1. Stewart Butterfield on September 25, 2003 4:07 AM writes...

I worked on a service called Gradfinder* for a while. Never mind transaction costs and latent ties: people pay money because they REALLY want to find some other particular person that they have been carrying a torch for since high school (mostly men looking for women, and often people who just got out of marriages or long term relationships).

It is about 50% people looking for information on upcoming reunions (the membership always skewed hard to 10 year distributions with smaller spikes every five years -- the graphs were neat to look at). The other half are looking for one very specific person -- the one they had a crush on years ago, and the one they still think about. The latter group are more likely to pay. (Classmates' CEO once told my partner in conversation that men looking for ex-girlfriends or crushes account for most of their paid memberships.)

*I'm always embarrassed to say that, because it looks so bad now: we sold it in 2000 and it was acquired again at the end of 2001 by FriendFinder, the parent of sites like Adult Friend Finder, and Alt.com. They did an amazing job undesigning it.

2. Will Davies on September 25, 2003 4:09 AM writes...

Friendsreunited is very famous in the UK - certainly the most well-known of any type of social networking site. It already has 'gross scale'. It made the papers again a few weeks ago because somebody was sacked for something they'd posted about their boss on Friendsreunited.

On the question of cost, my understanding of their charges is that they exist (or originally existed) to safeguard the integrity of the site for users. If Friendster introduced a one-off $8 charge (roughly what friendsreunited charges), then there may be an outcry, but there'd be less fakesters which ultimately would save the site in the long run.

3. David H. Deans on September 25, 2003 8:46 AM writes...

As a Brit who has lived in the U.S. for over 25 years, I find that the person's "notes" section on Friends Reunited are fascinating, because that's where many people describe what they've done with their lives.

Sure, some descriptions are dull or unimaginative (married with two kids, blah, blah.), and yet others are truly enlightening -- because you're surprised by the transformation that a person went through. Some lived out their dreams, while others simply lost their way.

Granted, if you never grew up with these people, then these small insights into their life's journey are meaningless. However, if you sat across from one of these people in class for several years and have forgotten how they touched your own existence, then it's amazing how the memories come flooding back -- and you can't help but grin as you recall your youth.

Ross, bottom line, if you honestly think that the only value is "search," then all I can say is perhaps you need to broaden your current perspective of social networking.

4. Ross Mayfield on September 25, 2003 10:06 AM writes...

David, other models are better at coordinated activity (e.g. Meetup), passing information (e.g. LinkedIn), telling stories (e.g. blogs) and other values. Top down approaches work well for search in particular, a difference that needs to be pointed out.

5. David H. Deans on September 26, 2003 10:55 AM writes...

Ross, understood. However, my point was not about "coordinated activity," but rather the significance of Friends Reunited creating a compelling nexus -- one that's proven to touch and ignite human emotion.

IMHO, this key attribute was lost in your rather clinical assessment of this site. Moreover, shouldn't an appreciation of social networking also include an understanding (or at least awareness) of the relevance of social anthropology?

My point: all the sites that you reference (which I use) appear to be designed by people who have an affinity for the software tools, and much less of a comprehension of what truly motivates human behaviour. Again, this is just my perception, since I don't have data to support this hypothesis.

6. Ross Mayfield on September 26, 2003 3:44 PM writes...

David, the good thing is that your prespective is considered valid data in cultural anthropology ;-)

Perhaps you are right that I am being to clinical in recent posts.

7. David H. Deans on September 29, 2003 2:31 PM writes...

Ross,

That said, I must admit that I'm an ardent fan of your editorials. I've learnt more about social networks from your weblog than I'm sure I'd ever learn from all the other sources combined. You are a mine of useful information, and I look forward to you next insight.

Respectfully, DHD

8. Elizabeth Eybs on February 21, 2004 10:33 AM writes...

Hi my name is Elizabeth Eybs and I'am 9 years old I am looking for my friend Leah Ferraro we used to play together so so so much and i really miss her. If you ever go on this sight please e-mail me at Eybs13@msn.com im begging you please i miss you.

Bye From Elizabeth