Is there a replacement for Facebook?

Discontent about Facebook continues, and the social network's privacy issues have been in the news a lot lately.

It's become the issue that won't go away, although I'll wager those who are complaining the loudest about Facebook are still using it. How hypocritical is that?

I've had my say about Facebook, including why I shut down my account. Right now, my social media is more a this-and-that system, with Twitter and a few writer's forums. So far, I haven't found an all-in-one social media site that has all the goodies but none of the crap that I've come to know at Facebook.

Here's an article from ComputerWorld that I'm reading. It's interesting:

Is there a replacement for Facebook?: "There has been a great deal of discontent among Facebook users, and many are looking for an alternative. Are any sites ready to step in ? We look at the contenders."

Writer Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols explored a few here: Appleseed (still in beta), Diaspora (which still exists only on paper), Elgg, Lorea, OneSocialWeb, Pligg, and Pip.io.

Here's the spoiler:

Which one of these contenders will topple Facebook from its somewhat shaky social networking throne? At this point, I'd have to say "None of them." Pip.io is the closest, but it's just not ready yet ... like it or lump it, if you can stomach the privacy issues, Facebook is still your best social network option for keeping up with friends and family. If Facebook makes good on its promises to do better with privacy concerns, it will remain the top social network. If it doesn't -- well, someone will invent a better social network, but it's not here yet.

Then there's a lot to be said about the decentralized this-and-that social networking system.

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