Comments on: Friend me, don’t spam me: Facebook & LinkedIn don’t excuse junk

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:21:54 +0000

Stephen, all very good points. I still think there’s value in facebook, but it doesn’t pass the “do one thing, do it well, and get out of my way test.” Upcoming is much better at that. Thanks again for the discussion!

By: @Stephen

@Stephen — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:06:03 +0000

It’s not about how many people are creating events. It’s about how I can create an event and manage a guest-list without exposing those that I invite to the insipid pokes, invites, and other garbage that is filling up the servers at Facebook.

If you sign up for Upcoming, you don’t get bothersome emails about anything but the events you are registered for (useful info) or other useful info from others that YOU have invited to contact you.

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Fri, 16 May 2008 14:53:32 +0000

Meryl, I totally hear you. For better or worse I turned off my Facebook wall and blocked the FunWall–it means less interaction, perhaps, but if people really want to reach me there are SOO many other means.

Communicatrix, hmm…I see so much Facebook hate. I think Facebook itself is great, but where people are taking it or how they’re using it, not so much. Maybe I’ll have to write a post, “Why I don’t hate Facebook” or something. But I hear you, it’s often just a timesuck without much reward, just another input to check. Yeah, we’ll have to chat about growing up with a chef in the family ;-). Not a bad thing, really!

Stephen, yes, you’re adding fuel to the same flame as Communicatrix–whether or not Facebook really is helpful. I agree that Upcoming is a very focused App that Yahoo has yet to ruin…but one could argue that there are more people creating events on FB than Upcoming in many niches. Again, maybe I’ll have to take this thing head on…

By: @Stephen

@Stephen — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:43:28 +0000

I have to agree with you on this. I thought that Facebook might be a little more fun or useful, but it is just a productivity sink.
I hardly go on any more and generally ignore all of the requests for “who’s the coolest left-hander” and so on. It has become something awful, when it should have been a little more like Yahoo’s Upcoming. Now that is a pretty cool app. It came in very handy for SOBCon, and clued me in to things that I would have missed otherwise.

By: communicatrix

communicatrix — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:25:45 +0000

Two things:

1. Facebook. Sigh… (I’ll leave you to decode that one, but as you’re a sharp laddie, I trust you’ll make quick work of it.)

2. Your grandma is a PASTRY CHEF!?! Dude. Beyond awesome…

By: Meryl K. Evans

Meryl K. Evans — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:20:22 +0000

Several people go nuts on Facebook and add FunWall posts several times a day, but you don’t want to “disconnect” or tell them to cut it out — just one of those things. Well, at least, for us spineless folk.

By: Jared Goralnick

Jared Goralnick — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:07:28 +0000

I’m more of a fan of blocking applications than individual people or all applications…but you’re right that it’s a step in the right direction. Thanks for the thoughts, Chris : )

By: Chris Akelian

Chris Akelian — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:29:33 +0000

I’m totally with you on this one. Fortunately Facebook added a “feature” today that gives you “opt-out capabilities for applications and by sender.”

But I think you have to receive one first in order to be able to opt out of it.