The evolution of online Social Networks is of course fascinating to watch - there are moments of what pass for stability in the ecosystem followed by variation explosions in many different directions. The pace of the process is breathtaking - adaptions come and go almost as you watch. I am hoping there's a Political Science grad or Anthropologist out there who is tracking all this!
Let me just point at one item that has caught my attention. LinkedIn is dedicated (more or less) to business professionals. They actively discourage participants from creating large networks of people you don't know personally or strongly trust. You can ask a Question and look for a Job but there are no photo albums, favorites lists, widgets to "poke" or "zombify" your contacts (...this is NOT Facebook!)
After a certain standard amount of "bitching and moaning" from community members this (more or less) closed model has spawned a very active black market of derivative communities on Yahoo Groups and as independent websites.
I made the top graphic from data I found on www.toplinked.com And you can join two of the groups I'm a member of - LinkedIn Power Forum or the Linking Northern California group. Feel free to invite me as a network contact on LinkedIn at any time! The top linked user on this social network has slightly more than 39,000 direct connections....eeeek!
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