BuddyPress.org

I can see how it might be good tokeep friending, but give the option not to use it. I hate it when Ning takes away features …

Just in general I don’t like the idea of any features being taken away …

If friending gets taken out in 1.3, then I’ll stay with Buddypress 1.2 …

We should be thinking about extending the BuddyPress framework and not deprecating major components at this time …

Not sure why JJJ wants to remove the “friending feature” in favour of the “following-feature”? Can we not have both ? …

I am worried Buddypress will fall into the trap of trying to be everything to all people and will become a bloated mess. For my projects I need a coherent, reliable core before I need any more features – forums, events, galleries, enterprise features, ecommerce, …

It’s great the developers are rethinking friending, how it can make more sense in the Buddypress context. If Buddypress can come up with a different approach, logically tied into groups and (micro)blogging, that could really set BP apart from Facebook, Ning, etc. Less is more!

JJJ’s proposal already is the best of both world imho (yes, we can have both!):

1. Deprecate “Friends” component code into a separate downloadable plugin that can still be used exactly like it is now, just not part of the core anymore.

2. Merge friends functionality into private “user” groups so that developers can choose to ditch the “friends” model if they want …

3. “Friends” would replaced with the core ability to “follow” peoples activity, and for your activity to be followed by others …

This is also a next step in the evolution in web friending, from classic Friendster/Facebook -> Twitter following -> following/friending with more context in groups and blogging (not just based on 140 chars brain farts).

Absolutely agree with Windhamdavid btw!