For me this facebook Thing started at just about the time facebook really exploded in the national consciousness. I've discovered a zillion people I know using it, many of whom I've been happy to not know where they were for 20 or more years now, so it's disconcerting to have them requesting my attention. Otherwise the hurdle I have is figuring out which apps to use and tailoring the whole mess to represent my needs, without getting sucked into a black hole of pointless conversation.
I like the way you can turn elements of your own life and that of your family and friends into a newspaper of sorts. That's power!
I've also had several incidents arise with my newfound village. One was discovering a friend that I'd been out of touch with for awhile was inspired to post an "incident" from our past that I'd rather not be known by the general public (I could still run for President someday). Another was a fellow who presumed that my complaint about a minor facebook thing meant that I was too ignorant to figure out how to fix it rather than that I simply trying to be amusing. He corrected me in a supercilious manner that I found irksome being the technowhiz that I am (although I know he was just trying to be "helpful"). Another when I posted a link to one of the 23 Things articles that questioned the motives of facebook's masters and how they are out to exploit the general public. That person simply couldn't believe that if the general public was too stupid to understand the implications of what they were doing they didn't deserve better treatment. Of course, she's smart (and libertarian to boot so I guess it's a case of Atlas shrugging). I've always studiously avoided chat rooms, forums, blog discussions, etc. so I'll have to get used to the rough and tumble world of internet discussion.
MySpace is similar and different but who in the hell has time for all of this (outside of the PCC crowd)? Maybe there will be a solution when I get to aggregators. I think there are also apps that address the problem of having so many different Web 2.0 things going (let's see, MySpace, facebook, Twitter, a blog, email at 6 different accounts, LibraryThing, Meebo, wikis--take me home, country roads!
And of course libraries can use these things but it must be done with forethought, not just to jump on board the latest rage (which is what facebook is IMHO.)
Next!
PS
I'm convinced now more than ever that it's important for us to keep up with social networks and other web tools.
PPS
I know I skipped Thing 15, I'll get back to it.
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