Would you sell facebook?

[BrilloPad]

They sold out to ITV for £120 million so I doubt they're too bothered about the brand any more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4502550.stm

There is no company I have been involved in that wasn't for sale, for the right price.

Exactly! They sold at the right time!

What we need to do is create the next FriendsReunited/Facebook thing that will be big in 2009!

[PRC1964]

But once FRiendsReunited was among them! Where are they now?

Times change.....

They sold out to ITV for £120 million so I doubt they're too bothered about the brand any more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4502550.stm

There is no company I have been involved in that wasn't for sale, for the right price.

[TykeMerc]

I would have sold.

Admittedly I don't think much of these social networking sites.

[PAH]

But once FRiendsReunited was among them! Where are they now?

Times change.....

Hasn't FriendsReunited been revamped recently? I saw an advert on TV about timelines and stuff, but when I tried to log in it says I need to reactivate my account and an email has been sent to me providing a link. Never got the email, never been back to the site. [insert Wayne Anker symbol here please mod]

I've a feeling Facebook will disappear up its own arse soon. They're already meddling with stuff that detracts from the otherwise simple premise of keeping in touch with people you don't like enough to give your mobile number or home address to!

As for whether the guy should have sold, I would have. First thing I'd have spent some of the money on would be buying Hugh Hefner out. Best 'job' in the world? I think it just might be:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...012974,00.html

It gives me hope that no matter how old I get, as long as I've got some money, there will be fit women out there willing to do anything to get some of it. [cue party music, though no GG please]

[Beefy198]

Friends Reunited persisted for too long with their 'paid for' model, where you had to spend money to send messages to long lost friends. They even censor the word 'facebook' and if you type it in it automatically deletes it!

Facebook, on the other hand, was completely free and within an hour of signing up I was friends with and chatting with several primary school friends who I had last spoken to when I was about 11.

In short, they were pretty stupid.

[BrilloPad]

There are certain 'de-facto' internet and IT products...

Google
Microsoft
Cisco
Intel
etc..

But once FRiendsReunited was among them! Where are they now?

Times change.....

[NickFitz]

If I created a web application that a buyer was willing to pay that much for, I'd take the money.

However, I'm heading to my late forties. He's heading to his mid twenties. This makes a difference.

He may have ideas for FB that will move things to the Next Level™ - but then again, maybe they won't. Either way, he's young enough to take the chance and experiment.

Of course, he may have no ideas and just be hoping that one will turn up. Even so, I daresay his bank account is healthier than mine, or yours.

I'm looking at creating an online goat-trading facility. It strikes me as a much-ignored market. I reckon a tie-in with goat food vendors could help to monetise it - that means most eBay sellers, given that goats will eat just about anything

[Sockpuppet]

Even if he got loads of cash for it in the current climate where would he put it and most of the deals would involve stock exchanges which are worth naff all.

[chris79]

I dunno, I share a different opinion.

There are certain 'de-facto' internet and IT products...

Google
Microsoft
Cisco
Intel
etc..

Sure there are alternatives, but they will always be the best ones and market leaders in their own area. I think Facebook is a tool which 'everyone' can relate to who wants to use it to be sociable and stay in touch with others, share information, etc. They are the 'de-facto' in their area which is social networking. With such a large share of the market, I don't see how even a better product could come along and and bite into and swallow that market right now.

I also don't think it's a phad and that it will go away anytime soon, it's filled a gap for something useful which didn't really exist (to the masses) previously. People might say myspace etc, but I think they missed the boat big time.

[BrilloPad]

This is just another craze that will be over when the next comes along.

WHS

[Cyberman]

I think hes even more greedy by not taking the money now. He probably thinks facebook will be worth 200 billion dollars one day, the next google etc.

.... but it won't be with other alternatives constantly entering the market. Mind you I'm sure he'd survive if he was only offered a million quid, let alone billions.

[Iron Condor]

It shows the guy has learnt some important life values that don't include money. I applaud him for his lack of greed. Let's have more of it!!!

I think hes even more greedy by not taking the money now. He probably thinks facebook will be worth 200 billion dollars one day, the next google etc.

[shoes]

Most people wouldn't have sold out at 24. He just hasn't grown up yet.

Crazy not to. This is just another craze that will be over when the next comes along. He'll have an easier time being creative and working in motivated technical teams for the fun of it if he's got a passive income from a large banked sum coming in each year. Is facebook all he ever wants to do? Because it's very likely to be the only one that make him decent money.

Silly boy. Too late now?

[Cyberman]

It shows the guy has learnt some important life values that don't include money. I applaud him for his lack of greed. Let's have more of it!!!

[scooterscot]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7664384.stm

What if sharing information on a mass scale becomes less and less attractive and he cannot get $7 for his business never mind $7,000,000,000

This is what happens when the star trek generation takes over money comes 2nd after human prosperity.