're making a loss. I watched a Q & A with the creator of Facebook. I think you're missing the point. I didn't say the $5billion was linked to their profits. You're discouraging the idea of a new site because 'Facebook doesn't even break even'. That doesn't mean it isn't a profitable company, why else would it be worth so much? Because turnover has increased each year (like I said). Did you know that most Premier League football clubs make losses (including Manchester United)? Even though they've been around 100+ years. It doesn't mean it's a bad investment. I would encourage a new networking website of any kind as they are the new big thing and there is definately money in it.
March 2, 200917 yr I would encourage a new networking website of any kind as they are the new big thing and there is definately money in it. For every ONE success, there's hundreds of failures. I've seen tons popup and die out within a year. Maybe the owners got bored, or were too short sighted, in it for the quick buck, i don't know. Remember million dollar homepage though? Remember that it made $1,000,000 whereas most of the other pixel advertising sites did no where near as well. Pixel advertising has almost all but died out. It was the pioneer however, and a triumphant success, no one was able to bring new concepts too it. I quite like the pixel advertising idea though, in moderation. Generally, from sites i've seen. It's the uniqueness that pushes them through.
March 2, 200917 yr For every ONE success, there's hundreds of failures. I've seen tons popup and die out within a year. Maybe the owners got bored, or were too short sighted, in it for the quick buck, i don't know. Remember million dollar homepage though? Remember that it made $1,000,000 whereas most of the other pixel advertising sites did no where near as well. Pixel advertising has almost all but died out. It was the pioneer however, and a triumphant success, no one was able to bring new concepts too it. I quite like the pixel advertising idea though, in moderation. Generally, from sites i've seen. It's the uniqueness that pushes them through. Right and what's wrong with rivalling a site like Facebook? It's common sense that you'd need a unique selling point to make millions but the 'one success for hundreds of failures' comment applies to any business. That's why it's a risk. But just because there's risk involved, doesn't mean the idea should be discredited immediately. If that were the case, nobody would incorporate.
March 2, 200917 yr I agree, i never discredited the idea. Facebook, myspace bebo, virb and other networks like that all have a target market. Most facebook users (i'm not one, so this isn't based on anything other than information i've heard) are older than the average myspace users (which tend to mostly be 13-16) most people over 16 or so tend to have lost there interest in myspace, while most retain there accounts, they're not as active. Bebo, is more popular amongst certain peer groups to myspace. But alot of people have both. Virb tends to be more proffesionals etc. And there are other ones that have there specific markets. As long as you have a well thought out business plan. You've worked out how to market, who to target, why target them etc. I say take the plunge, it's better to try and fail then to never try imho.
March 3, 200917 yr I'm with you Lynamcool. I don't think it's a ridiculous idea at all. Sadly I can't offer any suggestions as to how you might pull it off, but EVERYTHING from the paper clip to the moon landing started with an idea, so why not? I personally think Facebook leaves a LOT to be desired. Did you know that for a band to upload THEIR OWN music to Facebook, they have to provide a copy of their Driver's Liscence or Passport to validate who they are? AND facebook is completely rigid. It allows no customizations beyond the tacky apps they have on offer. The layout of a users' profile is fixed, whereas myspace which has it's own restrictions, DOES allow you to incorporate some HTML to modify the layout and to let you use images and embed video etc. I am COMPLETELY new, both on this forum and to web design in general, so I apologise if my comments are in anyway ignorrant, but having used Myspace AND Facebook, I think there's a hair-line fracture in the market for a 'Super Space' that perhaps utilizes the best parts of Myspace and Facebook and introduces other bennefits/improvements that are not available in either. Just throwing my rusty penny in the pot
March 3, 200917 yr AND facebook is completely rigid. It allows no customizations beyond the tacky apps they have on offer. The layout of a users' profile is fixed, whereas myspace which has it's own restrictions, DOES allow you to incorporate some HTML to modify the layout and to let you use images and embed video etc. Sorry, but that's why most FB apps and fan pages look tidy, and every Myspace page I've ever been to looks like sh1t...
March 3, 200917 yr Sorry, but that's why most FB apps and fan pages look tidy, and every Myspace page I've ever been to looks like sh1t... Isn't that more a problem with people's ability to lay things out clearly and properly rather than the functionality/freedom of the site? I've seen a lot of Facebook pages that are mind-boggling with all the glitzy 'how normal am I?' and 'how much of a gangster am I?' apps and, 'your Uncle changed his profile picture' (again), and a 'friend of a friend of a friend wrote on your firend's wall.' Again, these are just my own synical observations. With a nice range of options from preset templates or the freedom to add your own code people at least have a choice. It's up to them if they want to mess up their page, right?
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