General Discussion

starroute

(12,977 posts)

34. It would be nice if there was a reasonable alternative

Wed Dec 14, 2011, 02:56 AM

Dec 2011

I tried Google+ and that looked pretty good for a while, but Google started being dickish about it, and now my page there is like a ghost town.

My son is trying Diaspora -- I asked him to let me know if that was worth using, but he hasn't gotten back to me on it, so I expect it's still pretty thin.

There are a few other attempted alternatives at the moment, but none of them seems to be getting traction.

When I joined Facebook, I was getting friend requests from what seemed like everybody I've known since Kindergarten -- and that was 60 years ago -- but I managed to ignore most of them. Now I just use it to keep track of a few people plus a lot of Occupy-related pages.

The thing is that the basis idea of having a platform where you can post updates on you life for friends and family and follow public figures or causes that you're interested in is a good one. It's just the implementation -- and particularly the attempt to monetize and data-mine it -- that presents problems.

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All the Cool Kids Are Quitting Facebook [View all] Dover Dec 2011 OP

Big whoop. I created a phony FB account shift happens Dec 2011 #1

what to you plan to do with this info? Tuesday Afternoon Dec 2011 #3

Um...no. Just looking up people from high school shift happens Dec 2011 #5

I have at least 20 phony friends. ileus Dec 2011 #83

I quit Facebook before quitting Facebook was cool Tuesday Afternoon Dec 2011 #2

Facebook (and Twitter) have been very useful for the Occupy Movement Matariki Dec 2011 #4

Damn skippy! shift happens Dec 2011 #6

Do you think that OWS cares? FB and Twitter are tools to publicize actions... Luminous Animal Dec 2011 #28

Is there a ham radio equivalent of the Internet or texting? shift happens Dec 2011 #29

ha! indeed! katty Dec 2011 #78

Wouldn't a web page work as well? frazzled Dec 2011 #8

Personally speaking... Javaman Dec 2011 #47

I don't "do" anything or "have" anything on FB, but I joined so tblue37 Dec 2011 #7

That's it in a nutshell Beartracks Dec 2011 #10

That's about the only reason I use it, too. GoCubsGo Dec 2011 #49

Thank you Missy Vixen Dec 2011 #54

local places actually put up who is playing this weekend Johonny Dec 2011 #99

The coolest kids never joined in the first place cyberswede Dec 2011 #9

Agreed Harmony Blue Dec 2011 #11

We can?!?! MrCoffee Dec 2011 #110

Well, I'm a Words with Friends addict so I'm not leaving. lady lib Dec 2011 #12

I have never been, nor have I ever wished to be, what amounts to "cool" these days... ScreamingMeemie Dec 2011 #14

I do words with friends from my smartphone app... no FB account required. OneTenthofOnePercent Dec 2011 #27

You can play Words Control-Z Dec 2011 #81

I do now. Thanks! nt lady lib Dec 2011 #93

You're welcome! Control-Z Dec 2011 #96

6 games going right now. lady lib Dec 2011 #107

Umm growth is still growth.. It may simply be that the US market is saturated.. ddeclue Dec 2011 #13

I'm super cool! tabasco Dec 2011 #15

lol figures quinnox Dec 2011 #16

I will remain there until the next big thing... nt Modern_Matthew Dec 2011 #17

You know what's cool? MilesColtrane Dec 2011 #18

I never joined under my real name - but even my fake name quit Facebook a few months ago slay Dec 2011 #19

Facebook is a place for shift happens Dec 2011 #20

I should quit it liskddksil Dec 2011 #21

i joined facebook 3 years ago at the DesertFlower Dec 2011 #22

Update: Hi, everyone! shift happens Dec 2011 #23

stop! quinnox Dec 2011 #25

Update: The length of my shit was... shift happens Dec 2011 #26

Pretty Short, Actually.... The Magistrate Dec 2011 #38

I live thousands of miles away from my family clyrc Dec 2011 #24

I live on a farm and I love being able to keep up with friends Tumbulu Dec 2011 #59

how about those of us who never joined ? JI7 Dec 2011 #30

You're like the people who never went to church before Jesus raptured off all the good Christians. Bucky Dec 2011 #82

Cool by whose definition? cherokeeprogressive Dec 2011 #31

Not mine. GoCubsGo Dec 2011 #50

+ 100 nt Mojorabbit Dec 2011 #53

Just signed up libodem Dec 2011 #32

Wait...LOL...does this mean I quit Facebook before quitting Facebook was cool? Hahahaha... iris27 Dec 2011 #33

