Facebook and Friendster and MySpace, oh my!

How is it that Myspace continues to be one of the top visited sites on the web? I understand that a lot of bands use it to promote their shit, but any website that can continuously crash your browser is in DESPERATE need of a vast and extensive overhaul. I click on my friends pages and I'm bombarded with flashing lights, 45 pictures, and seemingly every youtube video ever created all crammed onto one page. I'm actually surprised that the friend whose page I'm looking at doesn't barge on through my door right as I click on their profile.

It's funny to think back to a time when Friendster was the most popular social network on the web. Friendster's downfall, of course, was that it was slow to add new features and users quickly jumped ship to newer and more attractive alternatives. Now I don't think Myspace is in any danger of becoming the next Friendster, but I'm starting to sense a small, yet significant, migration to its cleaner and leaner cousin, Facebook.

Interestingly enough, I've noticed that Myspace is slowly but surely starting to copy a number of Facebook features. For instance, the ability to tag friends in photos and to see which friends have updated their Myspace profiles are 2 new feature upgrades that were clearly borrowed from Facebook. Now I'm not anti-Myspace by any means, I just happen to prefer Facebook. And again, Myspace isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It has its nice markets, obviously. We all know that Myspace very big when it comes to music, but if it continues to become a platform for half-naked women who think they're models, spammers, and wanna be celebrities, then I wonder how soon it'll be before a mass migration from Myspace begins. I've also noticed that Facebook is starting to attract users who typically wouldn't be on a social network. And it's crucial to note that by separating its users into different networks, it's able to maintain credibility as a social network for both teens and those in their 30's. Ironically, if Myspace wants to maintain its dominance as a social network, it will have to start (and indeed it already has) becoming more facebook like. Oh cruel fate.

Lastly, I think that 'Friendster' should become an adjective to describe something that's clearly out dated and unpopular. Imagine the possibilities -- "Hey nerd, that shirt is so Friendster!"