So what's so special about Facebook? [modified]

[OriginalGriff]

Twatter is actually a very subtle medium: it should be compulsory to put your twatter address (or whatever the f they call it) on your business cards and CV, if you have one. It's a sort of IQ measure. That way we can tell immediately: "This guy is a moron. Get him out of the building ASAP".

Did you know: That by counting the rings on a tree trunk, you can tell how many other trees it has slept with.

[Rajesh R Subramanian]

OriginalGriff wrote:

That way we can tell immediately: "This guy is a moron. Get him out of the building ASAP".

:laugh: Great idea!

Workout progress:
Current arm size: 14.4in
Desired arm size: 18in
Next Target: 15.4in by Dec 2010

Current training method: HIT

[ametheus]

Rajesh R Subramanian wrote:

It's a fantastic means of being "socially active" for those people who don't have a real social life. Sites like those give people with a dull and uneventful life with something to do and gives them a feeling that they're important

Didn't everybody say precisely that about *the internet* a few years back? And the ability to show the world your feces has been around for about a decade. Probably longer. I'm trying very hard to find something revolutionary new about FB, aside from its (obviously unrivalled) popularity.

modified on Sunday, June 6, 2010 9:47 AM

[Rajesh R Subramanian]

ametheus wrote:

Didn't everybody say precisely that about *the internet* a few years back?

Says who? And, so what? My opinion on FB and other similar stupid sites remain the same.

ametheus wrote:

And the ability to show the world your feces (NSFW!) has been around for about a decade. Probably longer.

Good for the 'social people' then. But, NSFW does not belong in the lounge. Remove that link or a moderator may move it out of this forum.

ametheus wrote:

I'm trying very hard to find something revolutionary new about FB

Keep trying. You might actually come up with something.

Workout progress:
Current arm size: 14.4in
Desired arm size: 18in
Next Target: 15.4in by Dec 2010

Current training method: HIT

[Nish Nishant]

A lot of not-for-profit organizations including some voluntary groups and charities use FB as a portal page for their members. Events and activities are logged through the FB group and it's easy to follow updates, share documents and photos from events etc. Just because it has some negatives does not mean everything about FB is bad. People who think so are delusional.

Regards, Nish

---

Blog: blog.voidnish.com Most recent article: An MVVM friendly approach to adding system menu entries in a WPF application

[ametheus]

Rajesh R Subramanian wrote:

NSFW does not belong in the lounge.

Whoops, you're absolutely right. Sorry.

[realJSOP]

I think everything about Facebook is bad, but that's not what makes me delusional.

.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001

[Rajesh R Subramanian]

Nishant Sivakumar wrote:

A lot of not-for-profit organizations including some voluntary groups and charities use FB as a portal page for their members.

Fair point, actually. But I still despise FB. There's a voting war going on. Let me try to fix that one on you. :)

Workout progress:
Current arm size: 14.4in
Desired arm size: 18in
Next Target: 15.4in by Dec 2010

Current training method: HIT

[Nish Nishant]

It seems I got two 5s and one 1. :~ Incidentally I am not on FB, and I don't think I'll ever be. :)

Regards, Nish

---

Blog: blog.voidnish.com Most recent article: An MVVM friendly approach to adding system menu entries in a WPF application

[Rajesh R Subramanian]

I take it you don't want to start up a non-profit organisation? ;)

Workout progress:
Current arm size: 14.4in
Desired arm size: 18in
Next Target: 15.4in by Dec 2010

Current training method: HIT

[Nish Nishant]

Rajesh R Subramanian wrote:

I take it you don't want to start up a non-profit organisation?

Yeah I am not the charitable type. :)

Regards, Nish

---

Blog: blog.voidnish.com Most recent article: An MVVM friendly approach to adding system menu entries in a WPF application

[Roger Wright]

I have no idea. I have both Facebook and MySpace accounts to keep in touch with friends, and frankly, MySpace is the better product. It's cleaner, works better, and works with all the browsers I use. Facebook is buggy and unreliable, and many features don't work with either Opera or Chrome. I don't get the attraction to Facebook at all.

