Facebook and Google: Philosophies Collide
September 27, 2010
I listened to the Thursday, Buzz Out Loud podcast. On the show the talent explained that a certain high profile blog (Techcrunch) wrote a story about a rumored Facebook phone. The high profile blog garnered a meeting with the founder of Facebook (Wizard Zuck or Mark Zuckerberg). In that discussion, if I heard correctly as I was peddling my exercise bike at 66 year old goose pace, Mr. Zuckerberg point out something along the lines that social functions could not be added on. The idea I took away was that Facebook is built for social functions. Google was built for search or some other function.
As I thought about this, the comment highlighted what I think of as a “platform” fight.
The idea has surfaced elsewhere. I have started to write about the i2-Palantir tussle. That seems to be about lots of different technical issues, but it is really a platform fight. i2 has been one of the leaders if not the leader in data fusion and analysis for law enforcement and intelligence applications for 20 years. Keep in mind that I have done some work for the i2 folks. The Palantir outfit—stuffed with $90 million in semi-worthless US bucks—is a comparative newcomer. These two outfits are struggling to keep or get, depending on one’s point of view—control of a very esoteric market niche. Most of the azurini and mid-tier consultants steer clear of this sector. The types of baloney generated by the azurinis’ spam plants can harm people, not just get procurement teams reassigned. The i2-Palantir issue interests me because it is a platform tussle.
I think Facebook and Google are in a platform war as well.
Now keep in mind that if you are a Googler, you see the world through Google goggles. If you are a Facebook fan, you see the world through the friend lens. I am in the middle, and here’s my take on Wizard Zuck’s alleged comment about “adding” social instead of building a social platform.
First, I think the shift from Google to Facebook as a go-to resource is an important change. The reason Facebook “works” for 500 million or more people is that the information (good, bad, right, wrong, made up, crazy, or indifferent) comes from humans. If you have some relationship with that human, the information exists within a relationship context. When I run a search on Google, I have to figure out for myself whether the information is right, wrong, made up, crazy, indifferent or an advertisement. I don’t get much human help to figure out what’s what. As a result, the Google algorithmic and “secret sauce” results strike me as somewhat less useful now that there are “contextual” results and what I call “friend cues.” Your mileage may vary, but these friend cues also exist in services like Twitter and its derivatives/applications like Tweetmeme.
Second, Google is definitely in Microsoft Word feature mode. I am impressed with some of Google’s new services such as its new authentication method, which I will write about in one of my October columns. I am not too impressed with other Google innovations such as “Instant”. The ration of Word type features to useful features seems to be tilting toward the Microsoft model. I don’t use Word because it is a program that tries to do everything well and ends up becoming a wild and crazy exercise in getting text on the screen. My goodness: green lines, red lines, auto bullets, disappearing images, weird table behavior. Give me Framemaker 7.2. Facebook is a complicated system, but the basics work reasonably well even though the firm’s immature approach to information reminds me of the last group of 20 somethings I spoke with in Slovenia several months ago. Google is now at risk of letting features get in the way of functional improvements. Facebook is in refinement mode. When it comes to social, Facebook is refining social actions. When it comes to social, Google is still trying to figure it out.
Third, Google is a platform built originally to deliver Web search results in the manner of AltaVista without Hewlett Packard in my opinion. Facebook is a platform built to let those who are young at heart find old and new pals. Google has morphed search into advertising and now faces the challenge of figuring out how to go beyond Orkut, which as I write this is struggling with some crazy virus or malware. Facebook is, according to a rumor I heard, working to provide search that uses the content within the Facebook ecosystem as the spider list. Curation versus search/advertising. Which platform is better to move search forward in the social space? Google is layering on a new approach to people and content and Facebook is simply indexing a subset of content. Curated content at that.
My view is that Facebook and Google are in a platform battle. Who will win? Wizard Zuck and Xooglers who know technically what Google errors to avoid in the Facebook social environment? Googlers who are trying to keep an 11 year old platform tuned for brute force Web indexing and on the fly ad matching run by smart algorithms?
Interesting platform battle. And a big one. This may not be a Socrates-hemlock type of tussle but it is a 21st century philosophical collision.
