I deleted my facebook....have you?

[michael_atw]

I loathe Facebook, but I'm still on there for the 8 friends I keep in touch with regularly, the 15 or so I touch on occasionally, and I've deleted about 250 friends I never talked to. I'm down to about 100. It's useful for event connecting, fast conversations with friends from afar, and a few other things. That being said, mine will be gone sooner rather than later. I'm getting close. I know once I off it I won't look back. That's just how I am.

That being said, what's the big fuss on what people post?

I love the politics and religion. I welcome all the conversations. Never blocked a person; never was offended or found angst over what someone else posted. Never felt defensive or sensitive. Why would I?

[rupture]

I'd rather play bass than waste my time on fakebook. It's like texting. I can speak faster than I can type. Get on with it, I got stuff to do!

[Balog]

Originally Posted by champbassist

True, and the trick to that is not putting anything there that you wouldn't want there in the first place.



It's completely the opposite for me. I'm on Facebook primarily for professional work and the occasional chit chat with close pals. Thus, what Facebook enables me to do could never be done on Twitter. I use the latter to get updates, mainly from public figures of interest, which aren't available on FB. Admittedly, even their (especially sportsmen's) tweets are pretty silly sometimes.

Not sure what "professional" work could be done on FB but not twitter?

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Balog

Not sure what "professional" work could be done on FB but not twitter?

To mention a few:

a) Discussion, on a thread/topic basis, of various issues regarding professional affairs, with the systematic participation of all members, in a closed group environment.

b) Sharing of assignments, again, in closed groups.

c) Doing the above in a closed, group based environment.

d) Getting updates from organizations which post on their official Facebook pages (there are more such organizations on FB that do so than on Twitter, in my knowledge).

[bongomania]

There are lots of CRM for professional discussion, assignments, etc. that work far better than FB, without all the advertising and data mining. In fact, to me setting up a proper site for those activities seems far more "professional" than relying on FB.

[Kwesi]

The whole reasons I keep my Facebook page are because it's useful and entertaining. If it's neither to you, ditch it. It's not like anyone needs it.

I just find it weird how many folks latch onto the "I dumped Facebook!" posts. Not that there aren't legitimate complaints to be made about the site and how it's run (there are PLENTY) but it all too often boils down "omg, I hate people". Ok, great. Why tell the world exactly? Is venting grievances somehow more cathartic on websites that aren't Facebook? Has extreme corporate profiteering created a wave of post-modern proto-hipsters who, having tasted the future, decided that it's just awful? I expect you all to start writing in pen and paper journals and the more dedicated to invest in new, never opened trapper keepers sold by eccentric collectors on eBay.

There may or may not be a smidgen of hyperbole in there somewhere.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by bongomania

There are lots of CRM for professional discussion, assignments, etc. that work far better than FB, without all the advertising and data mining. In fact, to me setting up a proper site for those activities seems far more "professional" than relying on FB.

For college students, the simplicity, convenience and accessibility afforded by Facebook outweighs the advantages of setting up an entirely new site/signing up to a new site. Even if that means compromising on certain aspects, especially considering how most don't even really see these as problems or constraints.

Most college mates of mine have Facebook accounts for the 'socialization' aspect of it, rather than the professional aspect. The ability to partake in academic issues on that very site makes it more convenient than signing up for another site.

Besides, Facebook's popularity has acted as a sort of a self propelling mechanism, with people finding it more advantageous to use a site which already has most of their real life friends as members, rather than some new site with lesser membership.

*Edit*

Originally Posted by Kwesi

I just find it weird how many folks latch onto the "I dumped Facebook!" posts. Not that there aren't legitimate complaints to be made about the site and how it's run (there are PLENTY) but it all too often boils down "omg, I hate people". Ok, great. Why tell the world exactly? Is venting grievances somehow more cathartic on websites that aren't Facebook? Has extreme corporate profiteering created a wave of post-modern proto-hipsters who, having tasted the future, decided that it's just awful? I expect you all to start writing in pen and paper journals and the more dedicated to invest in new, never opened trapper keepers sold by eccentric collectors on eBay.

I sense some of that acting as the fuel in the 'pro FB vs anti FB" fire we have here (on TB), but well said

[Relic]

Personally, I kind of like the irony of complaining publicly on one form of social media about how people suck on another form of social media....
Is the problem the "house" or the "guests"??

[bolophonic]

Originally Posted by powderfinger

I deleted mine a while back. Facebook is ridiculous. People have this perverted idea that the world needs to get minute by minutes updates on their lives. Facebook has made people believe that they are quasi celebrities. What they really are are a bunch of vain, shallow, megalomaniacs.

Sounds like you are friends with a bunch of idiots. I use Facebook as a rolodex, a way to get in touch with people and a way for people to find me. Zero drama, and none of my friends seem to have any misconceptions as to their celebrity status.

[AaronMB]

Originally Posted by champbassist

Besides, Facebook's popularity has acted as a sort of a self propelling mechanism, with people finding it more advantageous to use a site which already has most of their real life friends as members, rather than some new site with lesser membership.

Yes...

Does the band play Mustang Sally again, when requested by the public that pays their gig (read this is using Face Book because it's ridiculously popular; that filling tip jar suggests that might be a good idea)?
or...
Does the band skip the request(s) for whatever reason and play something original or less popular (ie: not use Face Book, basically; perhaps Google+)?

