Hacker News Reader

Comment by aufreak3 | Hacker News Reader

This talk raises some questions for me.

Email doesn't seem to have the kinds of grouping problems discussed in the presentation. So what is it really that isn't in email that can then be solved by something Facebook-like that doesn't do "social networking" like Facebook does it? Is it just that the interface is simpler?

email = status update, social group = mailing list, contacts db = friends network

what else?

View on HN

Passive observation. I'm vaguely interested in what my acquaintances are up to, but they would never impose so much as to email me.

Say, you want to let people know that you are going to be in their city. Email will be too intrusive. So indirect communication is advantage (which social group allows). A contact in the city can see it and choose to ignore it. Another one, may jump at the opportunity, and welcome you and want to meet you.

But we are still left with the problem of broadcast to all, which the PPT articulates very nicely.

I think email falls into the same category as the real life social graph. You communicate seperately with each group of friends. Other groups don't see your comments. The swimming kids don't see you reply to the friends from the gay bar talking about pictures.

photo sharing. video sharing. email is suboptimal for this. if you don't want to see all photos in full resolution, you still pay the response cost.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com