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I see that the patent was filed in 2007, fortunately I've had virtual gifts on my community site http://friendsite.com/users/SocialStatus/ way before then where users could 'purchase' them or give them to other users... matches the digital element of the patent perfectly...

I've been incorporating the ability for users to tag themselves and others, as well as send out notifications for confirmation or rejection, in digital content since 2000 - one of my sites http://friendsite.com/ has used it extensively as well as others - hmmmm I'm sure there's a ton of prior art out there...

I think the bods down at Facebook are intelligent - they know that they're case is without merit - but just like all big corporations with big pockets, they're trying to scare the little guys out of the pond by creating as much waves as possible. Not only to make their target wonder about how much it will cost to defend the case and fold before that, but also to send a message to others who will try and do the same.

I'm not going to make any bones about my site http://friendsite.com/ I used sites like Facebook, Myspace, Bebo and others as inspiration. You only have to look at MySpace and they've now implemented 'feeds' and introducing FB type functionality, you take an idea from someone else and develop it yourself (I did for FriendSite.com I loved Facebooks feed and groups, but hated that they didn't give people their own URL, I loved MySpaces customization, but hated their look and feel, so I developed something that's inbetween the two AND wih the ability to turn off peoples customizations).

There's obviously a difference though between doing a wget and copying a sites entire structure and changing some colours and images (like it looks as though studiVZ has done), and using it as an inspiration, I have to side on the side of Facebook it does look like a blatant rip-off.

Thats exactly why I got sick of Facebook and Myspace and started http://friendsite.com/ ... boxlight and anyone else, I would appreciate any feedback you have!

Facebook is a social networking site. Allowing you to stay up-to-date with friends and family, as well as finding new friends that fit your likes/dislikes. It also allows you to setup evites, groups, etc... very similar to the Yahoo/Excite portals years ago, where they try and make the site central to you.

As to the users that state they hate facebook.com and myspace.com.. that's exactly why I started http://friendsite.com/ kind of a mix of both... I'm just hoping that it makes me (with little finger in my mouth) 15 BILLION DOLLARS HA HA HA HA HA

Thats precisely why I created my own version of Facebook without all the 'crap'.. http://friendsite.com/ .. I to was fed up of all the applications, crap, join this, join that, it's getting too myspacey.. I'd certainly appreciate any comments, and the main aim is to keep it simple with taking just the best bits of myspace and facebook in one place. Add me if you join: http://friendsite.com/rick

Thats precisely why I created my own version of Facebook without all the 'crap'.. http://friendsite.com/ .. I to was fed up of all the applications, crap, join this, join that, it's getting too myspacey.. I'd certainly appreciate any comments, and the main aim is to keep it simple with taking just the best bits of myspace and facebook in one place. Add me if you join: http://friendsite.com/rick