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When the Web became popular in the mid-1990s, it enabled people to share information in ways that were never possible before. But as limitless as the possibilities seemed, there was a personal aspect that was lacking. While users could create home pages and post their own content on the Web, these individual sites lacked a sense of community. In the early 2000s, the Web became much more personal as social networking websites were introduced and embraced by the masses.

Social networking websites allow users to be part of a virtual community. The two most popular sites are currently Facebook and MySpace. These websites provide users with simple tools to create a custom profile with text and pictures. A typical profile includes basic information about the user, at least one photo, and possibly a blog or other comments published by the user. Advanced profiles may include videos, photo albums, online applications (in Facebook), or custom layouts (in MySpace). After creating a profile, users can add friends, send messages to other users, and leave comments directly on friends' profiles. These features provide the building blocks for creating online communities.

Thanks to social networking websites, users can share their lives with other people without needing to develop and publish their own home pages. These websites also provide an important linking element between users that allows friends to communicate directly with each other. Because people often have friends from different places and different times in their lives, social networking sites provide an opportunity to keep in touch with old friends and to meet new people as well. Of course, this means that people you don't know may also be able to view your profile page. Therefore, if you join a social networking website, it is a good idea to review the privacy settings for your account. And more importantly, remember to always use discretion in what you publish on your profile.

Updated: March 10, 2008

http://techterms.com/definition/socialnetworking

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Social Networking Definition - Tech Terms

The third generation of social-networking technology has hit the Web, and its about content as much as contacts.

If there were a competition for Internet Buzzword of the Year, last years winner would have been social networking, as a cohort of companies such as Ryze, Tribe, LinkedIn, Friendster, Spoke, and Visible Path, rolled out new or improved services that let Web users create online mirrors of their circle of real-life acquaintances. The idea was mainly to let users build online profiles that advertised their interests and to help them connect with friends and friends-of-friends around one of those interests whether it be finding a job, making a sale, or repairing an old motorcycle.

But with the exception of Friendster and Myspace, the initial response to these services among average Internet users was sluggish. Many users signed up for one or more services, created online profiles, formed connections with a few acquaintances, and drifted away, uncertain about how to use the networks.

But today, not only have all of these companies survived; theyre experiencing record growth, introducing new technology and new money-making features, and being joined by sophisticated new competitors such as iMeem. Moreover, theyre joining the parade of sites offering rich media the big buzzword of 2005 by encouraging users to share their own content online, including photos, videos, music, and other digital files.

Social networking, in other words, is finally becoming a real business with a convincing product.

A year ago a lot of our users were pretty unclear about what they could do, says Konstantin Guericke, co-founder and vice president of marketing at LinkedIn, a social network focusing on business connections. They knew they were getting invitations to join the network, and they knew how to accept invitations, and sometimes they sent their own invitations but they werent sure what else to do with that.

A year later, LinkedIns membership has grown from 1 million to 4.2 million; users are conducting 5 million searches a month for potential contacts within their own networks, and the company has launched several revenue-producing features, such as paid subscription options that allow members to search profiles outside their immediate circle of friends and friends-of-friends.

Rather than simply passing requests for introductions back and forth through their networks which was about all they could do a year ago LinkedIn members are using their networks for practical purposes, like finding job candidates, locating business and legal services, and coordinating group activities.

What makes all this possible, says Guericke, is the user-generated content LinkedIn holds in its members profiles, such as resumes and testimonials. First, we are a search engine. But second, we are a publishing platform about yourself and what other people say about you, Guericke says. It just creates a more powerful business.

More:
Social Networking 3.0 | MIT Technology Review

2. Twitter

Part Web site, part Web service Twitter is an online environment where users can create profiles, fill them with information and then build a network of people they "follow" (and a band of others who follow them).

Twitter sends messages between users via the Short Message Service (SMS), better known as text messaging. Members send their texts through Twitter to those they allow to follow them. The messages, called Tweets, are super short: only 140 charters or shorter (there are technically 160 characters for use, but the first 20 are there to make room for user names in messages.)

The new phenomenon is called microblogging and it's incredibly popular.

"Even the president of the United States has a Facebook fan page and uses Twitter to reach the American public where he has over 262,000 followers," says Brenda Powell, president and founder of the company Social Networking Girls.

All sorts of famous people are on Twitter. If you sign up for an account, you can follow astronauts, scientists, athletes, musicians, actors and writers. Or you can ignore the celebrities and focus on your friends.

Some Twitterers use the service to arrange parties or other events. Others just like to keep their friends up to speed on what's going on in their lives. The messages can be sent via phone, through the Twitter Web site or one of hundreds new desktop or smart phone widgets.

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Top 10 Social Networking Sites : Discovery News

Windows (407)

Windows XP (295)

Windows Vista (277)

Windows 7 (235)

Windows 8 (187)

Windows 2000 (168)

Windows 2003 (151)

Windows Server 2008 (127)

Windows NT (82)

Windows Me (74)

Windows 98 (73)

Windows 95 (16)

Windows 10 (4)

Webware (3)

Windows 3.x (3)

Windows 2003 32-bit (1)

Windows 2003 SP 1 (1)

Windows 7 32-bit (1)

Windows 8.1 (1)

Windows HPC Server 2008 (1)

Windows Server 2008 Datacenter (1)

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (1)

Windows Server 2008 Standard (1)

Windows Vista 32-bit (1)

Windows Vista Business (1)

Windows Vista Enterprise (1)

Windows Vista Home Basic (1)

Windows Vista Home Premium (1)

Windows Vista Ultimate (1)

Windows Web Server 2008 (1)

Windows XP Home Edition (1)

Windows XP Media Center Edition (1)

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2003 (1)

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 (1)

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (1)

Windows XP Professional (1)

Windows XP SP 1 (1)

Windows XP SP 2 (1)

Windows XP SP3 (1)

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition (1)

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 (1)

See more here:
Social Networking Software for Windows - CNET

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