Facebook and Everything Else: Does the platform matter?

I am likely not alone in confessing that I use Facebook extensively. My daily ventures into meatspace do not have me living by the Facebook IV as some others, but nonetheless it is a wonderful site for contacting friends and acquaintances in-or-out of town on various topics. The power of these social networks is allowing other people to find you, find your existing friends, and create relationships with new friends (for whatever reason). Originally the site allowed you to see the classes and contact information for other students, but got wise to the power of an entrenched audience and opened the platform to non-.edu email address holders and application developers. By extending the platform they have been able to lock in revenues from advertisers through increasing retention and attention of customers. If your social networking site also allows you to use Twitter, you will probably stay on Facebook. If you can message your friends through Facebook too, maybe do that instead of email. And if you can share pictures with a group, maybe stay longer instead of trying Flickr But I do not think the power of information on your friends has been a primary draw for the intended audience. Do you surf Facebook to make sure Kim's cell phone number is up to date, and she is still working at BioMedical Conglomerate? No. No matter what Valleywag says... Michael Arrington says that Facebook is ready to venture into the professional world (the beyond the locale of Sand Hill Road), but I am not sure that will be the next big evolution of the platform. As the reach extends, functionality will be bolted on that will keep your desktop or mobile address book up to date (Jim got a Gmail account; your next correspondence will go automatically to the new address that was synced to your PIM). But Facebook still has identity issues as well. The button-up business world sees Facebook as a plaything, and sites like LinkedIn as a professional tool. Merely adding teeth to a sheep makes it no more likely to play with the wolves. Expectations are high of any business extensions because of ballyhooed valuations of the firm. Should this LinkedIn-like functionality come online soon it will only add fuel to the clamor for a large check... but they had better make it quick. November 5 is quickly approaching. Why would you even care to put your crap in a LinkedIn when you can Google a person and get a business card pulled up with one click. No logins, no steps. Just a name into your search bar and you get a headshot with contact information. Some of us have already done that (just google Andrew Ruess and you will see what I mean. The first ten pages should have my email address, phone number, and further contact information. November 5 should see OneBox functionality added... awesome! Update: Brian Solis has the right idea with iinventedfacebook.com. Give us the money!