Other social networking sites will soon be sprouting Facebook-like applications following the launch of Google’s OpenSocial. The standard will let developers build gadgets that can work across many sites: as well as Google’s Orkut, MySpace, Bebo, Linked In, and SixApart have all agreed to use the standard on their sites.

Notable by its absence is, of course, Facebook. However, in the best web tradition, the OpenSocial people are saying it’s all about the hugging and the love, rather than about thumbing your nose at a puny rival whom you tried to buy not so long ago. MySpace founder Chris DeWolfe says: ‘What we all want is for the web to be a better place, a more interesting place, as more innovation occurs.’ Isn’t that nice of him? You’d almost think there was no money involved at all.

It’s still not clear whether or not Facebook is talking to Google about using OpenSocial, but it looks like it would definitely be in their interests. Reassuring news that in some ways Google is just like other multibillion dollar corporations. All together now: ‘Don’t be evil. Resistance is useless. You will be assimilated…’

(Image: from luc legay’s photostream)