It was fun at first, then it made me feel insecure that I didnt have 438 friends. Now I realise my handful of mates that I go to the pub, ride with and are actually talk to face to face mean more.
I also saw my sons estranged Dad on there recently (he has only seen Joel once I think) and wanted to bomb him with expletive messages.
Has made me wonder if its worth the hassle especially when the past comes back to haunt you.
Has anyone had positve or negative experiences of Facebook? Dont even get me started on Myspace….

Now I realise my handful of mates that I go to the pub, ride with and are actually talk to face to face mean more.

Surely you knew that already though.

Of course and its weird when they start to use facbook to ask you to the pub.

I'm a member, but God knows why. Big waste of time, and if I get one more e-mail telling me I've been 'super poked' by some idiot from the HR department at work, I'll foul myself.

I have no problems with facebook. Apart from being bombarded with pointless "apps" that I've mostly blocked, I use it to communicate with those I can't physically get to anymore and to observe the other people in my life that I left behind (probably for a good reason) and feel happy that I did.

I plan rides by facebook. I plan pub visits. I comment on the news etc. Then I switch it off and forget it exists.

The temptation to trace / look for people you haven't seen for years for personal reasons is great, which can lead to problems if you can't emotionally cope with it.

I stumbled across a picture of my son whom I haven't seen for 10 years, quite a shock at the time.

The only 'friends' I have on facebook are from the cycling community. I like to keep the personal side of my life just that.

I'm a member, but God knows why. Big waste of time, and if I get one more e-mail telling me I've been 'super poked' by some idiot from the HR department at work, I'll foul myself.

Why did you add the HR department idiot as a friend?

ditto coffeeking. its also almost indispensable at uni…

I've deleted my account. While it was initially interesting and entertaining to search for old friends and I quite enjoyed the first few 'pokes'; but when people who I'd never heard of suddenly decided that they 'owned' (pwned??) me, I gave up (and none of them had Bombers, ha!). It's all just a bit puerile

It's not Facebook that's the problem it's the way that a whole load of inane idiots use it. If you want to have 568 friends and 5401 photographs documenting every minute of your past eight nights out then so be it. If you want to waste your time playing ridiculous games or keeping the whole world up-to-speed with your vacuous thoughts then so be it. That's not for me and, I guess, not for the people who've posted here so far.

But for sharing post-ride photographs it's great–it's not the only way you can do that, I know, but it does the job.

I don't see what everyone whinges about – once you have blocked the silly apps and deleted the people you should never have added, it's a great way of keeping in touch with friends – seeing their photos and sharing yours, arranging trips etc.

If you dislike it then don't use it. 😕

But for sharing post-ride photographs it's great–it's not the only way you can do that, I know, but it does the job.

I have found flickr great for this!

Sure–like I said, it's not the only way you can share photographs but…

I have found flickr great for this!

Yes, but it doesnt really offer the same social side of things, the sense of groupiness. Its just an online gallery with comments, whereas facebook allows much more discussion and tells everyone you've uploaded stuff and they're tagged in images.

freddyg – Member

I've deleted my account. While it was initially interesting and entertaining to search for old friends and I quite enjoyed the first few 'pokes'; but when people who I'd never heard of suddenly decided that they 'owned' (pwned??) me, I gave up (and none of them had Bombers, ha!). It's all just a bit puerile

You have to have install/enabled the "Owned" app yourself, so are just as guilty.

It a total waste of bandwidth – IHMO of course 😉

But I'm 50 so WTF do I know about having virtual friends? 🙂

Bravo Grumm 😀

Yes, but it doesnt really offer the same social side of things, the sense of groupiness. Its just an online gallery with comments, whereas facebook allows much more discussion and tells everyone you've uploaded stuff and they're tagged in images.

Your right of course great for mtb group ride stuff.
My grandparents/family like using flickr to see picks of the kids etc as they cant/wont use facebook. I would love to see my Nans status updates though that would be great!

I agree with Grumm.

I no longer live in the UK so it's a great way of keeping touch with friends and family.

An old friend I hadn't seen in years got in touch via FB a few weeks back and then came to visit for the weekend and we got smashed and had an absolute blast!

Just block the apps and it's all good.

