Wordpress has two versions available for self-hosting. The one that runs on Wordpress.com driving traffic with millions of users is called Wordpress MU (multi-user).

Wordpress MU enables you to host multiple blogs. Already Wordpress has various features for social media creation and now with the launch of BuddyPress this fantastic open source framework gets social network features.

Initial launch includes features like friends, extended profiles, photo albums, private messaging and personal blogs.

BuddyPress is a set of WordPress MU specific plugins, each plugin adding a distinct new feature. BuddyPress contains all the features you’d expect from WordPress but aims to let members socially interact.

So, if you are keen to start the next Facebook or MySpace project for your community, look no further!

BuddyPress competes in an already crowded market of hosted social network application frameworks. Other players include Ning, KickApps, Flux which offer hosted services. Last count was around 10 hosted social network players and 60 odd self-host social network frameworks!

A competing community project is called DISO or Distributed Social Networks.

What others are saying

• TechCrunch talks to the creator of Wordpress for his thoughts on BuddyPress.
• Read/Write Web has a post and video on Distributed Social Networks (DISO).
• Wordpress creator Matthew Mullenweg on his blog announcing support for BuddyPress.

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Tags: Automattic, BuddyPress, Internet Services, Products and Services, Social Networks, Wordpress

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 7:36 am and is filed under Products and Services. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.