Stephen E Arnold, September 27, 2010
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Facebook: Makes Noise without Trying
September 20, 2010
Americans like to post photos, update status messages, and scroll through news from friends on Facebook, more than any other activity when online. This is concluded from a comScore research revealed in the USAToday.com article, “Facebook Inches Past Google for Web Users’ Minutes.” Moreover, what startles us more is the fact stated that, “U.S. Web surfers are spending more time socializing on Facebook than searching with Google.”
My view is that Google wants to make sure usage for its service sticks in the 50 to 60 percent range. At these levels, Google is not really a monopoly in my view.
But this Facebook surge probably rings a bell for Google, as well as Yahoo, both of which were well ahead of Facebook ,in terms of percentage of Web surfers who spent time on their sites. In just a matter of three years, Facebook’s share of U.S. surfers’ total minutes per month has risen from 2 percent to 9.9 percent, whereas Google lags behind at 9.6 percent, even after including its sites like YouTube, Gmail and others. This could well be a wakeup call for the giant Google, with a challenge to regain the top spot.
But the real story is that a post in a popular Web log and the follow up story “Anatomy Of A PR Spin (AKA How To Lie Like A Pro)” has escalated into a major media incident in the blogosphere. The idea that Facebook, a mere social network, would create a mobile device is little more than one of those Silicon Valley rumors. What is important is that a Silicon Valley rumor like Oracle wanting to buy a search vendor (how boring) becomes when Facebook is involved. Not boring. A huge issue.
That’s the story for me.
Facebook right now is one of the outfits with the power to disrupt. Forget the Facebook phone or whatever the rumor says the device is.
Facebook has arrived and it will be no easy task to put a damper on the Facebook noise. Honk.
Stephen E Arnold, September 20, 2010
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Google and the Unexpected Consequences of a Hot Property
September 1, 2010
I don’t know much beyond what I have read in “Google Making Extraordinary Counteroffers To Stop Flow Of Employees To Facebook.” The idea is a good one if you are a Googler, want to ride a rocket with a chance to land at Planet IPO, and are of interest to the Xooglers at Facebook. Heck, who wouldn’t jump ship to get a shot at a big pay day? One doesn’t have to relocate or even worry about fitting into the company, which I have heard has a number of Xooglers on staff.
What is interesting is that for the first time in the history of Google, the Mountain View giant has a true competitive problem that is not going to be easy, cheap, or quick to resolve. The legal matters are less tricky than a hot company with a targeted ad pitch and an opportunity to create a curated index for search and retrieval. I think Google can match Facebook’s technology. In some ways, Google can outgun Facebook. However, Facebook—despite its flaws—is not yet public. Employees lucky enough to get options at Facebook could make some dough. With Facebook’s user base growing and its targeted ad angle, Facebook may be putting the heat on Google to pull a rabbit out of its hat.
The case example of Microsoft’s effort to catch Google in search is now becoming a case example of Google trying to catch Facebook. Google finds itself chasing a bunch of smart folks who are not yet public and who have a service that defies understanding by some people. Nevertheless, Facebook seems to be on a roll. The irony for me is that Microsoft has a stake in Facebook, which in my opinion makes Microsoft look pretty sharp in the social investment department.
The summer of 2010 has been a challenging one for Google. One hopes its management team and management processes are up to the challenge of its social neighbor.
Stephen E Arnold, September 1, 2010
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Update on Facebook Questions
August 18, 2010
It’s no secret that Google has been aiming to take a bite out of the social media world with programs like Buzz. However, social media kingpin Facebook is fighting back and possibly taking a bite out of Google’s search dominance. Digital Journal outlined this tactic in a recent article, “Facebook Launches Questions Feature.” The gist of the article is that Facebook will soon allow users to ask questions to the community and get answers. Anything from recipes, to historic facts and personal data are up for grabs. According to the piece, “Facebook Questions goes up against some strong players in the ask-a-question-get-an-answer field.” Namely, the king of answer providing: Google. This is going to be a fun war to watch, because Google is not used to losing and Facebook provides a unique spin on Q&A options that its competition can’t touch. Google seems to be a giant looking like the gorilla on top of the Empire State Building.
