Evolving the Social Network

arantius writes "An article on BottomQuark points to a new development: Here's a story about a new start-up Huminity, referred to as the technology of the year. The software they produce combines instant messaging, chat, and social networking. After burning through over $30k of personal funds, the team has now raised millions for their company. We've heard about Friendster recently, but somehow this seems more interesting." Jamie adds: Social networking was in the news recently because this patent apparently covers much of it. It was bought for $700K by the two underdogs and may be used to beat up on Friendster. Don't worry, the guy who wrote Slashdot's friend-of-friend code doesn't think we're affected :)

Comments

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Some network

[cryptochrome]

Apparently, the only social network they recognize is the one amongst windows users. Well, I guess there's always slashdot...

Dork out

[Anonymous Coward]

With cell phones more available to teenagers, and the teenagers that get em being cool... The number of people a single person has contact with is greater.

People have a larger pool of people to interact with now than say 20 years ago. Especially with population growth.

The cultures that exist are more conforming, and reach more people across a larger area.

You can totally become a statistics nerd charting the reasons that there are skateboarding chicks now, but 10 years ago, skateboarders were skatefags.

Re:That patent is illogical.

[diersing]

We are since we are under slashdot effect bare with us :). Hope you will enjoy the Huminity software.

The Huminity team

Nice, sites now have Slashdot protection.

Download vs Web

[zetes]

The thing I like about Friendster is that there is no download and it is accessible from anywhere - doesn't matter what software you have, what browser you use, what OS you are using, or most importantly where you are when you want to check your friends list. If Huminity could have it all on the web (with Java chat clients like all the other chat services provide), they would get my vote. Until then, I will stick to the service for which I don't have to do anything to use but sign up.

Z

Re:Network of friends = useless?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, in the PGP Web of Trust model, the idea is that the more people who you know have signed a stranger's key, the more likely you are to believe that key is correct. The network isn't useless; it gives you a subjective measure of the likelihood of an identity being correct.

Then there's that old AIDS commercial. (Weird way of putting it -- makes it sound like someone wants to sell AIDS.) "When you sleep with someone, you're sleeping with everyone they've slept with, and everyone they've slept with, etc." The idea being that if you have unprotected sex with one person, you still might be exposed to a lot of risk. The network isn't useless; it can "successfully" transmit HIV to you.

Then there's DNS. My computer doesn't know www.slashdot.org, but my computer does know a resolver who knows a root server who knows an .org server who knows slashdot.org who knows www.slashdot.org. Kind of a weird example, I guess.

Then there's your old college buddy. He knows a cute girl, but he already has an SO. So he introduces you to her. You stare into each other's eyes and declare your love in a sappy, sickening display that would even make TL grimace uncomfortably. You get married and live happily ever after. Was the network useless?

Re:Prior art?

[jamiefaye]

Drug dealing has followed this protocol ever since the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914. The diference is that the database is decentralized and either committed to human memory or stored in an encrypted form.

Basically, to form a new hookup you must be introduced to a dealer by someone whom the dealer already trusts. The edges of the networks are called "runners", and can be found on streetcorners and in dance clubs. Retail and wholesale distribution follows a similar pattern.

When the protocol breaks down, particularly due to personnel security issues, bullets fly. Otherwise it works pretty well!

New?

[lifebouy]

I've known about (and used, once or twice) Huminity for well over a year. The basic idea rocks. However: 0. No chatroom. 1. Useless info on most people 2. Doesn't have the critical mass of users to truly be useful. Finding paths to groups of users can be a pain. 3. Windoze only, last I looked. That said, I'd love to see a OSS version of this. Perhaps built around GnuPG so that messages could be encrypted and your web of trust shows up as your "network." This kind of graphical display of webs of trust would go far in promoting better webs of trust. It would likely avoid patent issues, too, since if they do have a patent, it would cover using databases, not encryption keys. Also, Having users show up as interconnected stars in an 3D OpenGL starfield would be very cool, with very connected users being galaxy centers. All in all, though, Huminity could be very useful, if the userbase ever got big enough, and they managed to squash a few glaring flaws.