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Reefhound

Oct 28, 2010, 10:51 AM

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Facebook

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A little recent back n forth between two shy members here brought up Facebook whereby one of them asked "what is Facebook?". Now I figure the question was tongue in cheek and left me wondering "what next, gonna say you have never heard of Lady GaGa and her p-p-p-poker face?".

However, perhaps the question was genuine. My question certainly is, which is how many here have facebook accounts and use them to stay in touch with others?

It's certainly not an American thing. Must be a million Mexican kids on Facebook. Just about all of our family members in Mexico between ages 10 and 30 have one, and a few of the older ones as well. Me and my own kids have accounts and we all use them to stay in touch on a daily basis, sometimes through direct messages and chats but often by just tracking status updates and getting a glimpse of what is happening in one's life. For example, I have two nietas age 20 and 24 who I see every year but always in a family setting and not enough time to really get to know as individuals. However, Facebook makes those visits more meaningful as it is like you have been with them all year, sharing in the daily tribulations with jobs, chit chat with friends, and seeing their excitement about things like going to DF for a Bon Jovi concert.

Rolly

Oct 28, 2010, 11:41 AM

Post #2 of 11 (2411 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Facebook

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I use my Facebook page as an extension of my website as well as a quick way to keep up with friends. For me. Facebook is a supplement to e-mails. It might be likened to broadcasting rather than a personal contact.

It does seem to me that for many users, it's a game to see who can accumulate the most "Facebook friends."

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

Gringal

Oct 28, 2010, 12:29 PM

Post #3 of 11 (2393 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Facebook

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And for those who are fed up with being friended by a jillion people they probably wouldn't want anything to do with in person, there is a site called "Seppukoo" (not sure of the spelling) which will allow you to write your own obituary and depart from Facebook.

....just sayin'

happynz

Oct 28, 2010, 12:34 PM

Post #4 of 11 (2389 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Facebook

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I deleted my Facebook account. I found the experience to be a bit underwhelming. Most of the posts were along the lines of, 'I'm having a coffee.' or 'The kids are finally off to school and I can relax...' erm...OK...and I should care? That, and requests for me to do something or rather about a fantasy farm game.

Highly over-rated in my opinion.
Así pues...aquí estamos...

La Isla

Oct 28, 2010, 1:12 PM

Post #5 of 11 (2376 views)

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Re: [happynz] Facebook

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I started a Facebook account awhile ago, for some reason, which I now can't remember. I never use it, but old friends have found me through it, for which I am grateful. I communicate with real friends by email.

Reefhound

Oct 28, 2010, 1:56 PM

Post #6 of 11 (2363 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Facebook

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It does seem to me that for many users, it's a game to see who can accumulate the most "Facebook friends."

Keep in mind that there are social networking games where you need a "crew" or "team" of 100 to 500. To be teamed on the game requires you to be first friended on FB. You can then unfriend but many don't remember or bother. Just pointing out that some of those you see with hundreds of friends (like me) may only be playing games not trying to accumulate a fan base.

To make effective use of the site you have to learn to use privacy settings and blocks. You can group friends and control access to various parts. I have a group for Family that gets to see my family photo albums, my real friends get to see all but the family stuff, the gamers get to see nada.

I like seeing the trivial status updates. I have lots of friends, too many to actually email or phone each and every day, but I'd still like an idea of what is going on. Just like forums, you have to develop a mental ignore feature that lets you skim over the comments you don't care about and notice the ones you do.

Peter

Oct 28, 2010, 2:54 PM

Post #7 of 11 (2343 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Facebook

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You can "delete" friends? I got Facebook because some actual friend in the US said it was a cool way to sort of stay in touch. Then for the next couple of months I was flooded by messages about this friend's growing farm or farm animals or whatever it was.

Then because of high school Facebook kept sending me a bunch of people that went to the same high school I dropped out of but I recognized one or two that I sent a message to. That was OK, nice to know they're still alive. then I got friend requests and let one in that I thought might have known me from school but had a different maiden name, but seems she was just a friend collector. So now I have all her friends wanting to be friends too. Nice to know I can dump that one. Never had and still don't have much desire for friends.

Then I have a couple ex-pat Facebook friends from Morelia, who I like, all of them, but one is a missionary and although that friend is OK I got so much praisin' the lord going on I'm thinking about opening up the barnyard again just to keep the rollers company - an atheist can take just so much lord praisin'.

Even though my work always kept me badged for security as an "Official Photographer" for the fed govt it is too much a busman's holiday to take a photo and put it on Facebook, which really was the reason for Facebook in the first place, so I could post a photo of something here in Mexico and everyone can have it, but I lack the ambition to do so.

If it weren't for a couple people I've known and mostly ignored for the past 50 years I might go that Sepuku route Gringal suggested for my Facebook. But you bring up the merit in having the darn thing and can just post something once in a while and it's like having a personal conversation with a whole bunch of people I actually DO care something about, some of them anyway. Actually it's better just being an anonymous e-thug on a couple comment boards.

Gringal

Oct 28, 2010, 3:14 PM

Post #8 of 11 (2336 views)

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Re: [Peter] Facebook

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Little Facebooklet: My adult son is on Facebook. So is his ex-girlfriend, but they are still "friendly". So the next thing I hear is that he's "mad" at her because she's not taking care of whatever on the "farm" game.
What next? Didn't shear the sheep on time?

Now I suppose that living in an alternate reality is okay.......but I can't quite get my mind around taking care of imaginary critters on an imaginary farm along with a whole bunch of unreal farmers I've never met.

I am beginning to think I'm losing track of this century. I have a cell phone that stays off until I make a call; I giggle at the very word "twitter" and the TV is seldom activated. I've missed all the toxic political ads. I'm definitely losing it. LOL.

bournemouth

Oct 28, 2010, 4:34 PM

Post #9 of 11 (2314 views)

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