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Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

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Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#32
I've always thought that Facebook could make a real difference by becoming a central hub to control your "persona" or identity so to speak. Facebook could integrate with every other service and app under the sun, and users would not require to input information (any more then their Facebook uri) to register for anything.

Instead they're trying to undercut Google by keeping them out of the 'shared data' agreement and now they're going into... e-mail and messaging? I'd rather they work on improving Facebook Connect and give me a way to control my data (and usable privacy controls while we're at it). I sure as hell don't want my personal email (and even less any business or corporate email) going through Facebook. Hell I have a hard time accepting Gmail, though it's so convenient I compromise.

Lots of people say that Facebook won't go the way of MySpace. But you know what? Lots of people said the same thing about MySpace too. Everyday I see or hear more and more about people I know just not using their accounts anymore and in some cases actually deleting them; even I don't get much value from it either this days.

I think Facebook is losing direction and just trying to wow users with amazing features that no one really needs. They need to focusing on making what they have better, not adding features and avoiding integration with other services.

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#33
Personally I really don't want my email visible to Facebook. What would they do with my information? Google already set the precedent for leveraging email data _somehow_. If so, Facebook will probably push the boundaries while carefully marketing it so that users accept something they would not have just previously. I only have a problem with this because they're profiting from data that users would not have allowed them to sell to advertisers if they had known about the terms when signing up. So it's like a bait and switch and that makes me distrust them.

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#34
post #28

If @facebook.com email addresses have a stronger link to real, non-spammy, non-mass-produced identities than other domains, they could become preferred at many other sites -- a broader version of Facebook Connect.

Wrong -- your FB email address will likely have the same prefix as your vanity URL. Guess that that means? Spam bots know your email address already.

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#35

The interface'll have the be unbelievably amazing and innovative for this to even make a dent in people's minds. And as others have pointed out, Facebook.com is not associated with professionalism (unless you're a recruiter or tech blogger or something). All in all, I think nobody will care at the end of the day.

> The interface'll have the be unbelievably amazing and innovative for this to even make a dent in people's minds I guarantee you that they are going to become the default address between people 16 and under. My brother is 16 and doesn't have an email address, but he does have a facebook account.

I doubt it. Most schools block Facebook, whereas most do not block Gmail (many rely on Gmail themselves). Using a Facebook email is just asking for accessibility problems.

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#36
post #13

I will be really interested to see this, because as it stands Facebook's messaging interface is barely any better than 2001's Hotmail (you do get a pretty picture with address autocomplete though). Going from where they are now to anywhere close to being a 'Gmail killer' is a humongous step.

I heard that Zuckerberg locked Paul Buchheit in a closet and told him he couldn't come out until he cloned Gmail.

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#37
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The interface'll have the be unbelievably amazing and innovative for this to even make a dent in people's minds I guarantee you that they are going to become the default address between people 16 and under. My brother is 16 and doesn't have an email address, but he does have a facebook account.

That's the scariest thing I've read so far today.

[deleted]

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#38
post #28

If @facebook.com email addresses have a stronger link to real, non-spammy, non-mass-produced identities than other domains, they could become preferred at many other sites -- a broader version of Facebook Connect.

Wrong -- your FB email address will likely have the same prefix as your vanity URL. Guess that that means? Spam bots know your email address already.

I think he means it the other way: e-mail addresses ending with facebook.com could signal "this is a genuine person, not a spammer".

Re: Facebook’s Gmail Killer, Project Titan, Is Coming On Monday

#39

The interface'll have the be unbelievably amazing and innovative for this to even make a dent in people's minds. And as others have pointed out, Facebook.com is not associated with professionalism (unless you're a recruiter or tech blogger or something). All in all, I think nobody will care at the end of the day.

> The interface'll have the be unbelievably amazing and innovative for this to even make a dent in people's minds I guarantee you that they are going to become the default address between people 16 and under. My brother is 16 and doesn't have an email address, but he does have a facebook account.

You need an email address to sign up for Facebook and every time he signs up we write it down. So, he does have one.
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