Mabaloo - Review Social Networking Websites Part I: Orkut

Review Social Networking Websites Part I: Orkut

Written by Deepesh

This is the first in the series of reviewing social community websites like orkut, facebook, hi5 etc. The first one which I am going to write about is orkut. Well I chose orkut as the first to write about is because I myself am a huge fan of orkut and orkutting(the slang for chatting and connecting with friends on orkut).

The Google Labs product Orkut.com is one of such outshinners among such pool of social networking sites which has become an addiction among net users.
This website allows users to register, become members, and connect to other users by searching the online database or through their friends. Members can create their profiles, enumerate about themselves and their interests and hobbies. You can even add pictures and media to your profile.

The most important page in orkut is the scrapbook. Any member can scrap any other member. This is a kind of messaging system where you can either go to the recipients scrapbook and type in your message or 'scrap' or reply to him or her from your own scrap book. The uniqueness of this is that any member can read anybody's scrapbook by visiting their profile. It is quite open. I have found this pretty useful in tracing long lost friends of friends .
A more secure and personal messaging system exists wherein you can send a message to another friend and the message is received in his/her message folder, it is like an email system.

A member can also start a community and ask friends to join. e.g I have just started a community for my classmates from school. So in this community you can post topics for discussion, share news, conduct polls etc.

You can also invite another member to your friend list by sending a friend request which he or she has to accept before they can be seen on your friend list.

Each member page , has on the top right side a list of your friends. You can classify your friends as acquaintances, havent met, friends, good friends, and best friend. This classification cannot be seen by your friends so that is helpful.

Your friends can also become your 'fans' and can also write testimonials about you which can be read by all who visit your page.
Over all, Orkut is community networking platform supported by Google where individuals are provided with highly user friendly utilities to share their views, meet other people, make friends and indulge in other such social activities, virtually and is growing by thousands every day.