Zude

Zude was a social networking website that offered free and unlimited web pages to all subscribers. Among Zude's features was the use of drag-and-drop technology allowing users to drag text, images, URLs, RSS, widgets and other content from another browser onto their Zude pages. All content dropped in the Zude environment was rendered as a "Zude object" with a set of editable properties that allowed control over the object's size and other properties. Zude provided several dozen default objects so users could create their own content and display their profile and contact information on the page. Built-in tools allowed users to upload images and PDF documents from a local computer for display on their Zude page.
History
In 2006 Jim McNiel and Steve Repetti founded Fifth Generation Systems, Inc. with the idea of using Repetti’s Open5G technology platform, which he had developed over the past decade, as the technological foundation for a Web-based platform for personal expression.
The platform they envisioned would enable anyone to quickly and easily:
* Build and manage a dynamic website
* Personalize their website without restrictions
* Use their website to connect with friends, family and the world
They wanted their platform to support:
* An intuitive What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) interface that ensures that the website a user creates is the website the world will see.
* Cross-domain drag-and-drop of text, photos, video, widgets - practically any type of Web object - onto your Zude page.
* Complete user customization of their website’s design, layout and navigation.
* Photo, music, video and other types of file sharing
* Consolidation of websites, startpages, communities, blogs and other Web destinations in one place
* Tagging, grouping, rating and other social computing capabilities
* Blogging and other Web publishing features
Creation
McNiel and Repetti began working to develop technology that would be powerful, scalable and flexible enough to support their vision. The result was Zude, which launched in Beta in the spring of 2007.
Later, in April 2008 the SocialMix utility was added to Zude, allowing users to integrate content from their other social networking accounts, including Myspace, Facebook, Bebo, HI-5 and Orkut.
Pre-launch
Zude was initially launched in private beta in early Spring of 2007. Initial access was restricted to less than 5000 users in order to confirm and validate the viability and operational ability of the product and related server infrastructure.
Included in the successful private beta were a number of prominent technologists and members of the press, including David Berlind of Ziff-Davis, and Phil Butler of ReadWriteWeb. Berlind went on to describe Zude as “the Switzerland of the Social Web” and Butler called it a “Start Page on Steriods”.
Initial launch and crash
Zude launched at midnight, eastern-time, on April 30, 2007. 15 minutes later it crashed.
Renowned blogger and technologist Robert Scoble called Zude the and the “coolest commercial thing he’s seen come through show”.
eWeek called Zude the “Coolest Technology” at the Web 2.0 conference, second only to the recently released Microsoft Mesh technology, and WebProNews declared “Zude is Cool, Dude”
Well-known futurist and branding expert Brian Solis had a number of comments regarding Zude, including:
* “(Zude) makes it easy for you to create, consolidate, communicate, and share “your” Web.”
* “It’s much more scalable, customizable, and well, fun, than Ning”
* “I see Zude earning tremendous traction from consumer-focused brands and products.”
* “Zude is a deceptively powerful social computing platform that provides developers with almost unimaginable power, freedom and flexibility.”
Zude and MIT, IEEE, and FutureBOSTON
In September 2007, FifthGen’s CEO Jim McNeil, engineered a relationship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the FutureBOSTON initiative using Zude as a core collaborative platform. The strategy of technological partnership was likewise repeated with the IEEE, “the world’s largest professional association advancing innovation and technological excellence.”
Zude and the Wounded Warriors
From its beginning, Zude has provided support to the Wounded Warriors initiative,
Zude’s support of the Wounded Warriors continues to this day.
Zude and the film and music industry
Zude’s customization capabilities and advanced technologies appealed to the creative requirements of the film and music industries. Numerous celebrities utilized the Zude platform, including Hayden Panettiere, Evanescence, Anna Nalick, Fab 5 Freddie, Creed, and more.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu