This is why I dont like Twitter

PointBuzz could disappear as long as the kids could still look at those damn Web cams.

Invertalon said:
I am talking for myself, not anybody else.

I wasn't talking specifically to you, just in general.

But it is funny to me that people can post on a social forum that they find Facebook (a social website) a waste of time. That's just me though.

My thought is, I am not going to "friend" dozens if not hundreds of random people to have conversations with. Or expect large amounts of people find me that will answer my questions. Forums allow you that diversity without any work.

I frequent photography forums all the time that have tens of thousands of active members. Currently on that forum, copied and pasted:

Currently Active Members: 2403 (974 members and 1429 guests)

Generally thousands are logged in all the time. If I posted to facebook a question relative to photography, I would not get anywhere... On the forum? Very quickly.

I don't see how you can honestly compare a forum (specialized forums, at that) to facebook. Extremely different tools... Sure, they are both "social", but one is for friends and stuff, the other for information and in my opinion, learning.

I am old enough to have experienced a dispersion of friends and family but I am not a fan or user of facebook. I got an account a couple of years ago when I thought my son was going to get one. I wanted to understand how it worked and have an idea of what he was doing on it. I re-connected with a lot of people from grade and high school and college and some family members. Some of whom I had not contacted in years or even decades. But after getting the basic info about them (where they lived, what they were doing, married/kids, updates on family, etc.), I found that there was a reason in pretty much all cases as to why we hadn't communicated over the years. It wasn't because we didn't have a means of communicating but that we didn't have an interest. To me, its a natural part of life that people come into and out of your life. Facebook tends to interfere with the leaving part of it (requiring formal steps to remove someone rather than just having it happen naturally over time). Facebook also treated all friends the same (at least at the time) which isn't consistent with reality. I don't share the same info with all friends. Some don't have an interest in some elements of my life and others I don't necessarily want to know certain things.

It also was clear to me that Facebook was moving to increase and broaden sharing. I want the presumption to be that I don't want things shared and will share if I decide to do that. They want the presumption to be that more and more things are shared with my jumping through hoops to limit sharing. To me, thats the wrong direction.

In the end, my son never got a Facebook account (he has no interest) and I deleted my account. A couple of friends asked what had happened to my account. I told them that what I despised about facebook won out over that which I liked about it. My daughter may get an account later this year so I may have an account again. Though my use of it would be much more limited.

I agree that facebook likely has more staying power than myspace, etc. Its got a larger user base and has become a lot more integrated in day to day life, business marketing, etc. Even if facebook disappears, I think you will see large scale social media in some form. And as time goes by, more and more people will become accustomed to sharing the facebook way.

I have never had an interest in twitter.

Invertalon said:
Currently Active Members: 2403 (974 members and 1429 guests)

Numbers are great and all but they don't mean crap. Pointbuzz says that 14,499 users have posted in the forums. Currently, as I type this, 60 are online and of those, only 10 are registered. Now I will admit this is late at night but even in the middle of the day, the amount of people reading what you are I are talking about it pretty small compared to the total of registered users, the amount that will respond is even smaller.

I don't see how you can honestly compare a forum (specialized forums, at that) to facebook. Extremely different tools…

I can compare them because the same result can be achieved with both. Facebook is not just for friends as you say, it is for much more. If you want to ask a photography question on your Wall, sure not many of your friends will respond. But ask it in a photography group (where you don't have to be friends with anyone in the group) and you will get just as many responses, if not more, in just as fast of time. Sorry but Pointbuzz on Facebook and Pointbuzz.com are not different tools rather two different ways to distribute the same thing. Id be willing to bet that your photography forum also has a Facebook group too.

I am not trying to win you over on Facebook here, my point is just that saying Facebook is a waste or asking "What is the point?" is silly to me, especially in a forum. People that think Facebook is just a bunch of people telling other people what they are doing 24/7 are just uneducated on what Facebook is.

^Exactly.

Invertalon said:
If I posted to facebook a question relative to photography, I would not get anywhere...

Your failure to comprehend how to best utilize a product doesn't make that product worthless.

99er said:

Numbers are great and all but they don't mean crap. Pointbuzz says that 14,499 users have posted in the forums. Currently, as I type this, 60 are online and of those, only 10 are registered.

That number WAS active, online, logged in members. Total members is 347,189.

Either way, people like what they like. Some people like facebook, others don't. Who cares?

Some people get defensive if they hear someone else doesn't like what they like. Not sure why they should care though. From my experience, facebook users are more likely to have an issue with that. Who cares who thinks facebook is worthless, waste of time, etc. if you find it beneficial and worthwhile? How does it impact your use of it?

GoBucks89 said:
Some people get defensive if they hear someone else doesn't like what they like.

And on Pointbuzz of all places! *gasp*

Who cares who thinks facebook is worthless, waste of time, etc. if you find it beneficial and worthwhile?

Seriously, some of you forget that you are in an online forum where people debate and discuss topics. I don't care if someone doesn't like Facebook, Twitter, Pepsi or even Cedar Point for that matter but if you are going to state something, be ready to discuss it. Sort of the point of an online discussion board, don't ya think?

I'm picky about Facebook usage. I've been pretty steady at ~350 friends for a long time, because I don't just randomly accept requests. Agreed that the utility of reconnecting with people you lost contact with isn't that useful.

I recently just removed over 100 people from my facebook and plan on removeing more.. im only going have have people on there I actually want to talk to and want to have in my life. for that facebook is a great thing!

99er said:
Seriously, some of you forget that you are in an online forum where people debate and discuss topics. I don't care if someone doesn't like Facebook, Twitter, Pepsi or even Cedar Point for that matter but if you are going to state something, be ready to discuss it. Sort of the point of an online discussion board, don't ya think?

Gee, thanks for "reminding" us that this is an online discussion forum in an ongoing discussion.

We have been having a discussion about different people's views of facebook. But what is useful, wasteful, silly, pointless, worthwhile, etc. varies from person to person. What is a useful, productive, etc. function on facebook for one person may not be useful, productive, etc. for someone else. Doesn't make either right or wrong. Just different.

Are there people who do not understand how to use facebook or don't "get it" who dislike it? Sure. But there also are people who do understand how to use it and who do get it who just don't like it or find it useful. The existence of those who like facebook shouldn't be affected by those who do not. And vice versa.

As for purging friends periodically, I found that to be therapeutic.

Well it sounded like you needed reminding after your post that I quoted. I wasn't being defensive just because someone else didn't like something I did as you say. And for the record I never stated that I liked or disliked Facebook. I just like the conversation about Facebook and why people consider it a waste of time. So if someone is going to post that, I am going to chime in. If that is something you don't care about or wish to discuss, don't bother posting.

Interesting that you responded to my post about being defensive when it wasn't directed at you. And who said I don't like talking with people who get defensive about facebook? I find it entertaining. :)

I simply stated that I wasn't being defensive since your comment was made in general. Your point?

Can an "add friend" button be installed along with the "like" button on here