I would love to see my Nans status updates though that would be great!

http://www.straightfrommybrain.com/pages/right/pensionbook.html

Once you get over the fact that it's a big marketing scam, and they claim to own everything you post on it, it's quite a useful site, as it combines the functions of lots of other ones. I was a bit miffed when I used it to organise a party and my house wasn't trashed by several hundred exciteable teenagers, but hey ho…

Coffeeking I fear you have missed most of Flickrs interactivity. If you want notifications of others new photos view your contacts photos page.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friends/

If you want groups, then try the singletrack group for likeminded STWers.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/singletrackworld/

Tagging isn't there yet, but notes are and you can add people this way if you wish to link, but admittedly it's not quite the same.

I love it thats brilliant, exactly what I imagined, 🙂

Surfr – I know they're there, they're just not executed as well and it's not aimed at communication, it's aimed at photography.

good explanation of facebook here

Coffeking:

You have to have install/enabled the "Owned" app yourself, so are just as guilty.

Actually, I think it was the superwall or some-such. We didn't specifically (or knowingly) install the "Owned" app. By the way – this also happened to MrsG and to three of her friends too – all unknowingly. Mind you, they (we) are all in our 40's so maybe this newfangled technology speak has passed us by 😆

Have to agree with this post really, it was fun at first but now utterly boring. Winds me up too when people tag you on pictures without asking… weddings etc. Have been considering deleting my account, though does anyone know what happens to all your stuff (pics, tags etc)?

Facebook's been great for getting back in touch with peeps I haven't seen since school,(1987ish) and other old friends I lost touch with.

I can't be doing with the stupid applications or posting what I'm up to every 2 seconds, but as a way of contacting friends it's well worth being on there.

freddyg – I think you may have been socially-engineered in like I did, I can't remember the mechanism that app used to catch people, but it can only ever send invites unless you make the mistake of clicking through.

TNH – why does it bother you when people tag you? Genuinely curious. Presumably you were at the event, and are not embarrassed by your dress/actions/presence there?

But I'm 50 so WTF do I know about having virtual friends?

Oi! less of the ageism!

I use it most days to have a quick chat with someone or look at their new photos, so it's useful so long as you remember not to be needlessly indiscreet. I don't really see it as an issue, just don't use it if you don't like it!

it's like asking whether a horse is good. yes if you're galloping across a beach, no if its stamping on your head

its whatever you make of it.

i have proper friends all over the world who I have met and know personally and its a handy way of staying in touch.

i use it a lot for business also. most of the applications are in my view utter shite, but if someone wants to know what kind of alien they are, let them do it.

sad socially inept tossers will be sad socially inept tossers whether they're in the pub or online.

I had a cull of friends recently, getting rid of anyone I didn't like or didn't know and there were only 5 i killed.

Winds me up too when people tag you on pictures without asking

since when was permission required ?

Why does everyone pull a stupid facebook-esque facial expression on their profile picture which bears no relation to their real appearance.

**** pouting pricks the lot of'em 😛

What's a facebook-esque facial expression?!

sad socially inept tossers will be sad socially inept tossers whether they're in the pub or online.

That really hurt my feelings 😥

Why does everyone pull a stupid facebook-esque facial expression on their profile picture

maybe you should move along to the accountants section of linkedin then?

What's a facebook-esque facial expression?!

Face at 45 degree angle, looking slightly up into the air, pouting their lips.

I'll have to try this facebook esque expression, it might remove my double chin and make my eyes look wider… 🙂

I just think it's polite to ask first before you get tagged, that's all. Plus, I don't like the concept of a 'free for all' on your image…

I'll have to try this facebook esque expression, it might remove my double chin and make my eyes look wider…

Only until people meet you in person at which point they'll be really disappointed, I speak from bitter experience after my Thai bride landed at Heathrow. 😡

I just think it's polite to ask first before you get tagged, that's all.

life is too short…

Plus, I don't like the concept of a 'free for all' on your image

that's up to the photographer

I just think it's polite to ask first before you get tagged, that's all. Plus, I don't like the concept of a 'free for all' on your image…

Why? Tagging is just saying you're in the photo. Everyone who sees it and knows you knows that already, it just alerts you to it and quickly identifies you to others who dont know you so well that that is your name?

Free for all on your images, you mean people stealing it? Or people being able to get photos of you without asking?

Do you also get upset about CCTV?