Facebook?

I use it we as a family find it useful. We share pics of the grandchild and of where we are or have been.

It's a POS software but that is not unusual?

I am quite strict on the number of "devotees"  that I allow on my profile.

It's a bit of fun and your "friends" easily see yours and their stuff without much effort. Some of the stuff that gets through can be annoying but most are easily dealt with.

In summary it's a broader and easier method of keeping in touch than e-mail, but for personal stuff then e-mail or heaven forbid a letter!   

Obviously it's up to you how long you spend on it, all you get is like e-mails a counter at the bottom of your phone display, look when you want.

It's the best way I know of avoiding interaction, on a personal basis, with my siblings. I can ignore my sister's posts and 'unfriend' my brother.

There is an interesting Naim group on FB.

It can be a good resource within a small closed group of people wanting to keep in touch and share news from remote locations, but otherwise my view is that in general it is banal, irritating and a significant element is distinctly anti-social.

I find it irksome that one is always prompted to "like" things, while the concept of "friend" is not one I recognise. Juvenile playground beaviours seem to rule.

Also annoying is when businesses use Facebook as their web presence instead of a proper website - yes, easy to do, but it is often impossible to find what I am seeking, meanwhile having to wade through a load of trash, inane comments and the world of vain selfie snappers.

And I really do wonder why people seem to feel they have to live their lives -including quite personal things - in such a public fashion, and where everything they have said, done, liked or photographed is there as a matter of permanent public record, which could be less than beneficial to the individual in the future...

You may gather that I am not a fan...

It's useful for people to show off what they've got and what they're doing. 

One mate of mine even posted a pic of his son as he was born, cord still attached which I found shocking as it's a very personal moment in my opinion. 

If I ever do comment on there it's to put someone in their place after I've had a bad day and run out of tolerance. 

It's also a useful way to let would-be burglars know you're currently away from home on holiday, with convenient pictures so they know its the right home, and just what is worth nicking inside.

Hi

I eventually shut down my Fb account, having determined that:

1. Some people inanely want to share everything including what they ate for breakfast - I dont get that.

2. Its intrusive - but I controlled it with a nice add on called FacebookPurity.

3. The thought of some smarmy git profiteering from what I posted is to be honest enough to warrant deleting everything.

4. No one really cared about the stuff I posted anyway, its a waste of time and I'd much prefer to spend such time in the Naim forum.

Innocent Bystander posted:

It's also a useful way to let would-be burglars know you're currently away from home on holiday, with convenient pictures so they know its the right home, and just what is worth nicking inside.

Exactly - I forget how many people stupidly bragged about their holidays.

The site http://pleaserobme.com raises awareness but some fools still insist on telling all.

NFG posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

It's also a useful way to let would-be burglars know you're currently away from home on holiday, with convenient pictures so they know its the right home, and just what is worth nicking inside.

Exactly - I forget how many people stupidly bragged about their holidays.

The site http://pleaserobme.com raises awareness but some fools still insist on telling all.

Yes, stupidity knows no bounds - of course no problem if you want to after you've returned, but saying when and for how long you're going, or as some people I know do posting daily updates while away saying what they're doing - and where they are. People also need to guard against their children doing that.

then there are the people posting pictures of themselves partying when off supposedly sick from work! 

there is lots of good and lots of bad on FB, try and avoid the bad, there are a number of ways to do this

I have lots of friends in other Countries so its good to see what they are up to

the Naim FB page as a growing number of members - refer to my avoid the bad on this

Not as bad as Twitter, in that not everyone can see what your doing.

I prefer to lurk and pass my infinite wisdom on to others, rather than post things myself. 

Can be very stimulating if you can friend the right people.  Many celebrities will have a FB stream that's done by a committee.  Some though still post their own stuff and reply if you have something interesting to say.

As they have always said " it's not what you know, but who you know".   FB and other such can be a facilitator for this.

