Tag Archive | Social network

Weekend Update: Now On Pinterest

Ok. I think I have a new addiction. I’ve heard so much about Pinterest, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I finally joined. For a while I was able to ignore the buzz. I just knew it would be something I’d love. In the end, I’d just waste a lot of time there, accomplishing nothing. Unfortunately, I was right times ten. Yep, I’m addicted.

You can follow me on Pinterest below. Enjoy!

Pinterest (Photo credit: stevegarfield)

Addicted to Pinterest (lifeinthefablane.com)
Pinterest: Delightful, Addictive, Theft (theawl.com)
Self-Control and Pinterest (transplantedandgrowing.wordpress.com)
Psychologists Pin Why Pinterest is so Addictive Design News 02.17.12 (apartmenttherapy.com)

Google+ So Far: Early Impressions

Jul21

Image representing Google as depicted in Crunc...

Image via CrunchBase

I began test-driving Google+ a little over a week ago. Thus far, I love it. It is still too early to tell if Google+ will replace Facebook for me. If I had to guess, I’d say no. It won’t replace Facebook entirely. I may simply prefer Google+ to Facebook.

My experience so far has been this: I love the simple interface and layout of Google+. Personally I find it more intuitive than Facebook. I also like that I appear to have more control over Google+. I’m not sure if that is the case. I do know that I love that the people I’ve come across on Google+ thus far seem more interested in actually interacting in meaningful ways. There appears to be much less whining.

I also love the fact that Google+ is game free so far. I know that it is inevitable that games will debut sooner rather than later. I just hope that it is easier to block invitations to games, etc. than on Facebook.

I love being an early adopter on websites! I enjoy watching new features develop and content grow. Below is a list of tutorials and information on Google+.

Using Google+ Circles

The Google+ Cheat Sheet

Everything You Need To Know About Google+

The One Google+ Feature Facebook Should Fear

Google+ Takes Aim At Facebook

Google+: 8 Quick Tips And Tricks

19 Essential Google+ Resources

iCrossing’s Google+ Watch: Early Observations (thecontentlab.icrossing.com)
Is Google Plus Causing Facebook & Twitter Usage to Decline? (readwriteweb.com)
What’s Up With This Google+? (themarketingguy.wordpress.com)
Who is Using Google+ and How Often [Stats] (searchenginewatch.com)
Google+ : How long will the Craze Last? (aisjournal.com)
Google+: A Chance for Early Adopters (ewriting.pamil-visions.com)
Social Media Top 5: Dammit, I’m Writing About Google Plus (doughaslam.com)
Valeria Maltoni: The Only Google+ Advice for Business that Matters Right Now (socialmallard.com)
Google+ vs. Facebook: What Will Surprise You (wlte.radio.com)
Google+ May Have 10 Million Users, But They’re Not Visiting Very Often (GOOG) (businessinsider.com)

The Bibliophile’s Guide to Social Networking

Jul5

Image by virre via Flickr

Once I become engrossed in a subject I tend to come across plenty of interesting information without much effort. Below is a list of articles that discuss various aspects of social networking for avid readers, and to some extent, authors. This topic fascinates me. I tend to feel that Goodreads and LibraryThing are both useful. I’m still experimenting with both!

How To Get the Most Out of GoodReads | BlogHer
Top 5 Reasons I Prefer GoodReads to Facebook « Unputdownables
Things to Know (and Love) About LibraryThing | BlogHer

Goodreads for authors « No Spin PR

LibraryThing for Academic Libraries (katzlibrary.wordpress.com)
Writing Tidbits (russelllindsey.wordpress.com)
Choosing sides in the Social Network War (computationallythinking.wordpress.com)
The Four Stages of Social Media Adoption (avaya.com)

Democracy And The Internet: A Few Thoughts

Apr9

Image via Wikipedia

American Thinker: Internet Freedom: A Time for Choosing

American Thinker: The End of Self?

The articles above expand greatly on a subject I touched on here. I wish I knew exactly where I stand on the issues surrounding the internet. My thoughts are the following:

The internet can serve either to hinder or inspire creativity.
People are now capable of finding like-minded people across the globe, irrelevant of beliefs.
With the rise of social networking sites such as Facebook, it is easier than ever to give up personal privacy without fully realizing what just took place.

I hope that the internet remains as an open forum in which there is a free exchange of ideas. It is also my hope that the next generation realizes that there is more to life than simply being connected all the time. No one should feel as though they have to live their life online 24/7. Unfortunately, I know many people who do.

A New Direction for Myspace – Too Little, Too Late? | Ramblings of a Misguided Blonde

Does the Internet Help or Inhibit Democracy? (news.icanhascheezburger.com)

A New Direction for Myspace – Too Little, Too Late?

Apr7

On MySpace’s New Strategy

This is an old article that I put on the back burner some time ago, but I’ve thought about the issue once again. As far as I’m concerned, there is no substitute or even a serious competitor to Facebook.

In a way, it is frustrating. It would be nice to have a social network that actually respected privacy rights and encouraged creativity instead of encouraging what I like to call “group think.”

Ultimately, I believe that it remains to be seen whether Facebook encourages creativity, herd thinking, and/or both. In many ways it seems to be a moot point. I don’t see MySpace ever reclaiming its former glory. Without a serious competitor, Facebook can continue to do as it pleases. It doesn’t mean that we have to buy.

May MySpace Be A Lesson To Us (adpulp.com)
Did the Microsoft Stack Kill MySpace? (highscalability.com)
How To Delete Your Myspace Account (lockergnome.com)

Facebook Regret

Sep9

Image by jurvetson via Flickr

Stop Leaving Boneheaded Comments on Your Friends’ Walls – Mashable.com

Stop those boneheaded Facebook comments – CNN.com

I think that most people can relate to the situations outlined in the article above. It is easy to set down ground rules for Facebook participation; it is quite another to follow them when reacting to something one finds exciting on Facebook.

Words do matter. The frustrating thing about blogs, social networks, and the Internet in general is that there is no human interaction (i.e. body language) to help interpret the words. In some cases, the true meaning of messages are lost and mis-communication ensues, causing more problems. That is why I like this article in particular. It makes the attempt to explain appropriate venues for different types of messages. This is particularly important in Facebook, and frankly, many people do not appreciate the difference between messages and writing on a profile wall. Hopefully as Facebook ages, etiquette on the site will become standardized. Right now, many people simply share too much.