Networking 1.0 --> Networking 2.0 --> Networking 1.0

I'll be the first to admit I'm a junkie when it comes to online social networking; if you know me, this comes as no surprise. I'm on facebook, Linkedin, Orkut, Doostang, Sportsvite, Friendster, MySpace (albeit barely), InCircle and countless other sites who are implementing networking capabilities (YouTube, Hot or Not, etc.). Yet, as much as I love Web 2.0 apps, I can't help but think that something is lacking- namely, good old-fashioned physical interaction.

Many start-ups and VCs agree, and have placed big bets on social networking that leads to real-world experiences. Sportsvite is one such example, where the network is really just a means to get people together, not an end in itself (a la facebook, MySpace). This morning, another example was brought to my attention...

Always early adopters and ones to eat their own lunch, Silicon Valley techies have begun using technology to, well...eat each others' lunches. Today's Wall Street Journal features an article, The Power Lunch, Cafeteria-Style, explaining how an unspoken trend of sneaking into the valley's infamous gourmet cafeterias has turned into a validated phenomenon called Lunch 2.0. In typical valley fashion, top internet companies have taken what others would view as a threat (outsiders inside our walls, eating our food for free!) and turned it into an opportunity, hosting Lunch 2.0 sessions as recruiting and product promotion opportunities..and, in true, never-really-left-college engineer fashion, techies are eating it up- literally.


Thank you to Megan for providing the WSJ article!