. INTERNET: SERVICES: Ning: No More Free Networks Ning: No More Free Networks Harry McCracken Apr 16, 2010 2:15 am PC World <http://www.pcworld.com/article/194379/ning_no_more_free_networks.html>The company, which hosts 2.3 million social networks, says that it will shut down its free version and require network creators to either switch to a paid plan or leave Ning.
Ning, the service that lets anybody create a social network on any topic, is undergoing some big changes. The company, which hosts 2.3 million social networks, says that it will shut down its free version and require network creators to either switch to a paid plan or leave Ning. Its also laying off forty percent of its staff.
Back in 2007, Ning cofounder and chairman Marc Andreessen visited PCWorld (where I worked at the time) and explained how Ning would be able to cover the costs of free networks through advertising. I liked the idea, and hey, hes Marc Andreeseen, so I bought the idea. Heres cofounder Gina Bianchini making the same case in a 2008 CNET video. But it looks like the strategy didnt pan out.
No Free Lunch for Ning Users; Still Plenty of Bargains Elsewhere Written by Audrey Watters / April 15, 2010 9:34 PM / <http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/no_free_lunch_for_ning_users.php>The social networking platform Ning announced today that it was making some substantial changes to the company.
<snip>But the service has long been used by many small groups and organization, many of which are in a tail-spin over today's announcement. Educators in particular have found Ning to be useful, as both a tool for classroom collaboration and for professional development. Tom Whitby, founder of the Educator PLN Ning, expressed his frustrations this morning: "Ning is throwing us under the bus."
<snip>Ning is, of course, not the only platform for creating personalized and private social networks. This afternoon, many educators shared suggestions for alternatives via Twitter. Here are a few other free and open-source options.
Buddypress (http://www.buddypress.org) Pligg (http://www.pligg.com/) Elgg (http://www.elgg.org/) LovdbyLess (http://lovdbyless.com/) Mixxt (http://www.mixxt.com/) Insoshi ( http://github.com/insoshi/insoshi) Xoops (http://www.xoops.org/) Community Engine (http://www.communityengine.org/) Astrospaces (http://sourceforge.net/projects/astrospaces/) Thursday, April 15, 2010, 11:15am PDT | Modified: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 11:26am Ning cuts staff, trims free services Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal<http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/ stories/2010/04/12/daily69.html?jst=pn_pn_lk>
A shorter URL for the above link: <http://tinyurl.com/y5db9jl>Ning was founded in 2004 by CEO Bianchini and Netscape Communications Corp. founder Marc Andreessen.
It has raised more than $100 million from Lightspeed Ventures, LinkedIn Corp. founder Reid Hoffman, Legg Mason and Allen & Co.
The company offers a platform aimed at offering customizable tools that lets users create their own social networks.
The company makes money by selling Google-brokered ads on social sites and by selling premium services, including the ability to eliminate Google ads, which can be replaced with ads sold by users.
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