There's no right or wrong in either, unless the decision subverts your own principles, goals, etc...

[Balog]

Originally Posted by champbassist

To mention a few:

a) Discussion, on a thread/topic basis, of various issues regarding professional affairs, with the systematic participation of all members, in a closed group environment.

b) Sharing of assignments, again, in closed groups.

c) Doing the above in a closed, group based environment.

d) Getting updates from organizations which post on their official Facebook pages (there are more such organizations on FB that do so than on Twitter, in my knowledge).

Yeah... so you're using for group chats and such? Seems pretty unprofessional to me, but I suppose that depends on your industry.

[Ziltoid]

Originally Posted by Relic

Personally, I kind of like the irony of complaining publicly on one form of social media about how people suck on another form of social media....
Is the problem the "house" or the "guests"??

According to the rules of the internet, it's neither. The problem is always the person defending a point of view opposed to yours

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Balog

Yeah... so you're using for group chats and such? Seems pretty unprofessional to me, but I suppose that depends on your industry.

Wonder where you got 'group chats' from my post. I mentioned professional affairs in a closed group environment. For example, I am a member of various groups for different aspects of college, for local clubs which host music events, for other educational institutions I've been a part of. There are no idle 'chats' here: we use these groups for, as I said, professional purposes. Your point anyway, was:

Not sure what "professional" work could be done on FB but not twitter?

Which was what I was responding to: FB vs Twitter for professional work.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I use LinkedIn as an online professional-networking tool.

[Balog]

Originally Posted by champbassist

Wonder where you got 'group chats' from my post. I mentioned professional affairs in a closed group environment. For example, I am a member of various groups for different aspects of college, for local clubs which host music events, for other educational institutions I've been a part of. There are no idle 'chats' here: we use these groups for, as I said, professional purposes. Your point anyway, was:



Which was what I was responding to: FB vs Twitter for professional work.

I'm still gonna have to dispute your definition of "professional work" there. But I see you're still in college, so you're not really referring to a professional business environement.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Balog

But I see you're still in college, so you're not really referring to a professional business environement.

Yes, indeed, it's not exactly 'professional' considering being a student isn't exactly a profession: I was using the word to distinguish the usage of social networking site(s) in a career oriented way from their use for 'hollow' socialization. Academics would've been a better term. My bad there, though the fact that I'm a college student was made clear by me on a later post. I know that I'll have access to less 'frivolous' means of networking with my colleagues and conducting official business once I've joined my job, and I'm looking forward to the advantages it'll provide

Originally Posted by Balog

I'm still gonna have to dispute your definition of "professional work" there.

You aren't insinuating that discussing serious academic issues is equivalent to vain chit-chat, I hope

At any rate, I still don't see how you could do any more or even as much 'professional' (referring to a professional per se) work on Twitter as compared to FB- which was the original point of this discussion.

[CrewsControl]

I deleted mine recently. There were several reasons, none of which had to do with any of my Facebook contacts posting annoying stuff.

First reason: Facebook follows you everywhere. Visit some other site and you get "Hello Michael, your friends are looking at this and this and this." I assume other people also see what I am looking at. Do not want.

I tried for a while keeping Facebook "firewalled" in Internet Explorer, while I used Chrome (with Facebook cookies blocked) to browse the rest of the web. This soon became tiresome.

The last straw was when I tried to post a link to my feed, and Facebook wouldn't let me. Claimed the site I linked was spam. When I clicked through for an explanation, Facebook told me McAfee Site Advisor had flagged the site in my link as spam. I went to McAfee's website to see if it would tell me why it had flagged my link as spam, and it indicated it had included the listing from urlblacklist.com. I visited urlblacklist.com to find out why IT had listed my link as spam, and was informed that urlblacklist.com is an aggregator of other website blacklists.

I gave up in disgust at this point, and deleted my Facebook account, giving the reason that I do not consent to have my posts censored based on rumors of rumors about rumors, nor do I consent to having McAfee products forced on me as a condition of using Facebook.

[Balog]

Originally Posted by champbassist

You aren't insinuating that discussing serious academic issues is equivalent to vain chit-chat, I hope

No commentary from me at all on academic issues, merely pointing out that they are not professional in the "business world" sense.

At any rate, I still don't see how you could do any more or even as much 'professional' (referring to a professional per se) work on Twitter as compared to FB- which was the original point of this discussion.

Depends on the profession. Journalists and public figures use it for professional purposes rather a lot, and in a way that's superior to that offered by FB. I've known folks at conferences to use it as a real time event co-ordinating method.

Honestly, neither are much use for traditional roles, and each does have some strengths and weaknesses when pressed into service for a business use.

[ChiliPepper]

Originally Posted by Relic

Personally, I kind of like the irony of complaining publicly on one form of social media about how people suck on another form of social media....
Is the problem the "house" or the "guests"??

+ 1 we have a winner.

it's really up to individuals on how they want to use Facebook, YouTube etc.

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by Relic

Personally, I kind of like the irony of complaining publicly on one form of social media about how people suck on another form of social media....
Is the problem the "house" or the "guests"??

The real problem is the guesthouse. It's in desperate need of renovation.