Monday, Septemer 17, Day 1

5:15 pm - 6:00 pm

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg talking with Mike Arrington.

Mike making jokes about Facebook going for an IPO.

Mike is talking with Mark about Facebook's growth (now 40m active users). Mark said that international is a massive area for growth for them. 3% growth per week.

A show of hands had 80% of the audience saying they used facebook.

I wonder if that is 80% constantly using or 80% have dabbled?

80% use it once a month, 50% once a day, 20% were on facebook right now (at the conference).

When my son was home from school he said you're a nobody if you don't have at least 100 friends... but then he didn't offer to set me up as one of his....

Some discussion about facebook's recent event features, and the uproar it caused. Mark believes that the core of those issues were Facebook not communicating it well enough to its users. Though it was "rocky" for them.

Here in Vancouver, in about 3 months from the time of first introduction o/s the college community, signup was about 30% of the total population (men, women, boys, girls, infants) if the newspaper surveys are to be believed.  I don't  know how many have stayed active ... but there are reports of addiction...

It's a great tool to "just see what my friends are doing" - that's an addictive concept, and very viral.

I finally found a facebook app that I might use in conjunction with it, but I'm still not sure as the app works best on its own.... so the only advantage of facebook is the circle of close friends as opposed to a wider social network I get with the base app.

Am I anti-social if I'm not on Facebook?

I'm forming an anti-social network... I'm the only member.

Well since I'm still stung by my sons comments about the lack of friends on my list, perhaps I should sign you both up (dekrazee1 and Mick) in my own low sociability network.

they have a site for that too!!

Hey!  I'm more anti-social than u!

Mike has been asking questions about Facebook's strategy, especially on whether it was intentional. Mark sort of talked for 10 minutes and didn't answer.

The interviews I've read would suggest that the strategy, to use polite words, was organic.

There are 80,000 registered developers and 4000 applications already available. His favorite app is a facbook video app.

I'll have to check that out...

They are focused on being an open platform for development; where "anybody can come and create an apps for their friends"

anybody?? Is making an app that easy?

That was the way Ning started.... I wonder if Andreeson will have any comment to make about the concept at this session

yeah, it's pretty easy - but maybe that should be "anybody - with l33t coding skilz"

I fell out of love with Ning when they more or less abandoned some of the features that made developing apps on their platform so attractive and fell back to networks of blogs.

Mark is saying facebook dont quote registered users because that's somewhat fake, they only quote active users who are actually using the site (myspace dig?)

I just think that a developer/programmer's idea of 'easy' and the rest of the world's 'easy' are two different things

Facebook is much more lightweight than Ning. It's more about creating your own community, rather than augmenting an existing one.

You say lightweight I say toy apps.... but the own community aspect is obviously very powerful stuff.

Dekrazee1 > easy is nearly always relative to skill set and knowledge... I'll bet most of the programmers who say the facebook apps are easy would have a tough time cooking a real meal for example!

Mark said they're planning for usage over decades - "30 years"

Ambitious? or crazy...

Perhaps... evidence of the attitude of somebody who QUITE POSSIBLY  will change the world ... and almost by definition this type will be "crazy' or at least 'unreasonable' in the eyes of us mere mortals...

Bric - why is why I picked up on the word anybody.

Mike is asking Mark why Facebook's email system is closed and clunky. Zucky (do you mind if I call you Zucky) responded that Facebook email is going to evolve "in it's own way" and generally dodged the issue. Mike lamented having to always login to facebook to read messages.

"evolve in its own way" = organic.... they aren't planning but rather they are growing a system, a platform, and a company socially.

Mike asking about funding... Zucky says they will raise money if they feel like it... and are not planning on being acquired and not planning an IPO (yeah yeah)

I remember an interview where Bill Gates indicated that one thing he would do over if he could was the whole IPO thing....

Zucky has announced that facebook are launching a new venture funding FBFund, which will fund facebook app startups. It will have a bunch of top VCs on an advisory board who will oversee funding (current fund has $10m). They will then grant money to startups - they are not taking any equity.

WoW that is news.... GRANT rather than equity.... a very interesting move....

$25K to $250K

So they are stepping into the "friends and family" to initial Angel gap...

The money is coming from Accel and Founder's Fund. The VCs get a first right of refusal against the company's next round.

First right... I wonder how that will impact any other VCs taking a look at the plan.... it might be an impediment to getting a good deal on a series A then

email platform@facebook.com with your idea to get it all going

The criteria for selection is based on innovation, as well as potential disruption.

Now they're taking questions.

Creating a closed network within the network is going to get old soon enough

Zucky says there is a global trend towards openness, that a company should concentrate on building a base and then empowering people to share information.

Facebook app = easy so anyone can do it

Funding = based on disruptive capability

This seems like a rather unlikely combo to me.

Is there any streaming going on Mick?

No, sorry.

Bummer

Somebody asked what Mark would do if News bought them and how would they integrate with myspace.

Mark said "that's not going to happen.. next question"

lol

Tantec (woo!) pushed Mark about open standards; Mark just dodged it and said "we'll do what's important for users."

And that's a wrap for the day... back to the demo pit! (and then the stream of parties)

Two Fox interactive guys just walked by and said "Yeah, whatever dude.!" Maybe they are responding to Mark.

Hey, more demos,

The pit is heating up.

Goodie!  Have fun! Maybe you can do some of Marty's 2 minute demos.

Tantec knows what he is talking about - they should take him more seriously

I bet the FOX guys were happy hah

Full coverage and pics here