In a bold move to bolster its position against Google’s recently launched Open-Social initiative, social networking titan Facebook has this week announced that it is adopting an open-source approach regarding a sizeable chunk of its existing platform code.
Facebook provides open-source third-party developer access to its Facebook Platform. Image: Facebook.
Specifically, Facebook’s proactive move towards open-source will apply to its Facebook Platform, which was launched in May of 2007 and provides a framework for third-party software and Web developers to create user applications that mesh alongside core features native to the network.
According to California-based Facebook, its open-source access will enable designers and developers working within the platform to view just how the code works, while also being able to take that knowledge and build on it to enhance future creations and provide other Facebook developers with the opportunity to learn from collective progress.
“The goal of this release is to help you as developers better understand Facebook Platform as a whole and more easily build applications,” offered Google in its official statement. “We’re also hoping you use Facebook Open Platform in ways we’ve never thought of.”
Though not a definitive market reaction, Facebook’s decision to adopt a more open-source stance with contributing third-party developers comes after search giant Google Inc. revealed its Open Social platform, which provides developers with a common software toolkit that allows for the creation of applications compatible with multiple online destinations and removes the time-consuming need to constantly rewrite code.
While Open Platform and Open Social both deliver open-source access for developers, Google still perhaps holds the upper hand in terms of expansive appeal. Social network users and software developers are naturally drawn to sites and experiences that offer the greatest ease-of-use, most wide-ranging access, and best selection of creative applications, which is something that Open Social caters for across a multitude of online possibilities, while Open Platform brackets only Facebook.
Current supporters of Open Social include the likes of MySpace, Yahoo, Bebo, Friendster, hi5, imeem, orkut, Plaxo, LinkedIn, Ning, Six Apart, mixi, Oracle, NetModular and Engage.
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