Google and MySpace hop into bed for an OpenSocial

So, MySpace has swiftly signed up to OpenSocial Google's open platform for social application development. With Facebook holding out for now (and about to announce its own AdWords rival), MySpace is a major partner for Google in its quest to take over the social Internet by becoming the platform to build on.

John Batelle's Searchblog had an interesting reaction to the news, likening it to the early days of search engine wars, where Google played Facebook's game and catapulted themselves into the lead past Yahoo. This of course carries the suggestion that Facebook could itself pull a Google and push the giant into second place. For others it was just an inevitable part of the Google quest. Despite constant whispers and fears that the Big G is taking it too far with worringly invasive (lack of) privacy policies, there's no denying it's almost unthinkable that anyone should be able to square up to the kings of search and beat them at their own game.

It's still a possibility though, especially if you follow Batelle's model. Who the hell were Google in the days when Yahoo advanced on pioneers Alta Vista and blew them out of the water? And Facebook may not have quite as many users as MySpace, but it's very, very quickly advancing and has already had a head start on the social application arena. Although they may yet open up to Google, by refusing to do so thus far Zuckerberg and pals have clearly shown a desire to succeed on their own terms and not as partners or lapdogs of anyone else.

Time will tell, but what do you think? Is Google's dominance inevitable? Will Facebook trounce it at social networking? Or is something waiting around the corner to wipe the floor with them both?