And here is some info they sent me when I joined. What is Zurker? Zurker is a third-generation social app released into private alpha testing in December, 2011. It's special because it's owned by its members. This unusual DNA will help Zurker develop the best social app available, which in turn will propel Zurker to becoming the dominant social network in the coming decade (and beyond). Who owns Zurker? Users like you and me. Here's a list. Why hasn't anyone done something like Zurker before? The idea of a cooperative isn't that new. However, it probably hasn't been implemented on the net yet because entrepreneurs who found startups tend to want to retain as much equity as possible. There probably will be a lot more sites run on the "community equity" principle after Zurker shows that it is a powerful and fast way to build a valuable enterprise. Is the goal of Zurker to unseat Facebook? Not specifically, but social networks do work better if they are bigger.
If, in ten years from now, Zurker isn't the biggest and bestest social network in this end of the galaxy, it will probably have failed. What is the difference between Zurker and Facebook? There are a number of differences, but the key difference is that Facebook is owned by a select few investors, whereas Zurker is owned by a large number of members. This means that decisions about how to develop the site are driven with the users' best interests in mind, rather than business development decisions. Is Zurker open source? Not yet. Bear in mind, we just entered alpha testing in December, 2011, and at this stage the risk and security issues outweigh the benefits of releasing the source code. But open source is definitely the direction we want to move in. Running an open source project is actually quite complicated - there is a huge amount of coordination involved.
What's the point of Zurker since we already have Facebook and Google+? Zurker is fundamentally better than FB. FB and G+ are driven by corporations with their corporate goals. Zurker is owned by its members. Its product is designed to do just one thing, work well for the members, and corporate revenue is passed on to the members. How can Zurker succeed with Facebook dominant globally? Facebook is dominant right now, but it started off as a small start-up nobody had ever heard of. Facebook had a clever strategy for growing quickly, and replaced the dominant social networks of the time (MySpace and Friendster). Zurker is starting off as a small startup nobody has ever heard, but we have a clever strategy for growing quickly and developing an awesome product until we replace the dominant social network of our time. Owning Zurker How can I own a part of Zurker United States? Sign up, refer your friends, or buy vShares. (United States residents only.)
What are vShares? vShares are stakes of ownership in the corporation which will be incorporated to own and operate Zurker, once enough vShares have been allocated. Here's our page about vShares. Why should I invest in Zurker? It may turn out to be quite the shrewd business decision. Venture Capital investors are some of the wealthiest people in the world. Most people never have the chance to invest in start-ups, and wouldn't know how. Here at Zurker we have a product you can use, and if you like it, you can easily invest a modest sum. In addition, note that Zurker relies on small investments from many users for funding. So please do invest even if it's just a few bucks.
Could Zurker be a scam? Just about every new start-up is potentially a scam. A bunch of entrepreneurs with varying degrees of technical ability somehow secure funding from Venture Capital firms. Many start-ups burn through the funding, spending money on things like fast cars, without ever turning a profit. The Venture Capital firms are OK with that because the few that do succeed, bring phenomenal return on investment. At Zurker we practice Open-Book Accounting so at least you know we're not buying Maybachs.
Does a vShare in Zurker United States mean I own part of Zurker Australia etc. as well? No, each Zurker is owned by its members only. Where will Zurker be incorporated? Ideally each Zurker will be incorporated in the country it is associated with, the exception being Zurker Worldwide which may be incorporated in the US or off-shore. In some cases, specifically India, government red tape may mean that it will make more sense to incorporate off-shore. There are numerous complex legal and financial considerations which will drive decisions such as this, and when the time comes we hope to have the expertise available, within the Ideas secion of Zurker, or in the form of counsel and consultants, to make an informed decision.
Can I sell my vShares? A vShare is an agreement between the co-founding developers and yourself that you will own a stake in the venture to be established. An agreement between two parties can't be sold so our understanding is that it would be odd, and potentially illegal, to allow the trading of vShares. However, Zurker is a democratic, member-led platform. If the demand is there, we'll look into it further and possibly enable vShare transfers. Using Zurker Why can't I have more than one account? Because we are currently giving out complimentary vShares to new members and those are limited to one per person.
Why is Zurker for the United States only? This is a good question, and the answer is complicated. Zurker is currently available in the following countries. Each Zurker accepts only members of that country. United States United Kingdom India Philippines New Zealand Canada Australia Residents of all other jurisdictions become members of Zurker Worldwide. Zurker Worldwide For several reasons, the developers have decided to release Zurker on a country by country basis. Each country's Zurker is an independent entity owned by residents of that country. Having users from other countries own shares in other countries would be excessively challenging for technical, administrative, operational, and financial reasons. Note that you CAN connect and interact normally with members on other versions of Zurker. A member of Zurker UK can subscribe to a member of Zurker India, for example. I am a resident of the United States but I am traveling.
Can't I sign up? Focus on enjoying your trip, and sign up when you get home. And don't forget to take lots of photos you can upload to Zurker later.
Why doesn't Zurker have this feature? That feature? And the other feature? Zurker was developed by a small (but dedicated) development team with limited funding. Don't expect it to be the most awesome platform just yet. As of December, 2011, Zurker is a starting point. Buy a few vShares, and your investment will go towards more features and all manner of good stuff you'll like.
Should I "connect" or "subscribe"? Connects are two-way connections, so a connect must be approved by the person you are connecting with. In most cases, a connect is great because you find out what they are doing, and they can keep up with what you are doing. Anyway, I took a chance and bought some shares which are $1 a share right now. You can receive shares by referrals too.
I am hoping that it will turn into something big, since it is on the ground floor. BTW, it is free to join. Send sandyspider a note after you join.
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