Waxy.org is the sandbox of Joshua points to an unusual social networking project called Socialgrid, that bills itself as "a free dating service using Google, grid computing, P2P (Peer-to-Peer), and a file sharing program."
The About Us section tells us that SocialGrid is the lifelong dream of one man, Chau Vuong. His main theory is that soulmates exist, and that you can beat the improbable odds of finding them with technology. Chau built SocialGrid to help him find a soulmate to meet his high expectations.
As far as I can tell, you're assigned a lengthy identification code by the patent-pending Identification Coding System™, which you then place somewhere on your website. Other people can then use the SocialGrid web application to search Google for your coded attributes. Or you can use the patent-pending SocialGrid Search System™, a peer-to-peer Windows client, to search the codes of other people running the client. If the entire system works, you'll find your soulmate.
No comment on the technology. For me, the entire project is summed up by the "Warning to Copycats & Clones" on the homepage:
We have retained one of the top intellectual property law firms in America. Everything is copyrighted and trademarked. The patent application claims coverage of basically all complex objects, including people, in almost every country. We will marginalize every profit margin. There is no money to made in creating another ID coding system. The world needs only one system. If necessary, we will donate SocialGrid and the patent to Google to insure one standardized coding system. Any copycats and clones will have to answer to Google. Do not compete with us. Join us and become a partner.Take that, FOAF!
10:37 AM
Sounds like a difficult patent to defend. You can cite prior art at least 10 years ago if you take GeekCode into account, and that's just the first example that jumped out at me with their when I saw their example code.
3:39 PM
I've been advocating this for months. Love wants to be free -- break the stranglehold of crappy Internet dating services!
10:35 PM
Do I get to claim prior art on my person?
10:01 AM
When I said online dating services should be free, someone countered that you pay for the commodity of good leads. But I don't see any evidence that Spring Street or Yahoo personals contain a lower loser : winner ratio.
11:20 AM
Will google be interested in running this service if Vuong offers to donate it to them?
10:28 AM
"Do not compete with us. Join us and become a partner."
Has kind of a Borg-like attitude about it. I don't know if I'd want to be assimilated into dating.
7:32 PM
Hey, this guy totally stole my idea!
8:51 AM
What about a DNA signature on my blog? Some algorithm to condense its complexity, and thus allowing somebody with complementary DNA to contact me: We will then proceed, GATTACA style, to procreate beautiful smart, annoying children.
12:45 AM
The reason the guy hasn't met the lady of his dreams is because he is totally fishing with the wrong bait. Look at how he categorizes every aspect of his own personality and whom he wishes to meet. I can't imagine any woman coming across his site and saying "ooh this is the guy for me!" Way too clinical, no romance or emotion involved whatsoever. There may be a perfect lady out there for him, but that ain't the webpage to find her with.
12:49 AM
my god, look at the list of his role models...
http://www.aluran.com/rolemodel.html
6:16 AM
Hilarious. I never thought I'd see Michael Milken, Warren Buffett, Bono, and Jesus in the same list. (Oh, and "Jesus Christ & The Saints" sounds like a doo-wop group.)
8:28 AM
I wonder, if my wife and I put our information into the system, what the chances of us selecting each other would be. :^)
11:02 AM
It sounds like a Google interview reject that just wants to work there. Patent? Puhleaze...the whole idea is stupid anywy!
12:55 PM
This site is getting a lot of PR now. They are in internet news. And a lot of changes on the site. It looks nice now.
4:18 PM
yeah it's a great idea and some will benefit from the service even if others dont like it. They have a huge article in the June 04 Wired Issue. Very interesting read.