"A Journey of a Thousand Rest Stops Begins with a Single Movement"

[Le centriste]

I live far away from my family and old friends in my hometown, so FB is very good way to keep in touch. And I also hooked up with very old friends, which I haven't for almost 30 years. Besides that, I have a very good social life in the real world. If you don't see any good use for you, close your account.

[dan sh]

You get in touch with people who live in other locations. You can get connected with people you just forgot in the hassles of life. You can have fun reading and watching the posts made by your connections there. You can get pissed off by those game updates. No one is forcing you to have an account there and check it daily. Just get rid of the account or just don't visit the site if you do not like it.

[ametheus]

Don't get me wrong, I *like* Facebook. What I'm interested in is why it's caused so much of a stir, that even politicians (ours, that is) are starting to take notice. Mind you, they took a full 15 years to notice the internet itself. Apparently, apart from it being loads of fun, immensely popular, an excellent way of keeping in touch with people you rarely see, and almost a social stratosphere in itself, there must be something that sets it apart from other websites. Any ideas? (Before you respond, please read the first sentence of my post again.)

[JoeSox]

;P

Later, JoeSox CPMCv1.0 - Last.fm - MyFriendfeed - Joesox.com

[El Corazon]

ametheus wrote:

What I'm interested in is why it's caused so much of a stir, that even politicians (ours, that is) are starting to take notice.

Facebook has differing potentials for different people. If someone wants to use it to keep track of events for a low-profit gym, or a non-profit organization, they can use facebook to schedule 500 people easily. It is commonly referred to as distributed computing in the programming arena. One process distributes the information and 500 pick it up as they want. Win-win. Via email, it has the same potential, but the overhead is all held by the initial process. The organization sends 500 emails and overloads their account, runs up the fees and passes on the fees to the members through overhead. Lose-lose. However, it creates a stir because of the "I am going to the bathroom now." type status reports. People without lives can abuse it, leading to the conclusion they have a life. I will admit during my year-long stint with facebook it was addictive. I had professional musicians encouraging me and giving me tips in my native american flute playing, and I even got better from it! I had people who never knew me in high school suddenly standing up and saying, "hey, he's a nice guy." I had over 200 friends on facebook before I dropped off. That is 100 times more friends than I usually have at any given time. So why is this a problem? I don't have 200 friends, I never had, and I never will. The professionals were being nice, and I appreciate it, but that is just it, they are being nice people. One of the classmates left empty beer bottles on my table at the class reunion, because no matter how you cut it, I am still the class geek. They needed computer tips, computer advice, computer help, log on to facebook and get the help of the class geek... all you have to do is be his "friend." Facebook has great potential for good, it also has great potential for harm. It is all up to the people. And people are by nature, cruel, insensitive, and unfriendly. There is the "me" syndrome, they are more important than anyone else, they will lie, cheat, steal, and even befriend the class geek (which I am sure is down there with barium enema's - not sure which is lower) if it is something that will help them. That is life. I met some incredible people doing great things across this nation that I would never have met, and to be completely truthful, will never meet. I met some really incredible people. And maybe those incredible peopl

[Caslen]

Rajesh R Subramanian wrote:

It's a fantastic means of being "socially active" for those people who don't have a real social life. Sites like those give people with a dull and uneventful life with something to do and gives them a feeling that they're important

Just like the Lounge then? :)

[bencr]

If this was facebook I would click "I Like This"

[User 2881850]

There is nothing really special about Facebook except for the fact that it is popular. A lot of other programs, web sites etc.. have the same features, they just aren't as popular. Why is one dance club have a waiting line around the block while the rest are empty? Is it because the beer tastes better at one bar vs. the other? Of course not. It's because it's popular. Why is Facebook popular? Does anyone remember being invited by 10 or 20 friends before they had a facebook account? I do. They got people to give up their email lists so Facebook could spam everyone on it. Kinda sounds like a virus. lol