“The core idea here is that developers will create more applications for social networks if there is a fair amount of interoperability between the platforms. Of course, Facebook, and by extension Microsoft, don’t seem to want to endorse this concept. But Microsoft did come out strongly in favor of making data more portable between social network sites on a limited basis. What all this means is that new battle lines are being drawn between Google and Microsoft unless, of course, peace unexpectedly breaks out as some still hope. Either way, it won’t be too long before the Generation Y folks that make heavy use of these services start to make their presence felt on traditional IT.”
See March 25, 2008 article by Clint Boulton here.