[heavenlyblue]

It's harder to stop using Facebook when there's no proper alternative.

More importantly, the functionality of Facebook can be replicated by anyone with more-then a few years of experience in software.

So you're saying that Facebook does have proper competition? No, they don't. They were lucky enough to be at the exact place at the exact time to build the sturdy population of users. And now most of the users are paying for their luck.