Thanks For The Source Code Suckas

Given my limited free time, and my affinity for spending it offline, I rarely keep up with the seemingly billions of posts, rants, editorials, etcetera that are tirelessly flying around the Internet. But, last night I landed at 02138 and actually read (do people do that?) Poking Facebook.

First off, it’s a magazine about Harvard alumni, and while you’d expect accolades and back-rubs, the few articles I read were scathing and exposing. Regardless of the overall tone, which I’m not one to judge because I literally read only two articles, the story of Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook origins is fascinating. Not just because it involves controversy that is still being debated in court, but because of the collaborative academic culture that spawned the social network.

Secondly, I’m quite fascinated with this whole social networking craze. Being an active participant who realizes the power of connectivity, both for the networks and their participants, I’m a bit weary of corporate integration, data-mining, and other profitable byproducts of huge social groups relinquishing very personal information with ignorant disregard.

Also, as a designer, the article offers some insight into how a great idea can be hijacked and executed to the tune of billions with a “b”. While it’s unfortunate for those who “got royally screwed,” it’s also a reminder that the web is still a wild, dynamic environment, where new ideas continue to emerge and forge huge shifts in the cultural landscape.

02138 - Poking Facebook