(photo by davemc500hats: Social Graph Platform Wars)

Charting Stocks Reports: "Clients of Ning are outraged over a  decision that Ning made public last week. The software maker sent out an email to all of its clients, those who have created a social network on Ning, stating that they would email all members of all websites who use the Ning software to promote the newly designed Ning.com."

 The email from Ning says:

"The new Ning.com will be accessible via www.ning.com  as well as at the top of your social network on Ning. If you have purchased the premium service to remove Ning promotional links, the links to the new Ning.com will not be visible to your members directly from your social network. Your members will still be able to access these new features via www.ning.com  To purchase the premium service to make these links invisible to your members, simply go to your social network's Manage page and choose Premium Services.

Because of these changes to the Ning member services, we will be sending an administrative email to everyone  registered with a Ning ID over the next two weeks. We wanted to let you know about this communication in advance."

  The article goes on to point out this is not the first time Ning has changed the rules on thier customers.  These Web 2.0 companies can hold your data and user base hostage.  With Open Source you are free to use the code, change the code and you own your data. 

Open source alternatives that Solution Grove supports includes OpenACS and Elgg.

Open Source - For when you actually want to own your own data and control your own destiny!