Much as been said and written about the phenomenal success, since it's start-up in 2004, of the ubiquitous social networking site, Facebook. From humble beginnings, but with hindsight inspirational foresight and determination,and whilst in his first year at Harvard, Mark Zukerberg and his coterie drove through with almost a religious fervour his concept of the future of global communications, into a mammoth modern technology company.
That company Facebook has now been morphed into a massive concern with upwards of 500 million of us having joined up to socialise among family and friends, make new acquaintances, and 'rubber-neck' other's lives and goings-on. It also allowed us a freedom and flexibility of instant communication and networking that hitherto had not been available to the great unwashed masses.
David Kirkpatrick's most competent and engagingly attention-holding book 'The Facebook Effect' does an excellent job in tracking the growth of the Google Business from the early days at Harvard through until 2010, including all of it's teething troubles and growth pains, warts and all. He was given extensive access to Zuckerberg and his team which helped him build up a very clear and concise understanding of how 'Facebook' bludgeoned it's way into our affections. That the company is now valued at $15 billion is testament indeed, to this contemporary geek culture.
So what happens now? Quoting from the eminent Science Fiction Author Timothy Zahn " For a change, lady-luck seemed to be smiling on me. Then, again, maybe the fickle wench was just lulling me into a false sense of security while she reached for the hard rock." The international newswires are claiming that subscribers to Facebook have very recently started witnessing reduced subscription levels which does not auger well for the rapid growth experienced so far. Could it be that the 'fickle hand'of fate has already started to erode Facebook's subscriptions,and thus the beginning of a spiral downturn? You only have to look at the rapid decline of subscribers in "Friends Reunited" to witness the fickleness and transient nature of social networking sites. It could prove that getting Facebook to where it is today might be considerably easier than keeping it there.Let us hope that lady-luck does not rain down hard rocks but only time will tell, with the real 'rough and tumble' not yet begun.
This book charting the rise of Facebook is highly recommended.
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