For more info visit http://www.edubookswap.com

I think that “platform” companies ought to include in their contract/ToS a clause that they compensate developers who build on their platform when they steal the developer’s idea. Something along the lines of the value derived to date based on their projections of adding the feature they stole. I wouldn’t develop a business on any of these platforms – too risky.

Sri, I think there’s plenty of talent in the writing department. I haven’t heard “you’re a tool” in years.

http://www.blak...ing-its-glamor/

How books work. First day of college, for most at big schools, mommy and daddy take students to the bookstore and buy their books (or now order them online from home…from the bookstore, because parents don’t trust half.com).

End of the semester comes. You take your books to the bookstore and they offer you $60. Which BLOWS, because you spent $140 for the bloody thing. But wait. Your parents bought the book…and they generally forget that you sell them back (ironic ’cause they pulled the same thing). So SWEET $60. That’s a good end of term party.

OR I can wait for the possibility of maybe selling my book at the beginning of NEXT SEMESTER for $100 bucks, $20 bucks less than the bookstore is selling it for. But that’s only if I can find someone to buy it from me. Plus, peer to peer textbooks suck ’cause half the time you get the wrong version and some students are way to highlighter crazy, and have the time they smell like stale beer.

So you go back to the bookstore, especially if your parents buy your textbooks or you’re on scholarship anyways, ’cause you can buy used textbooks there too, and get a fresh one to spill your own beer on. Then…end of semester…you can have $60 now, or wait the entire summer to MAYBE get $100 in September.

For four years, I’ve taken the $60 a semester, and it’s always been the right decision. Everyone I know does too.

Half.com works because you can sell your textbook to them for money immediately. I can name 10 peer to peer textbook ’school only’ sites off the top of my head…none of em get much use, ’cause every college kid I know would rather take $60 today than maybe get $100 next semester.

However, Zuckerberg just blew every other peer to peer site out of the water. But check out your local University bookstore this September, the line will still be out the door.

FaceBook is popular. You gotta give the people what they want. I bet more people are interested in the FaceBook updates then are tired of them. Keep ‘em coming.

I never sign up — Myspace, Facebook, Meeboo, Digg, and other startups.

http://bookmooch.com/

the founder presented at the PARC last month at BayCHI.

i’m always intrigued by little economies like this.

this we’ll be huge for facebook…and bad for sites like half.com (back bone of the textbook trade for college students)

Entrepenurers here don’t want to sell their souls to Facebook. They want to built the best web 2.0 apps.

Gilltots – The difference between appexchange and FB Apps is that there are millions of people using the FB apps. And millions more to come.

I would think that was obvious.

but we don’t get a techcrunch article for every lame appexchange app, do we?

and Asad, i’d like to introduce you to….my balls. facebook for the iPhone, made by a guy who now works at facebook, is not an app on top of facebook. neither is facebook’s targeted advertising system. and neither is this. and you are a tool.

I also think the readers just want a bit of diversity of companies that TC talk about.

Also, I’m starting kindergarden next week , can’t wait!

The idea is fine, but there’s a huge world outside of Facebook. There’s no reason a student should restrict themselves to a tiny minority of sellers, they should look for the best deal anywhere.

Then again I am biased, working for Direct Textbook.

https://www.pwc...ee_PR_Final.pdf

“Internet-specific companies captured $897 million going into 160 deals in the second quarter, a marked decrease from the first quarter when $1.4 billion went into 177 deals.”

160 deals, there is more companies out there that you can write about!

I keep reading in the comments everyone wailing about “O where are the innovative apps, how come techcrunch doesnt write about new apps I can use.” Does it really take a genius to understand that the online app industry is moving to a different phase? For all you monkeys that dont understand, how about reading read/writeweb’s post on this (http://www.read..._how_we_got.php) and then shutting the hell up.

The innovation phase is basically over, we are moving to a diff phase, a more interconnected applications leveraging each other phase. Facebook is offering that and a new way to be innovative with online applications, the social network, do you see any other network doing that right not? No. Then shut the hell up.

If your minds cant move fast enough to see the industry move and accept it, I think you need to go back to web 1.0 america online and suck your thumbs. Or maybe even Prodigy.

ANd for you real retards complaining about crunchbase links, I seem to remember a time when ppl were saying how techcrunch should have a directory of all the companies it talks about and profiles, and guess what, you got it. To think that they arent going to point their links to that is sheer idiocy, if you had several businesses wouldnt you want to cross advertise? If you are going to say yes, then just shut the hell up, If you are going to say no, sell your business cause you can’t run it, then shut the hell up.

Seriously, just a bunch of children.

Apologies for the interruption Mike, continue on.