eternally unconvinced

[infohigh]

I have come to the conclusion that I absolutely despise facebook, as a company, and am permanently quitting. In as soon as a week, I suppose. I also despise LiveJournal and am quitting that too. The reason for the delay is so that I can get a blog and such nicely rolling on my own domain/host

Comments

[g4c9z]

By the way, did you know you can block the Facebook ads? You still have a valid argument against it, of course, in boycotting it so that it will die, but it doesn't bother me nearly as much without ads.

Perhaps the problem is largely the way people tend to use Facebook, rather than the technology itself? It seems there's some utility to social networking, though perhaps nothing beyond personal RSS-enabled websites, but I'm not sure.

[infohigh]

Yes, of course I'm aware of ad-blocking software, proxies, etc. and have been experimenting. With facebook especially, however, I'm not just bothered by the way they're advertising to me, but simply the way that they're advertising. (Through manipulation and deception, IMO.) I would like to see their business model die in a fire. And by using facebook, I'm encouraging everyone else to do so, which makes me very sad; because I consider it (a weak form of) exploitation.

The problem isn't just with the way people use facebook. That they're using it means that the company has a monopoly over that information; heck, that's the purpose, as far as they're concerned. And they'll use whatever means they can to translate that into cash, and this includes what I consider unethical use of that data

[g4c9z]

Good points.

So, how should I find and stay in contact with local people and events in a non-real-time fashion?

[infohigh]

I use email, but there are lots of ways. I agree, it would be nice/useful to have more protocols and such for this. I know there has been discussion about developing open standards for social networking stuff, perhaps Google has been involved with that, but I don't know much about it.

[g4c9z]

Email, or mailing lists, are usually the best way to communicate with people who have known connections and are quite sure that what they're communicating is important. But if you want to publish local information without knowing who cares about it, or find out about local information from people who haven't thought of you specifically, then it doesn't suffice.

There's probably something better than Facebook for that, but until I find out what it is, I think I'll use it for that purpose.

[infohigh]

If you want to publish local information, I don't suggest you use a website that's locked from the general public. I'm all for the emergence of open local-interest-group sites etc. This is the internet, after all.

[g4c9z]

But the way, I thought you're a pragmatist? You're arguing just like an idealist.

[infohigh]

I certainly do have ideals :P I may or may not be an idealist. Or a pragmatist. I'm not sure I'm exactly clear on the differences, or what alternatives might exist (is it really a one-dimensional line?), or how much it depends on issue. Hmmm.