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For a while there, Gardner Dozois was hot to get me to join Facebook. "I don't really know much about Facebook," I said. "What good does posting on it do?"
"No good at all," he replied cheerily.
"Well, what kind of stuff do people post on it?"
"Mostly, what they had for breakfast."
"You make it sound awfully tempting," I told him. "But I think I'll give it a pass."
Above: My breakfast. Slices of heirloom tomato drizzled with olive oil and a touch of balsamic vinegar, then sprinkled with chopped basil and a pinch of salt. Cream cheese may well have been involved. Sometimes summer can be very good indeed.
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There's quite a good analogy between Facebook and Microsoft Windows (a thought which must give the owners of Facebook considerable pleasure). Its chief virtue is the fact that a great many people use it, and there are advantages to using the same platform that a great many other people use.
ReplyDeleteConsidered for its qualities apart from popularity, it's not very good: often buggy and annoying.
[Rev. 1. Gack, nothing like posting to a good writer's blog to make one terribly conscious of one's own writing ... [grin])
ReplyDeleteIt's known as GIGO. If you only "befriend" those who toss in garbage, then indeed Facebook becomes a garbage bin.
Think of it, instead, as more like a social gathering, with the status updates and shared links as conversation starters via the comments your friends (real or FB) add. Part of the fun is seeing your various circles of friends / acquaintances / colleagues begin to interact and, sometimes, "befriend" each other. One meets some very interesting people along the way, and gets to know one's acquaintances and colleagues better.
It's also a good way to keep in touch with far-aways, or for that matter some of one's favourite authors. Except, of course, for Michael John Swanwick, who'd rather share photos of than updates about his breakfast. ;->
Mario
You could ask John Shirley about how he uses Facebook; he has a strong online presence there.
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