(2007-08-05) Netvibes Challenges Facebook Openness

NetVibes launched a Widget to let you see lots of FaceBook stuff from within NetVibes. But they can't show your "news feed" because FaceBook doesn't make that available through their API; they're asking users to petition FaceBook to change that.

Dave Winer hopes that FaceBook makes the pro-OpenNet decision, rather than keeping a Walled Garden.

Fred Wilson doesn't think most users will care. Lots of comments, including Dave Winer.

Scott Gilbertson agrees with Dave. Like locked cell phones and copy-protected music, Facebook is on the wrong side of the open-network debate. Facebook is a sealed bubble. Facebook users are locked into Facebook, just as ITunes locks music fans to Apple's IPod. He notes that Plaxo Pulse looks like the start of something more open. He also points to a Wired Mag wiki page on kludging something together using more open tools.