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Does Facemail Reduce Occupational Spam?

OK, I think I've collected enough stuff to write that paper I promised about Facebook. In the meantime, I want to tell you about the mail function on Facebook. If you are not a member of the Facebook network, here's how it works:

--If you want to send someone a message, you do that by clicking the send-message link on their general or summary profile.

--Your "friend" then gets a message sent to his designated email address saying there's a message, from you, in Facebook.

--When your friend goes back to Facebook, he simply goes to his in-box.

Sounds brain-dead simple, right? But that's the beauty. Several nice things result from this protocol:

--Your friend gets the message that you are trying to reach him ... no matter what. Yes, he needs to go to Facebook to get the message. But that's easy ....

--The Facebook environment feels more intimate. Beats regular email, for that.

--Facemail is also more selective. You wouldn't use it for just anything. And for that reason, your friend might regard your message more seriously. Who knows, he might even become a real friend.

As a wiki guy, I am always looking for ways to reduce occupational spam. I think I've found a new way.

Advertising: Is There a Chink in the Facebook Armor?

Interesting conversation today about the poor click-through rates on Facebook. Should the FB folks and their investors be worried? Who knows. But some perspective: FB is positioning itself as a tech company, not a media company, and there are other ways it can make money. But will it get a Google-like valuation? Guess that's the big question.

"Ad Hoc Nation": How Silicon Valley Migrated to a Land Called Facebook on the Fourth of July... And What It Found There

That's the ridiculously long title of a new white paper I plan to write this month. I have a hunch about why Valley-generated buzz about Facebook eclipsed even the iPhone last week. But first, I'd like to hear from you. If you are a Valley citizen, and you spent an inordinate amount of time on Facebook last week -- and you are not too embarrassed to admit it -- let me know. Write here, or write to me at giorodriguez@gmail.com.

Oh yeah ... if you a "friend," you can also write to me at Facebook.