One reason to like facebook

Image representing Facebook as depicted in Cru...
facebook

Generally speaking I don’t use facebook. I have an account because some people insist on trying to contact me on it so at least I get the messages and can tell them to send me a bloody email. I have three blogs (all with contact details on), an email address, mobile number, Twitter feed, Skype address and regularly use MSN Messenger.

As such I don’t feel I need facebook. The only thing it does is open me up to more arseholes I went to school with trying to get back in touch with me. As a very general rule, if I’m not in touch with them now it’s very likely I don’t want to be.

Anyway, for those who didn’t know facebook today/yesterday (not too sure, don’t really care) allowed all of their users to nab a personalised URL for their facebook page. There was huge demand for this – in fairness it’s better to tell someone your page is at “…facebook.com/SteveJones” rather than “…facebook.com/SteveJones1234”.

After a few hours they’d registered over three million of the things. The load on the servers must have been enormous, and credit to them there was no slowdown or system failure. Needless to say, the team were all in place to monitor the temperatures, wires and servers to ensure it went well. Mashable! has a good story on this from which I’ve pinched the photo below.

As I said, I don’t give a toss about facebook, but I can at least say that someone there has taste. Can you spot why?

Launching 3 million+ "vanity URLs". Thirsty work?
Launching 3 million+ "vanity URLs". Thirsty work?
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Why I don’t need fricking facebook

facebook

I’m getting sick of this.

I do not need to get a facebook profile. I don’t have to have one to stay in contact with you, or to see your pictures, or to find out what you’re doing at the weekend. The simple fact that someone’s told me I need a facebook profile proves this. Generally they’ve told me on MSN or by email. Therefore there’s absolutely no need for me to check their facebook to find anything out as they’re capable of telling me via other methods.

Likewise, I don’t need one so people can find out where I am, what I’m doing or what my plans are for March. Because I have three ******* blogs with all that on (two active, the 1000 Mile Walk one now mothballed).

Look to the right – see the little gadget that tells you where I am? As long as I remember to update that, it’s fairly accurate. If I ever get a GPS device it’ll be linked to it. My Google Calendar has all my travel details on it – past, present and future. It’s permanently linked from my Travel Blog (see “Travel Planner” on the left).

So it’s not me who needs facebook. It’s everyone else who needs to ditch the damn thing and start exploring the rest of the internet. You’d be amazed how many pages aren’t shades of blue, and based seemingly entirely on how many “friends” you can get.

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