Ohmigod!!!

[ellen_datlow]

I've joined Facebook. I have no idea what I've done or even how it works. Maybe when I have more time I can explore.

Comments

[kaolinfire.livejournal.com]

Well, it's not as bad as MySpace. That's about all I can say for it ;) I suppose also I've found a different crowd of my friends over there that hang out on the facebook chat application (versus general IM, though they may be there as well and I just don't know).

Good... luck?

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

LOL.
Thanks. I've found you can email back and forth-there's a chat option? That could be nice....although I disabled my old chat apps that would annoy me all the time with friends trying to get my attention. Ugh.

[ebenstone.livejournal.com]

OOh, join my group...its in my blog!

[charlesatan.livejournal.com]

The Internet overlords welcome you into their fold.

(I've managed to resist... so far.)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I envy you your strength.
I received an invitation from someone I know out of the blue this afternoon and pffft couldn't help myself.

[sacredchao23.livejournal.com]

There but for the grace of God go I.

I mean, have fun!

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

gee. thanks. (sniff)

[esmeraldus-neo.livejournal.com]

Actually, it's turned out to be where a lot of colleagues keep in touch, ICFA people among them.

Just don't add any of the time-sucking applications, for the love of all that's holy.

[astein142.livejournal.com]

"Join Facebook!" my sister said. "The cousins are there. It will be fun!" she said.... and then it spiraled out of control.....

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

So did you cancel your account or do you just ignore everyone ?

[brigidsblest.livejournal.com]

*gets out of the way of the tidal wave of friend invitations you're going to get, and then...sends you a friend invitation*

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

;-)

[cathellisen.livejournal.com]

I've found it a useful way to get in contact with friends in my old city. I'm not all into the promotional aspect of things like myspace and facebook so take that fwiw.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'd use it for promoting my books but more for fun--if I use it at all.

[lonesome-crow.livejournal.com]

Just ignore all the silly applications people will send you. The one I do use is Scrabble. Other than that, I use Facebook to catch up with friends.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I already get enough passed on stuff through email... I certainly don't need more from facebook...thanks for the tip. ;-)

[flinthart.livejournal.com]

Lots and lots of ignoring is the key, Ellen. I'm on Facebook - but somewhere on my home page is the note that I'm there under sufferance and I hardly ever use the thing.

I admit it's been helpful in tracking down a couple folk I'd temporarily misplaced. But by and large, it's a very counter-constructive timesink. At least, as near as I can see.

Maybe if I had something better than 128k bandwidth it might be more useful.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the feedback, Dirk. I'll see how it goes.

[martinlivings.livejournal.com]

Facebook. Two functions for me.

1 - stay in touch with folks
2 - play Countdown.

:)

Facebook

[guidoeekhaut.livejournal.com]

Did so too, early last weekend, and managed to collect some 25 friends already. There's an awful number of interesting people out there, but I'm still figuring out how to navigate around.

[kaiweilau.livejournal.com]

Facebook is a huge evil time sucker. It's like joining the borg. Once it's touched your life, it sucks you in.

[chalkhorse.livejournal.com]

I agree, ignore the applications and constant invites to "join" things--you'll find yourself inundated with stuff related to vampires, werewolves, witches, preserving acres of rainforest, etc. (well, you might actually like all those things). They can be time-wasters.

That said, it is far easier to use than Facebook and not a bad way to stay in touch with friends--you can glance at their updates and know al is well with them (or not). If you "friend" certain bands or other performers or venues you like, I find it's a good way to stay on top of their touring schedules or performances of interest, etc

Okay, now I am gonna friend you in exchange for all my wonderful free advice, ha ha!

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Uh oh.....;-)

good luck and, er, good-bye.... ;-)

[lagilman]

I've looked in once or twice, then remembered what a timesink LJ already is, and that I have a blog and a website that need updating too, and now hat my flickr blog is pro (yeah, I gave in) I have to update that more often, and then there are these deadliney things...

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

None of the rest of us know how it works either....

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

That's comforting.

[ericmarin.livejournal.com]

I found Facebook to be more trouble than it was worth. Hopefully, you'll get some use and enjoyment out of it. :-)

[splinister.livejournal.com]

Strangely, I've found Facebook to be the better of most of the social network sites - probably because there's just the right mix of people on it for me.

You'll get the hang of it.

The internal email system has actually come in useful several times when people weren't responding to email and/or email had gone down.

I suggest you adopt a policy of blocking application requests as they arrive, so you don't have to keep refusing them. I don't bother with them, although I have a fondness for superpoke.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I've been getting invites (and confirmations) but so far no application requests. Do they come in via email and look the same?

it's quite...

[themadblonde]

the time sink. I miss a few things about it, but was always concerned about the security there. Can't say I'm too terribly sorry they kicked me off except for losing a few friends I re-found there.

Have fun, be careful w/ the aps & what info you put up.

Re: it's quite...

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

They kicked you off? What did you do? Or what did they say you did?

[albogdan.livejournal.com]

Joined Facebook earlier in the year. Found it really weird at first. Like you, I wanted to chat and hold conversations, but it's really not good for that. Once I realized it was more like text messaging at people than chatting or blogging it made more sense. Lots of single sentences. Rarely depth to what's being said unless someone includes a link. I tend to scan it on occasion just to quickly see what people are up to. I've tried the silly applications, but don't have the type of personality that gets addicted to such things, so I eventually started ignoring them most of the time.

[clockwork-zero.livejournal.com]

oh no!
its all down hill now!

I'm on facebook - but can't check it from work. Heck, I can barely check LJ from here these days. I suspect over the next few weeks to be around less.

I've found I ignore 99% of requests for "applications" - SuperPoke, what-kind-of-tree-are-you? or whatever they are. Annoying. But still I've found my best friend from highschool, which is fantastic. I've met up with people from around the world that I had lost track of. It really can be great for networking.

Look me up!

[joeicarus.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Yeah, I ignore all that stuff too. I do take the occasional quiz, though. And then I am invariably surprised by how lame they are.

[joeicarus.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

I broke down and joined it three or four weeks ago. So far it hasn't been a time sink for me. I like the chatting precisely because it's low-commitment. If I'm busy, which is usually, I ignore it until I feel like replying. It doesn't make annoying noises or otherwise demand my attention. Best of all, unlike AIM, it doesn't become "on top" when someone sends me a message. I get so annoyed of suddenly finding that I'm typing in an AIM box instead of in my MS. It's especially annoying when it happens right when I hit enter, and I end up sending something to somebody without even knowing who I'm replying to.

The best thing about Facebook is the Scrabble app. I particularly like, again, the "low-commitment" nature of it--I don't have to finish a game I start today or even anytime soon. If I'm playing with someone, I can take a turn when I have a free minute, and then forget about it until later.

<--- loves Scrabble

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

NO GAMES. ;-)