Once again, for the PRO techs here.....

[jrfrond]

I HIGHLY suggest you join this Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2856...6034214119485/

If you don't belong to Facebook, it's well worth joining. After all, it's free, and this group is building up members fairly quickly. It has become a good knowledge resource, and a general place to exchange stories and bitch with fellow techs.

[Enzo]

It sounds appealing John. But...

I myself have avoided facebook. Just my opinion of course, but it seem like the whole point of facebook is to insinuate itself into your life to try to get face time for adverts. I tried to look up my niece once, and before I was done it was already recommending other people I should check out, and generally trying to interest me in various stuff.

And as soon as someone knows you are on the facebook, then we get into that whole friending thing. MY sister is livid that her daughter wouldn't friend her on facebook. people feel snubbed for the smallest of reasons these days, it seems.

My computer doesn;t have sound. I leave it that way so I will not be tempted to waste hours and hours gawking at stupid You Tube crap. I am just fearful I will be getting even more email spam than I do now.


And every time I forget and someone tells me to check out so and so on facebook, I get there to find I have to join just to see their picture. Personal rule, any time I go check out something someone suggests, if it requires signing up for anything, I don't proceed.


Yes, I am a crusty old fart. I don't even use emoticons.

[km6xz]

I am with Enzo on this one, actually many things...
Facebook is such an intrusion on ones privacy. My own daughter refuses to use email and insists that all her friends and family communicate by Facebook. I sent a message to her that way about a distant relative who passed away. Suddenly, within minutes, my email and pop-ups started with ads about funeral homes, caskets and life insurance. I won't post on walls or any of that so.... She is looking for a job and if she applied with employer who checked out her facebook account they would not hire her, or likely anyone who lives on social networks. They think what people read or see does not form a lasting negative opinion....
I was hoping Google + offers some competition, one reason is they designed it with more privacy(which is a strange concept for Google). Every site I go on asks me to log into my Facebook account to communicate with the site...sorry, those sites just got deleted from my bookmarks.
Stan

[big_teee]

I'm not a pro and I wouldn't bother you guys anyway, but Ditto the above.
Like Enzo Said, anything I have to sign up for and give My real Info, I avoid.
I do a couple of forums, and do some email a Little IMing, and that's enough for me.
My Kids can't go anywhere without being enslaved to there devices.
I ask them to turn them off and talk, while they are here!
B_T

[cminor9]

It sounds appealing John. But...

I myself have avoided facebook. Just my opinion of course, but it seem like the whole point of facebook is to insinuate itself into your life to try to get face time for adverts. I tried to look up my niece once, and before I was done it was already recommending other people I should check out, and generally trying to interest me in various stuff.

And as soon as someone knows you are on the facebook, then we get into that whole friending thing. MY sister is livid that her daughter wouldn't friend her on facebook. people feel snubbed for the smallest of reasons these days, it seems.

My computer doesn;t have sound. I leave it that way so I will not be tempted to waste hours and hours gawking at stupid You Tube crap. I am just fearful I will be getting even more email spam than I do now.


And every time I forget and someone tells me to check out so and so on facebook, I get there to find I have to join just to see their picture. Personal rule, any time I go check out something someone suggests, if it requires signing up for anything, I don't proceed.


Yes, I am a crusty old fart. I don't even use emoticons.

Andy Rooney, is that you?

[cminor9]

I was hoping Google + offers some competition, one reason is they designed it with more privacy(which is a strange concept for Google).

Oh, just wait. They're just trying to get members by playin it cool.

[Enzo]

MY wife says, "Oh god, I married Andy Rooney," more often than I'd like.


Dumb broad...

[J M Fahey]

Thanks John for the suggestion.
I "enrolled" and so far looks good.
I have as big privacy concerns over Facebook as anybody else, but I apply: "they´ll know only what I tell them"
My personal approach was:
1) NO personal info. Period.
No Family info (who are *they* to know or care about that?) No Pet/holidays/birthdays/old school/Family pictures.
2) I originally got into Facebook about 1 year ago, only to make it easy for *clients* to find me.
The only image I posted is my Logotype, just 5 letters in glorious black and white, exactly as silkscreened on speakers and heads. Ok, someday I might add my picture. Still not sure about it.
Also Shop Telephone and Mail.
After the initial "hi" at Facebook, I encourage everybody to go on with any further contact through the posted E-Mail.
3) no joining any of their silly Games/"applications"/whatever.
4) can it work under such limited conditions?
You bet ! I´ve been working on this for over 40 years and have had thousands of clients, it´s *incredible* how many old clients (I´m talking hundreds here) with which I lost contact 10, 20 or more years ago now "find" me, ask for news or quotations or even ... this is sort of embarrassing .... want to buy something for their kids ..... or grandkids..... Oh well, time goes on, the calendar loses a sheet every day, no matter what.
5) my "friends" list looks like the "Who´s Who" of Argentine Rock Stars (OK, many of them *former* Rock Stars).
That sure helps when kids (the fresh blood which keeps our business running) see it.
They come to the Shop and ask, wide eyed : "did XXXX REALLY come here?"
They almost faint when I answer "yea, so what's the big deal?, he sat just on that very same old chair you are sitting on now, he´s just a regular guy exactly like you and me".
Oh well.

So, in a nutshell, I think Facebook *can* be a useful tool, if strictly controlled.
The potential for disaster is still there, becoming a botomless pit where many useful and productive hours can be lost.