The Platforms: Google, Microsoft, Facebook And MySpace

Slide founder Max Levchin just kicked off a panel called "The Platform Advantage" at the Web 2.0 Summit. Participants include Google's Vic Gundotra , Microsoft's David Treadwell , MySpace's Amit Kapur and Facebook's Elliot Schrage . The panel began with a general debate on exactly what a platform is, and how each of the companies play in the space. Kapur says a platform has to create an ecosystem that includes a core base of users, tools to build applications, and an advertising network to monetize the platform. Kapur also let's something slip - saying that MySpace will soon release a payments platform and a virtual goods platform. Schrage says the Facebook platform is a place for users to interact, and for developers to take advantage of that social utility.