Facebook is not a rolodex to me
OK, it is, but not primarily.
Over the weekend Scoble wrote another post explaining why the 5,000 friends limit is ridiculous, and I happen to agree with him. More relevantly, he also says:
“Damn I wish I hadn’t locked my Rolodex in this trunk.”
Rolodex?
I realize that the fundamental purpose behind Facebook is to connect with people, but I’ve primarily used Facebook as a content filter. While I was on Facebook “way back when,” before there were newsfeeds and profiles for people outside of college, I never thought there was that much to do on Facebook. I only really got pulled in after The Feed.
Before then, there wasn’t a whole lot to draw me back on a daily basis. Mostly because my friends were my friends, and I saw them most days anyway. It was a place for pictures and looking up whoever it was that your friend accidentally hooked up with last night.
Now I use it mostly to see what my friends and contacts are reading and sharing and posting. All in one place.
I never thought of it replacing my Address Book. Is that what people are using it for?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Man, you and I are like the exact opposite! I hate to sound like an old timmer, but there certainly was plenty to do “way back when” before the News Feed came out last year. Facebook might be a social setting for friends and contacts for some people, but you can’t forget about all the other people like myself who use it ONLY for keeping in touch with Real Life friends who are spread out across the world.
In fact, take this from Scoble’s post: “First, a “friend” in Facebook is NOT a “real friend.” (Let’s define “real friend” for now as someone who you’d invite over to your house for dinner). In social networking software a “friend” is someone you want in your social network. Period. Nothing more. ”
I couldn’t be on the further end of the spectrum and I have to bluntly say, almost 99% of my friends are down here with me. Many people use that exact scenario above in the opposite style. So if somebody adds me as a friend and I don’t know who the heck they are, they get rejected. If I can’t see having them over for a beer or hanging out with them, then they don’t get to be my friend.
@Goob I think part of the charm of Facebook must be its versatility.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with either of our approaches. I just find it interesting that people approach it from such different angles
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