For an increasing number of people, that answer is yes.
Facebook is a (free!) online social networking site that allows you to have a "profile" where you display contact and other information of interest that you want other people to see. You can link to other people you know that are also on Facebook and you can see their updates and messages in your profile. In a way, it is like a digital Rolodex --- at an instant, you can see a quick summary of the messages and information about people that are important to you.
Via Josh Catone @ readwriteweb.com:
"Facebook IS the internet portal of 2007." - Jeff Pulver
"Facebook could easily become the Microsoft Windows of tomorrow." - Duncan Riley
"No matter how you look at it Facebook is the one. Right now." - Robert Scoble
"Facebook will reach 50 million, then 100 million, then 200 million users, and beyond." - Paul Allen
"Last time an inward looking ecosystem caught the imagination of developers, it was Windows 95, the defining moment for Microsoft. The winner of that movement: Microsoft." - Om Malik on the Facebook platform
"There's a chance that someday, Facebook will be the preferred place to read this blog because of all the social apps that will be built around it." - Fred Wilson
The idea is similar to the old networking sites like Friendster or Myspace. But there are several reasons why Facebook is the current place to be in the online world. First, there is this idea of what networks you belong to. With Myspace, anyone can join, but with a low barrier to entry, there was a lot of noise for small bits of useful signal. However, Facebook raises the bar of entry to a requirement that you belong to a particular network.
Originally started at Harvard, Facebook grew to more universities, then to companies, and finally now anyone can join if they have links to an appropriate network. I joined the Johns Hopkins network because I am an alumni of Johns Hopkins University. Now that I am on the Johns Hopkins network, I can see the 15,580 other members on that network. This allows me to stay in close contact with classmates and professors who went there. Since I am also a Virginia Tech alumni, I am able to join the Virginia Tech network and visit with the 44,996 other Virginia Tech members. And so on for all universities you may go to or went to. As you interact with more people, your network will grow.
But there are also networks for companies too (i.e., if you work for Microsoft you could join the Microsoft Facebook network, etc.), there is an option of joining via the "no network" for those who want to join but do not have a regular network point of entry, or you can be invited. With this networking concept, Facebook allows you to limit who gets to see the information on your profile. For example, I could limit my profile information to be limited to the Virginia Tech network, and anyone on the Virginia Tech network could see my profile, send me a message, view my friends and groups I belong to, etc. Or I could limit my profile information to just my friends, or to everyone.
For example, there is a quote about Facebook above by Robert Scoble. Who is Robert Scoble? Well, he is the author of Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers
Robert is reading reports from WordCamp in SF. I am staying home to do chores, jealous of those that are there.
I do not have to go to his profile to see that information---quick status updates are flashed to my profile for my friends so that I can quickly and easily get the information sent to me that may be interesting or useful.
Another reason Facebook is growing is that they have an "open platform," meaning that anyone can write applications to the Facebook API. The other networking applications are closed systems, meaning that only the employees of those networking site companies write the applications. But with Facebook's open API, the world is now writing and porting applications that work within the Facebook framework.
As examples of some of the applications, I can embed a Stock Quote widget into my profile so that I can monitor how much money I am making/losing, or maybe To-Do list and calendar applications to keep me on schedule. There are games I can play, I can keep track of over 200,000 different bands to find out where they are coming to play in my area, and I can watch videos, listen to audio, monitor newsfeeds, share recipes, or just draw pictures. All these creative and useful applications are available, for free, for anyone to embed on their profile.
So, are you on Facebook? If not, you might want to check it out. It is like having your address book, Outlook contacts list, calendar, television, and messaging system all in one spot. Will Facebook ever be replaced? Signs point to yes, since people will move to the new thing if the new thing provides more benefits and features than the old thing. But for now, Facebook is the thing.
You can visit my public profile and add me as a friend, if you like.
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