Pat Roland, August 18, 2010
Facebook Pages Become Customer Support Centers
August 17, 2010
Consumers are the driving force behind any successful business. Many companies are behind when it comes to their CRM (customer relationship management) and though they may have excellent products customers are unable to get the quality support they need and deserve. Issues with customer service can lead to customers jumping ship and taking their money elsewhere. Many businesses have Facebook pages aimed at consumers. Facebook is improving by “brining customer service software to businesses living inside the world’s biggest social network.” “Facebook Pages Become Customer Support Centers” provides a little insight on the new support system designed by Parature. Customers will be able to choose from several different options and find the answers they need quickly. Users will no longer be a victim of the dreaded phone tree Hades. A language processing vendor will become one of the first to use the new service. Time will tell if this customer service software is effective but sometimes talking to a real person is the best fix. We think this repurposing of Facebook has significant implications for the hapless customer support search sector.
April Holmes, August 17, 2010
Data Centers for Facebook and Google: Juiciness in Alleged Facts
August 16, 2010
Navigate to “Two Data Centers Present a Study in Contrasts.” The information in the write up is germane to search and social networking. A happy qua ck to Theodoric Meyer, who did a very good job on this article for the Dalles (Oregon) Chronicle.
Dalles? Yep, that’s the town in which first Google, then Facebook, decided to set up power sucking data centers. In the olden days, data centers had lots of people. Today’s data centers are designed to be as close to people free as possible. Humans wandering around a data center filled with itty-bitty gizmos crunching lots of data can get screwed up in a heartbeat if a clumsy human does something like pull a plug or punch a button to see what happens.
You will want to read the full write up by Mr. Meyer. Here are the factoids that I noted:
- Google set up shop in scenic and struggling Dalles in 2006. Now Facebook with its Xooglers is on the same path.
- Data center managers have to make nice with city officials, particularly in places like scenic and struggling Dalles.
- Facebook is doing a better job of building bridges that Google’s Math Club crowd did.
- No Oreogon taxes will be paid on the data centers for 15 years. (A big yes to the American market system.) A minimum number of hires and higher pay were the requirements Google and Facebook had to meet.
- Facebook’s facility will have 147,000 square feet or about 2.2 American football fields. That’s almost as big a typical trailer here in Harrod’s Creek, Kentucky.
- Facebook power consumption will be at 30 megawatts with a need to access up to 90 megawatts of power. BGF (before Google and Facebook), the township used 30 megawatts of power.
- Google has done “a lot of good” in Dalles.
The key factoid. The fellow responsible for Google’s Dalles facility has been hired by Facebook. You can take the Xoogler out of Google but you can’t take the Google out of the Xoogler.
And that contrast? Math Club compared to making nice with political officials.
Stephen E Arnold, August 16, 2010
BSB Gets Brainy with Brainware
August 8, 2010
My newsreader delivered to me this Red Orbit news release: “British Sky Broadcasting Group Adopts Brainware Distiller to A/P Automation.” [Link may go dead at any time.] “A/P” is shorthand for accounts payable. The “automation” refers to using Brainware’s content acquisition methods for manipulating accounts payable information. According to the news release:
BSkyB) has selected the company’s Brainware Distiller(TM) solution for the processing of invoices in the United Kingdom and Ireland. BSkyB will also implement the Brainware Distiller Visibility(TM) module for real-time metrics and reporting on the invoice processing cycle, as well as Brainware’s own workflow and exception handling module.
What strikes the addled goose as interesting is that the Brainware trigram method and more traditional content processing have been blended for this niche solution. Brainware, like other search and content processing companies, are working to find market solutions that need a problem solved, not a basic search solution. Does this mean search is dead? If revenues flow, nope. Brainware’s angle seems more creative than search vendors who content themselves with providing a snap in solution to SharePoint in my opinion.
Stephen E Arnold, August 8, 2010
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Amazon and Its New BFF, Facebook
August 4, 2010
Microsoft expressed its love for Facebook with an investment of $240 million in late 2007. That is public information. Less well known is the on-again, off-again relationship between Amazon and Microsoft. Cross town rivals, both companies eye one another’s database innovations, business methods, and products.
Amazon’s interest in Facebook seems to be rising. “Amazon Now Taps Into Facebook for Social Product Recommendations”, if on the money, reported that cloud-computing giant Amazon has added a nifty Facebook feature. Now you can integrate Facebook into your personal Amazon recommendations.
To use the feature, navigate to your Amazon recommendations. Amazon uses Facebook Connect to provide you with social recommendations based on information in your Facebook profile.
