Strata’s building a Ning app. Badgerbag has an unconventional one in mind.
The idea behind Ning’s interesting: construct the canonical ’social software’ web applications out of common components and PHP glue.
However, how do you get the data out? After all, supporting ‘letting go’ is part of the Web 2.0 story.
From a quick look at the documentation, I didn’t see an export API, but you could gin one up when you build your Ning application.
If any of the Ning/24HRL people are reading, and can correct me, speak up!
The ability to take your data and go home is critical: especially with things like Badger’s application. You don’t want it to become a database for a mean-spirited politician to use for “who can I discriminate against” queries, or the “creep factor” that Badger mentions.
Meanwhile, I’m getting notifications from 43People, the Robot Coop’s new thing.
In the end, I have to agree with Les Orchard: Live Journal’s still the most effective social software out there.
The win in this area’s going to be integration of all the Flickr streams, Amazon wishlists, and who-knows-who systems in your browser.
