“I left Orkut and joined Facebook!”
You will get thousands of Orkut profile updates with these sentences. Take the help of Orkut search and write “Left Orkut” , “on Facebook” and see more the results. Most of my Orkut friends are on Facebook, even Orkut related blog orkutplus.net has started their Facebook blog facebookplus.org. We at flockpost.com have also started writing on Facebook groups and just few days back launched a Facebook fanpage of Orkutheroes, too.
One of my Orkut friends asked me on twitter 
Sad to see all this but I have to accept the fact that Orkut is dying.
I still remember the day when a friend of mine introduced me to Orkut for the first time and it was so tough to even remember the name ORKUT. The very first time when I saw Orkut I was only impressed by its feature of communities, because social networking was not new to me but online community formations and that too with so much flexibility was really something which impressed me a lot. But Orkut never took their Orkut communities seriously and even with the new Orkut launch there were no major changes in Orkut communities. They still focus on scraps and photos which is nothing but crap, as far as my opinion matters!
But I will not shun Orkut as long as Orkut communities are alive even though I express my sincere gratitude to Orkut for the several useful things it passed on to me and millions of Indian internet users. Orkut is a social networking revolution in India. It gave birth to the Discussion Forum Trend via its communities, it gave personal Identities to several thousands of individuals of which many I interviewed on this blog. Orkut also gave opportunities to small-time teenage hackers to develop their skills by hacking Orkut profiles and communities, it made news in the Indian political scenario and so loud that it echoed as far as the Indian Parliament! The most important achievement for me is that Orkut gave me and my blog orkutheroes a significant and everlasting identity. Without it, I may not be here writing this article.
Your next online destination can be Gmail buzz, Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare but the first social network which taught us (Indians) the meaning of social network will always remain Orkut!
I am more disappointed because of the few of my unanswered questions to Google Inc. regarding Orkut.
1. If Google can come up with new age social media platforms like wave and buzz then why they can’t save Orkut?
2. Why Google is ignoring the fact that Orkut is its property? When every Google product is dominating why not Orkut?
3. Why Google is investing with Facebook when Orkut needs its attention most?
Well, it will not make any difference even if I get my questions answered… Orkut will still die one day! (I seriously don’t wish that)
I request to all those who left Orkut, that they should write on their Orkut updates ‘Thanks Orkut’ rather than ‘Left Orkut’. You should thank Orkut for every thing; we need to show how we Indians thank those who favored us. Orkut connected Indians, Orkut connected India to the world.
So, share what Orkut gave you in the comment box below and make this post an advance thanksgiving to orkut dot com.
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{ 17 comments }
It is, indeed, sad to see so many people leaving Orkut for FaceBook. Honestly, I fail to see the appeal of FaceBook and rarely use it. I still prefer the exchange of thought, opinion, and knowledge, which takes place at the best Orkut communities.
Communities have always been Orkut's forté, and it this regard, Orkut remains Head and Shoulders about other Social Networking Websites.
Orkut can survive only if orkut users will decide to stay with their community activities but sadly, its actually not going on so well.
I absolutely agree with the above comment…. I will never leave Orkut… All my social networking with Indians was and will remain on Orkut… Of course, I am on Facebook as well but thats because Westerners have not even heard of Orkut… but then coming to think of it, none of my friends at work or otherwise in UK, use Gmail as well… so I think that its for Indians only that Gmail is a must have… and I like it, no doubt about that….
So what do you think Dev? Orkut will stay fine or you feel activities are declining?
I must take some exception to what Devdeep says. I'm a “Westerner”.
I go back to the very first month of Orkut, in Jan. '04 I can recall when the US had the largest membership, and Estonia was #2. Most members in the US left about the time in late '05 when the large influx of Brasilians began. MySpace and then FaceBook became much more popular in the US then.
It's been unfortunate that, for the most part, young people in the US just don't seem interested in meeting people from around the world and learning about their cultures and such. That has been one of the greatest benefits of Orkut to me.
Certainly, activity in most communities has fallen dramatically, yet…
There are some point of light, shining in the darkness, as it were. Many communities on Politics and International Relations are quite active. A few of mine see outbursts of activity from time to time also. But at Zazo knows…
I'm more concerned with the quality of a community's activity, than the over all amount of activity.
– Frank F. Moore
Tio Franko, I was sure that its you….oh after so long Frank
so good to see you. I am sorry Tio but orkut is no more that orkut which you, me and devdeep saw some years back. I am sure that no social networking can beat orkut in comparison of its online communities. But, it seems time is over for orkut communities too. There are many reasons for this, both technically and social issues too.
Namasthe, mere dost. Yes, it is I. I'd a feeling you would have little doubt as to who it was posting comments such as mine. While never one to oppose the Winds or Change, or impede progress in the Social Networking Universe, as far as the latest venue with the greatest activity…
I refuse to abandon those which have even a few sparks of Life. I continue to be caretaker of several Internet Bulletin Boards which use to be on fire with activity and are now akin to Ghost Towns. Yet…
The occasional Tourist stops by in need of advice or help, and are glad to find a living Soul. LOL!!!
I tend to wax Romantic about my Internet activities from days gone by. So much fun. So many interesting exchanges. So many wonderful people met, such as you! Even though I've many contacts around the world with whom I keep in contact directly…
I'm loath to abandon the venues through which we met. Of course…
As an old Bachelor, I have the luxury of wasting time, as it were. You are a young Man, with a young Family, and the Internet is a large part of what you do professionally. So I fully understand an appreciate your perspective on this.
– Tio Franco
Hey nice article on Orkut and you have brought out many nice points about Orkut here.
I understand you and respect your concern. I know your dedication and love for online communities, either orkut or somewhere else you are always bridging relations and cultures. Facts cannot be ignored about orkut's present scenario. It is loosing grounds because social networking needs to construct relations, I met you through orkut and I am always thankful to orkut for that but I met many more people like you from other social media sites too and now after 6 years, I found that orkut is just a small pond of good people. There are oceans which is still unexplored by me. I wrote this post because I love orkut for everything it gave me and you and people like us but because of us orkut is surviving and its our right to say what we need and what we think. Let's see together the tomorrow of orkut.
I entirely understand and appreciate your perspective on these matters, mon bon ami. I should probably take some time and get to know FaceBook better.
– Frank
I entirely understand and appreciate your perspective on these matters, mon bon ami. I should probably take some time and get to know FaceBook better.
– Frank
I own one of the largest software communities and the activity has declined drastically. At one time there were so many problems all the time and it used to be a challenge to manage a community this huge and being fair. Now my job is simple. I have closed my blog on orkut ages ago as I could sense that google was no longer interested in orkut because there was not enough revenue generated from that website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJG4bnnK8yM
I do not use facebook much.
Hey then where are you hanging these days KC? Its good to see you here after long.
Kevin, I am sorry for replying so late. I dnt know how I missed it. I understand your feelings about orkut but we cannot ignore the fact we can easily notice these days. The trend of orkut is no more trending in India. Now, even they make orkut hundred times better than any other site people wont come back.
Thank you Suhasini
I agree with you points , I wont leave orkut , It gave me so much to me and met many young friends and have fans too! The strong point is orkut community and I am always for it!
Pravin DA
yes orkut is one of the best social networking webiste its very true…