General Discussions

**cyberjack** · 12-03-2007, 05:18 PM

matecube.com

This defenitely looks like it could become one of the top players in the industry. Their design is amazing, the newsfeed seems even better than facebook's, their navigation is clean and easy.

The only thing i see missing here would be a Developer api...

What do you think?

**CSS4Life** · 12-03-2007, 05:28 PM

I'm sceptical. There are thousands of social networking sites out there these days - Facebook leading them, but Bebo and Myspace close behind.

Of course it could grow quickly and get a lot of popularity for a time, but then it'll disappear as so many others have and another one will steal the spotlight.

Social networking sites are notoriously volatile and quickly come into and go out of fashion. Facebook has managed to stay as the leader of the industry for a while but it won't last forever.

To be honest, the design looks extremely Facebook-y - almost a clone. I'm not exactly sure why anyone should choose that site over Facebook unless you are trying to escape the internet block on Facebook at work

**Learning Newbie** · 12-03-2007, 05:40 PM

Everybody is always saying something is going to be the new 500 lbs gorilla in the room, and 90 % of them never happen. OS 2 was supposed to be better than Windows and take the world by storm. OS what? Mac was supposed to be superior to Windows and be the top player in the industry. They have single digit percentage points in market share. Bio fuel is supposed to save us all, and I'm still paying $3.50 a gallon.

Being good and being popular aren't the same. Unfortunately people don't always make good choices on merit. I don't know if MateCube is any better or different or whatever, but that's how it works.

**jamestl2** · 12-03-2007, 05:41 PM

The problem with most new social networking sites is just that, they're new. Websites like myspace and facebook were basically pioneers in a new form of internet communication, social networking. Now that more and more sites like them are out there and are trying to clone their technology, they think they can duplicate the success.

I don't see any really neat features or distinguishing characteristics that could allow matecube to stand out from the rest, which is something they'll need if they want to succeed.

**Learning Newbie** · 12-03-2007, 05:44 PM

James is right. Facebook and MySpace earned their popularity by trying a new concept that caught the world by storm. When Facebook has what, like 10 million users, I don't see how anyone's gonna catch up to them. Didn't they just sell for like $60 billion?

**CSS4Life** · 12-03-2007, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Learning Newbie

James is right. Facebook and MySpace earned their popularity by trying a new concept that caught the world by storm. When Facebook has what, like 10 million users, I don't see how anyone's gonna catch up to them. Didn't they just sell for like $60 billion?

$15 billion I heard - not the whole actual firm though - just what they would be worth if everyone paid the same amount that Microsoft paid for some of their shares.

James and John have both made valid points and I'm afraid I've got to agree that the site is unlikely to take the web by storm if it hasn't got anything unique

**Learning Newbie** · 12-03-2007, 06:19 PM

I've been getting my news on Facebook, it's value, and all that from Fake Steve. So I wouldn't be shocked, he's sort of like The Onion.

**serandfae** · 12-03-2007, 10:38 PM

Newbie's right here, better doesn't always mean go and buy right into it. Beta was a better format but VHS wiped the floor with it, as another example. That format war taught me not to buy a HD player until a pretty obvious victor is seen between Blu-ray and HD-DVD.

The only real difference here is that the market is far more end-user driven and winners and losers are far more quickly determined.

**vangogh** · 12-04-2007, 12:34 AM

Any chance you or a friend happen to be the owner of the site?

No offense, but the biggest thing missing from the site is a community. You're asking if a site that has 100 members is ready to replace one that has users numbered in the millions.

At the moment there's nothing about the site indicating it can be a top player. Right now it's a very small community. That's not to say it can't be a big player at some time in the future, but at the moment the site isn't even in the same ballpark.

**dafool** · 12-05-2007, 01:35 AM

hmmm maybe there is a reason I have never heard of matecube....not very big at the moment

**Jacob Marshall** · 12-06-2007, 03:25 AM

It is very good

**dave9713** · 12-06-2007, 08:29 AM

nice design i agree, its the members joining which determines success though as said above.

**Tone** · 12-07-2007, 02:11 PM

There are lots of these types of sites now whether any of the new breed will go on to become as big as myspace or facebook is debateable.

**Qwest** · 12-07-2007, 02:32 PM

http://mash.yahoo.com is more likely to be huge than this. Simply due to it being backed by a company with millions to spend on it.

**DaveMo~** · 12-07-2007, 03:20 PM

Yahoo does have the money.

And we're always so skeptical when someone comes in with a few posts and then says they found a great place at such and such dot com. I wonder why?

Dave