Pros and cons IMO, can be very addictive, can be full of rubbish ad often offensive rubbish, but can be very good for keeping in touch with family and friends at a distance, and for following bands and suppliers etc. Some of the hifi and motorbike groups are excellent.  Use sparingly and with caution I would say

I'm an advocate - I keep in contact with loads of former work colleagues who have long retired.  But equally I don't live out every aspect of my life on it.

Regards,

Lindsay

The Strat (Fender) posted:

I'm an advocate - I keep in contact with loads of former work colleagues who have long retired.  But equally I don't live out every aspect of my life on it.

Regards,

Lindsay

That about sums it up for me.....+1

It's a cynical bit of software doing a very good job of masquerading as an inoffensive piece of software,  It's basically a very large farm and it's users are the sheep/cattle etc.  It's very open to being abused by the owner and one thing I find particularly annoying about Facebook, Twitter etc is the puritanical prudishness of the owners foisted upon the world. 

'Thou shalt not show the female nipple. Not even a bit of it. For the nipple shall corrupteth the world. Even a nipple in a work of art, a masterpiece by a great artist. That's a no-no. But see that beheading video?  That's ok that is.'

If you want to share family photo's with the family at large you could always use a Dropbox type facility or have a NAS and give them access.  It'll save you seeing what people have had for breakfast.

My daughter gave me 'an avoidance of doubt' warning not to go on Facebook, because if you do it will come back at you and 'bite you in the arse'.

I'm not on it either. Don't know what I'm missing.

I call it the "CIA bulletin board"...and the whole business model is selling as much of your information as they can gather.

I used to be on it, but when I was in my job search for the job I currently have, it occurred to me that NOTHING good can happen to your job search on FB...the best you can hope for is it will not hurt you, and companies are looking online for their applicant's social media. No telling what some "friend" might post that ends up on your page at the wrong time.

OTOH, when I had my rental house, every time the lease was up I was able to open a second FB profile with my other email, join the incoming first year pharmacy class group (with the school's permission) and market the home to my targeted customer, that being pharmacy students, who would strongly tend to make better tenants than the average low-income sort of person in that small town. Rented it for 6 years; total advertising cost: $0. As soon as it was rented each time, I would shut down that profile.

It sounds trite, but when people complain about the junk and offensive stuff they see on social media, it begs the question: who are you friends with/following?

I use Twitter mostly to keep in touch with lesser known bands/musicians so I know when they've gigging near or releasing stuff, and Facebook for friends and family (and the odd Naim crackpot ). It means I've kept in touch with people I'd have just lost.

Gary Shaw posted:

It sounds trite, but when people complain about the junk and offensive stuff they see on social media, it begs the question: who are you friends with/following?

I use Twitter mostly to keep in touch with lesser known bands/musicians so I know when they've gigging near or releasing stuff, and Facebook for friends and family (and the odd Naim crackpot ). It means I've kept in touch with people I'd have just lost.

I do not follow anyone, and I have a very small group of facebook friends, yet junk certainly - huge amounts of it - is everywhere and gets in the way if I go to any public facebook page (e.g. Businesses that use facebook instead of a website).

And though I haven't come across offensive stuff myself, I gather from those who have that it can come through "friends" of "friends" of "friends", that very wide network supposedly being a primary strength of facebook.

I only use twitter to follow local road closure news and particular local sporting event matters when they are under way.

The "offensive" stuff can be someone you know supporting a political candidate in a non-offensive manner, but if that happens to not be in synch with a hiring manager's view, it could lead to a negative impression. Plus I have seen some debates on FB that started off fine, but emotions being what they are, they can get out of hand...thankfully that NEVER happens on the forum!

And I know that once after an update, FB changed my settings such that friends of friends stuff was visible. I just found it to be more trouble than it is worth, and knowing the actual business of FB is data mining my life meant I could live without it. Obviously one cannot escape this (check out the targeted ads based on your browsing history) but I don't need to feed it.

I have one coworker who posts something every time he f@rts. I don't get it. Since I am not on I don't see it, but my coworkers tell me "Randall posts everything he does on there."

Like I said, it's the CIA bulletin board.