Facebook, Twitter and the Google that got away.

News today in Boomtown that the officially not happening talks about Facebook buying Twitter had broken down:

So why did the deal break down?

Well, as is usually the case, over price–was $500 million worth of Facebook stock actually worth $500 million?–and the typical concerns about integration and costs.

But, more important, it seems, was a feeling among Twitter investors and execs that the start-up should still take a shot at building its revenues–there are none right now–as well as it had done at building its growth.

Will this be Facebook's Google (Yahoo failed to buy Google early on and was eclipsed by its simpler content finding model). There is a parallel between the Facebook "SocNet Portal" and the Twitter "CommsNet"

Afterthought - how would Facebook handle the issue that many Twitterers use nom-de-plumes, whereas Facebook throws you off if you do (and are not famous enough to complain)

Update - VC Nic Brisbourne shows why at that valuation, for stock, a deal would have been hard.