

The Fall of CB Radio and Social Networking - Readmore
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2008/pulpit_20080307_004467.html

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fiaz
Facebook != the end-all-be-all of social networks

Facebook might get old, but connecting to other human beings over the internet
will NEVER get old. If social networks go out of fashion, then it will be
replaced by something that brings more intimate connection between one or more
human beings via the internet.

Social networks fulfill a need to connect with others that is unparalleled to
any other web based piece of software. The same way social networks built upon
the portal as a more concrete way of connecting with others, the 'next big
thing' will bring that level of connection even closer - if such a thing is
ever created...

I find it interesting that social networks are all proclaimed to be doomed to
extinction (and this is a meme that has been popping up in the media because
of Facebook) yet one of it's ancestors, the message board, still persists to
be an important way for people to connect with one another - _and I don't hear
anybody spelling doom for message boards any time soon!_

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Readmore
I think that is actually the point of the article. Not that the concept of
connecting with people online will fail but that stand alone, don't do
anything for you BUT connect you to people social networks will.

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paul
People used to make this same silly comparison about the Internet itself (when
the web was really taking off in 95).

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davidw
Hopefully no one will ever make a song as horrible as "Convoy" about social
networks.

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edw519
Scary analogy.

I remember a friend who was an early CB radio adopter. It was so cool riding
around, talking to the few other early adopters or truckers. We'd look at all
the other drivers who didn't have a clue what we were talking about, thinking
that they were so lame. A year later, EVERYONE was doing it, so it just wasn't
cool anymore.

Social networking going the way of the CB radio? That could be a big 10-4.

