Marc Andreessen explains OpenSocial
Marc Andreessen hasn’t sat on his laurels after Mosaic/Netscape and now runs Ning, a place where anyone can create their own social network. He explains, without resorting to (much) technical jargon, the concept behind Google’s OpenSocial API. It’s well worth a read, even if you’re wedded to closed, proprietary platforms (read: Facebook), but especially if, like me, you aren’t.
So as far as I read it, OpenSocial is a better way for developers to write Vampire applications to annoy people on myspace, hi5, Orkut etc. etc. simultaneously, using the same code base. Sounds like Java’s initial goals.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/11/04/googles_opensocial_looks_more_like_hype_than_substance.html
Personally I would prefer Google to provide an interconnect so that I could have my Facebook contacts accessible in Orkut. We’re long overdue an IM interconnect with only Yahoo and MSN Live connecting.
The APIs exist (in Drupal, for example) to transport any FB data to whatever social platform or CMS you wish.
Similarly with Open Social - it cuts both ways: it can combine, embrace and extend (and theoretically obsolete) any other social networking tool… or just provide an open and compatible application framework.
Write the interconnect yourself. There’s nothing to stop you. ; )