Understanding Connectivity (Where are we really going with this?)

If you have noticed, many websites are now inter-connecting their user login interface - if you have not, they are (trust me on this). Email providers with video sites, video sites with social networks, social networks with blog sites and evidently the list seems to go on and on.

So where exactly is this all leading to? And more appropriately, with what purpose?

"

As civilization grows more complex, it is simultaneously becoming increasingly interrelated. We are converging upon ourselves, and this is forcing us to relate.

"

Anodea Judith

The quote above is an idea on this progression, though I prefer to lean on an eventual commercialisation gambit (for now anyway).

Let's take Google and Facebook for instance. Each are in some ways competing for the same resource (human interaction) yet each approach it differently but over the course of time some forms of convergence is already evident (remember the email to video bit, above).

Google mail connects to Youtube and Youtube connects to myriad social channels, that again inter-relate to one another.

So while (maybe) Google and Facebook seem to be at odds with each other, could it be that possibly, agreed connectivity becomes an example of haute couture that has yet to surface since Microsoft took over (or began) the computing world?

Faux pas? Possibly organizations, SMEs and individuals embroiled in monetization systems on the current flow of online mechanics.

After all, the more people that are already hooked on it only means that a significant alteration to this system while invoking resentment and a lot of shouting will after all, achieve the same results.

Friedman said most economic fallacies are derived from the tendency to assume that there is a fixed pie, that one party can gain only at the expense of another.

Rightly, what the world sees as two emerging giants going head on, could very well become yet another conglomerate merger and the beginning of internet domination.

After all, it will only be a matter of time before the next bright spark thinks of something impressively revolutionary which eclipses search marketing, social networking, Google & Facebook forever.

So how does inter-connectivity make it stick? Through repetition.
As more and more people all across the world (all at the same time, mind you) happen to learn, understand and eventually become comfortable with inter-connected websites, networks and every other chime-a-dime portal, the ones that try their best to, how do I say this, "shelter" their communities from this vast not-so-gaping network of relevance, will invariably fall short of the finish line, lose their legitimacy in the online world, community and...(what was their name again?). You get the drift.

After all, who are we kidding here? Closed groups? Small minority-like forums which rely on donations to keep the web-hosting companies at bay. The ideas that run through these discreet groups could be easily resuscitated on larger networks.

The longer the stick, the greater the growth and therein lies the ultimate gambit. Two competing forces, seemingly at odds, each with larger than life followings. Every other smaller network dies off or is assimilated by one or the other and in the end, when all the dust has settled. The two towers ( :P ) combine and the birth of the largest borderless marketplace is born. Consumers, groups and everyone in between who were part of smaller networks are themselves assimilated by this marriage - each bringing with them credit cards and a desire to shop in absolute comfort.

The drawback I suppose is that the World Wide Web will be void of any form of privacy. For a majority of users; young, old and the n00b, the web will become the single largest market place in the known universe ( I mean social place).

In the end the World Wide Web will become the single largest market for any business. It already is, but inter-connectivity will be like semantic for the semantic web.

And then we will also see absolute hardcore digital advertising competition. We will really see brands and advertisers spending in virtual spaces and agencies creating amazing ads (hopefully).

And that's what I think.


On a more serious note, I've set up an alternate purchase page for InterECM's bulk email marketing software. Yes, I know we already have www.interecm.com and the don; www.netinfinium.com but I'm looking at creating localised search based offerings via Malaysia's very own bulk email marketing space @ www.emailmarketingmalaysia.weebly.com.

Check it out if you have some time to spare.