After you activate this feature, Amazon will display a dedicated page within the recommendations section of your Amazon account. You will see which of your friends also like the same books, bands, videos, and other media.
Too much big brother? Is Amazon nosing into Microsoft’s territory? Is Amazon working with Microsoft on other social integration services? Something is up. We don’t know what, but the move is interesting.
Stephen E Arnold, August 4, 2010
Facebook Runs Wide Open
July 28, 2010
Open source technology, once relegated to the furthest reaches of computer geekdom, is helping over 500 million people a day share status info, view photos and even poke a friend, they just don’t know it. Facebook, the King Kong of social media, has embraced open source tools, especially Lucene products, on several different levels so it works faster and smarter. A recent interview with Facebook’s senior open programs manager, David Recordon, for Developer.com “Inside Facebook’s Open Source Infrastructure,” revealed a surprising pile of open source applications. According to the piece, “Facebook’s open source Web serving infrastructure has a lot more than just the traditional LAMP (Linux/Apache/MySQL/PHP) stack behind it.”
The company taps Apache and Lucene. Cassandra, an Apache database project, is utilized heavily by the site. It is one of three open source databases used for storing information and helping the process run smoother. “While we store the majority of our user data inside of MySQL,” Recordon said. “We have about 150 terabytes of data inside of Cassandra, which we use for inbox search on the site and over 36 petabytes of uncompressed data in Hadoop overall.”
With such a well-planned method for storing data by using open source programs, it only makes sense the data analysis is handled in a similar fashion. Here, Apache Hive technology is utilizedin a major way.
“A large part of our infrastructure is open source and we really think that it’s important in terms of being able to allow developers that are building with the Facebook platform to scale using the same pieces of infrastructure that we use,” Recordan said.
Facebook is arguably one of the most important companies of our time. Few sites have changed the way we spend time at and away from the computer. So its warm embrace of open source technology feels like a sign of big things to come as companies like Lucene gain more recognition. What’s interesting is that Facebook has a number of Googlers pumping their DNA into Facebook. The technical decisions at Facebook are different from those made at Google. Facebook does social pretty well. Google does not, at least yet. Is there a message here? Beyond Search will do an Overflight at some point.
Stephen E Arnold, July 28, 2010
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Social Media Disappoints Some
July 27, 2010
For the very first time, social media has been rated on the ACSI E-business report that scores customer satisfaction in a number of areas including social media sites as well as search engines and portals and the results are a less than favorable. Is the social media apple harboring an ugly worm?
The report from ForeSee Results scores social media low on the scale but notes at the same time that Web sites like Facebook can still enjoy a monopoly with abysmal customer satisfaction ratings. While a score in the report of lower than 70 is considered poor, Facebook only managed to get a 64. It should be no surprise that customers who inked their concerns about Facebook put privacy and security issues at the forefront. (Keep in mind that the goslings at Beyond Search have some concerns about pop up, in your face surveys. We dismiss these as annoying intrusions. Thus, the samples on which the results are based may contain a bias that makes these data as wacky as the addled goose when he goes without sleep.)
The Daily HaHa nailed the goslings reaction to both the pop up data collection method and the findings reported by ForeSee. Source: http://www.dailyhaha.com/_pics/gift_of_disappointment.jpg
On the other side of that fence was Wikipedia that had a score of 77. As far as the news and information sites went there was a constant mean score of 74. It’s also interesting to note that while Google’s overall score stayed high , it suffered an overall decline of seven per cent. (Keep in mind the nature of the sample and the omission of the margins of error.)
Still, the social media scores are the alleged big story since they entered the rating system for the first time. The ForeSee Results Annual E-Business Report with the ACSI had some interesting assertions based on numbers for social media including:
- The ACSI measured 30 online companies and MySpace and Facebook were the lowest scoring sites. (This is interesting since Facebook recently passed 500 million members and MySpace has been either stable or in decline for years.)
- The customer satisfaction issues with Facebook are generally age related. Older people were generally more critical of the site than younger people. (In the absence of demographic anchor data, perhaps older folks are judging Facebook on factors not queried in the survey questions via the pop up? Perhaps those filling in pop ups were biased to be more critical? Hard to tell because the report seems to have an knife to sharpen in our opinion.)
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