Zude
Encyclopedia
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.
The platform they envisioned would enable anyone to quickly and easily:
They wanted their platform to support:
Independent research confirmed that there existed an untapped market for their platform for personal expression. The research showed that most Web users who have established an online profile or presence for themselves feel that current Web publishing and social network applications limit their creativity, and prevent them from being able to fully express themselves. In addition, the research showed that people who currently do not have a website or online profile would be interested in a fast, intuitive application that would enable them to establish a presence for themselves on the Web. Having secured evidence that Web users wanted a platform for personal expression, 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.
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
.
The website closed in October 2008.
In July 2010, the site was repurchased by its original creator, Steve Repetti, through his company RadWeb Technologies, with the intention of relaunching in early 2011 according to Repetti.
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
that offered free and unlimited web pages to all subscribers. Among Zude's features was the use of drag-and-drop
Drag-and-drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
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 websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
- Personalize their website without restrictions
- Use their websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
to connect with friends, family and the world
They wanted their platform to support:
- An intuitive What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYGWYSIWYGWYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
) interface that ensures that the website a user creates is the website the world will see. - Cross-domain drag-and-dropDrag-and-dropIn computer graphical user interfaces, drag-and-drop is the action of selecting a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object...
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 websiteWebsiteA website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
s, startpages, communities, blogBlogA blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
s and other Web destinations in one place - Tagging, grouping, rating and other social computing capabilities
- BlogBlogA blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ging and other Web publishing features - The development of customized Web applicationWeb applicationA web application is an application that is accessed over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. The term may also mean a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.Web applications are...
s and widgets
Independent research confirmed that there existed an untapped market for their platform for personal expression. The research showed that most Web users who have established an online profile or presence for themselves feel that current Web publishing and social network applications limit their creativity, and prevent them from being able to fully express themselves. In addition, the research showed that people who currently do not have a website or online profile would be interested in a fast, intuitive application that would enable them to establish a presence for themselves on the Web. Having secured evidence that Web users wanted a platform for personal expression, 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.
In April 2008 the SocialMix
SocialMix
SocialMixTM was an application built into the Zude social network that allowed Zude subscribers to access content from other social networking sites, including Myspace, Facebook, Bebo, HI-5 and Orkut. Among the information that was accessible was the logo, name, profile, friends, comments,...
utility was added to Zude, allowing users to integrate content from their other social networking accounts, including Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, Bebo
Bebo
Bebo is a social networking website launched in July 2005. It is currently owned and operated by Criterion Capital Partners after taking over from AOL in June 2010....
, HI-5 and Orkut
Orkut
Orkut is a social networking website that is owned and operated by Google Inc. The service is designed to help users meet new and old friends and maintain existing relationships...
.
The website closed in October 2008.
In July 2010, the site was repurchased by its original creator, Steve Repetti, through his company RadWeb Technologies, with the intention of relaunching in early 2011 according to Repetti.