It would be nice if there was a reasonable alternative starroute Dec 2011 #34

how was google dickish about g+? Tunkamerica Dec 2011 #35

Their "real names" policy starroute Dec 2011 #87

oh yeah Tunkamerica Dec 2011 #104

Most Overrated Site on the Web DeathToTheOil Dec 2011 #36

Facebook is like any other community website..what you get out of it is what you put into it. AnOhioan Dec 2011 #37

Right on AnOhioan Americana Dec 2011 #94

New Facebook app judges which of your friends to dump dipsydoodle Dec 2011 #39

I never bothered signing on. Ship of Fools Dec 2011 #40

tagging for 16 yr old son. i dont let kids do facebook seabeyond Dec 2011 #41

I signed up to see pics that my son puts up there, BUT SoCalDem Dec 2011 #51

facebook barbtries Dec 2011 #42

I quit Facebook and am all the better for it. Marrah_G Dec 2011 #43

Does that mean you somehow became worse when you joined? tranche Dec 2011 #60

This message was self-deleted by its author tranche Dec 2011 #61

The drama in my life increased Marrah_G Dec 2011 #108

well, i do what i want whether it's "cool" or not... Scout Dec 2011 #44

With "innovation" like Facebook, no wonder this country is losing so much ground. Romulox Dec 2011 #45

how is it a waste of time? reggie the dog Dec 2011 #88

That sounds like anything but a waste. That's not how 99.999999% of people use it, though. nt Romulox Dec 2011 #109

I love FB - and one great reason to read it: George Takei's posts :) The Straight Story Dec 2011 #46

Takei is the bomb FloridaJudy Dec 2011 #97

I never joined, so I guess I'm really cool Luciferous Dec 2011 #48

Facebook is the most revolutionary mode of communication since the radio and telephone. RadiationTherapy Dec 2011 #52

I agree. sibelian Dec 2011 #73

+1 proud2BlibKansan Dec 2011 #102

Facebook isn't growing very much because most people are already on it Freddie Stubbs Dec 2011 #55

That was my thought...they've reached a huge percentage of the market. Atman Dec 2011 #70

You know what I think is cool? Hating that people make decisions based on whatever is 'cool'. redqueen Dec 2011 #56

Too many privacy concerns pokerfan Dec 2011 #57

funny - I deleted everything I have ever posted on FB yesterday Mosby Dec 2011 #58

Pstt. I'm re-joining Facebook. You know why? Because it's pretty well agreed that quitting is cool. tranche Dec 2011 #62

If all the cool kids quit, then those remaining will by default become cool. Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #63

I met a great number of previoulsy un-known family Maraya1969 Dec 2011 #64

Oh, look, and now all the DU Cool Kids will crow about how they never joined PVnRT Dec 2011 #65

Facebook's Primary Functionality Was Already In Existence Yavin4 Dec 2011 #66

I've never been a cool Kid WolverineDG Dec 2011 #67

A stealth user bikebloke Dec 2011 #68

All the cool kids never got on Facebook in the first place. nt msanthrope Dec 2011 #69

I really seriously hate how every page on the Internet now Initech Dec 2011 #71

Yup! Plucketeer Dec 2011 #77

I think Facebook overkill is what's causing people to leave. Initech Dec 2011 #80

The problem with FaceBook is people who are only semi-friends DaveJ Dec 2011 #72

I'm not quitting Facebook, but I don't really use it in the same way that most people do I guess. iscooterliberally Dec 2011 #74

That IS cool marzipanni Dec 2011 #91

Your post IS cool! iscooterliberally Dec 2011 #92

DU3 Smilies link here - some fun new ones marzipanni Dec 2011 #106

If you have trouble dealing with your friends and family on facebook... bluedigger Dec 2011 #75

Facebook and Google, the largest spam advertisers and personal info sellers in the world... onehandle Dec 2011 #76

i am trying tumblr.com katty Dec 2011 #79

So are they going to Google Plus? Bucky Dec 2011 #84

I'm a geo bachelor tinymontgomery Dec 2011 #85

Well, I guess there's one demographic who will be using two soup cans and a string... LanternWaste Dec 2011 #86

I quit facebook after a month Eliminator Dec 2011 #89

all the cool folk never fell for Facebook Skittles Dec 2011 #90

This just in! Wait Wut Dec 2011 #95

DU is my facebook. ZombieHorde Dec 2011 #98

Is it even possible for facebook to shrink? JoeyT Dec 2011 #100

I like Facebook and will continue to use it. Sherman A1 Dec 2011 #101

The release of Skyrim has all but eliminated my Facebooking. MrSlayer Dec 2011 #103

Facebook is a handy tool. Swede Dec 2011 #105