CNET: Friendster rivals merge; Evite enters

Back in the heady VC startup days, budding companies had to bend their long-term strategies to the winds of whatever fad the venture capitalists thought at the time was the next new thing. I can remember raising four rounds of venture funds with one startup, starting off as a media play, then an IT infrastructure play, eventually a business-to-business play, and once even an, "Uh, yeah, we're an ASP. Sure."

Today's announcement that the Evite invitation service will start competing with Friendster and its ilk strikes a similar tone, as the parent company, InterActiveCorp, pushes its progeny toward the burning flame of the current fad.

Meanwhile Emode, the amorphous company dabbling in dating and intelligence testing, among other things, purchased Ringo, and will rename itself Tickle. It really brings us back to the good old days. I think I can hear club music emanating from SoMa.