Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 2009
to Ning or not to Ning
I didn't really know much about Ning until today. In fact, I only even knew it existed because someone mentioned the SCILS Ning on the wiki or Twitter or somewhere.
After poking around a little and watching LT's very informative screencast, I see that its major attraction to users is that each individual Ning is more exclusive than Facebook or MySpace so users feel more secure using it in terms of privacy (whether they are or not, I'm not sure). It also seems that some people who resist using Facebook or MySpace are more compelled to use a Ning because of its specific purpose. Rather than just signing up and seeing who you see, you join a specific group with a particular end in mind, to learn more about bicycle repair or to connect with other chihuahua lovers, for example.
However, it seems to me, that with the exception of the "sense of security," Ning's aims could also be achieved with a Facebook group (although, again, we've touched on something I don't know that much about; despite belonging to several, I primarily just lurk).
After poking around a little and watching LT's very informative screencast, I see that its major attraction to users is that each individual Ning is more exclusive than Facebook or MySpace so users feel more secure using it in terms of privacy (whether they are or not, I'm not sure). It also seems that some people who resist using Facebook or MySpace are more compelled to use a Ning because of its specific purpose. Rather than just signing up and seeing who you see, you join a specific group with a particular end in mind, to learn more about bicycle repair or to connect with other chihuahua lovers, for example.
However, it seems to me, that with the exception of the "sense of security," Ning's aims could also be achieved with a Facebook group (although, again, we've touched on something I don't know that much about; despite belonging to several, I primarily just lurk).
Sticky Wicket
I think there are three big reasons that social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace are such "sticky" Web sites (or, as I like to say, such "timesucks").
The primary reason these sites take up so much time is that they are constantly changing. Another site I visit often is my hometown newspaper, but I know that it will update once a day unless something really exceptional happens, so...I check it once a day. On the other hand, something new is posted on Facebook every second. Every time you go back to the site, there will be something new to look at, you can count on it.
The second reason is the sheer number of links and information on a site like Facebook. You go online, check your profile, and the next thing you know, through a series of links you've followed through from your home page, you're looking at pictures of people you went to high school with but haven't spoken to in ten years and an hour of your life is gone. There's just so much to get sucked into.
Finally, I think people get sucked into social networking sites is the voyeuristic aspect of them. You just have to know what Jane ate for lunch or where Jim is traveling on business this week. It's kind of weird, when you think about it, how much blogs and social networking sites and the like have brought the mundane details of our lives out into the limelight and somehow people actually want to know those details.
The primary reason these sites take up so much time is that they are constantly changing. Another site I visit often is my hometown newspaper, but I know that it will update once a day unless something really exceptional happens, so...I check it once a day. On the other hand, something new is posted on Facebook every second. Every time you go back to the site, there will be something new to look at, you can count on it.
The second reason is the sheer number of links and information on a site like Facebook. You go online, check your profile, and the next thing you know, through a series of links you've followed through from your home page, you're looking at pictures of people you went to high school with but haven't spoken to in ten years and an hour of your life is gone. There's just so much to get sucked into.
Finally, I think people get sucked into social networking sites is the voyeuristic aspect of them. You just have to know what Jane ate for lunch or where Jim is traveling on business this week. It's kind of weird, when you think about it, how much blogs and social networking sites and the like have brought the mundane details of our lives out into the limelight and somehow people actually want to know those details.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Introductions via Bookmarks
I think using Delicious bookmarks as a means of introducing ourselves to classmates and colleagues is a really fun and creative idea. In just the few moments it took me to scan through the bookmarks we've accumulated as a class thus far, I was able to see that I share the following non-academic interests with some of my classmates: Etsy, fantasy football, vegetarian cooking, celebrity gossip, and the Smitten Kitchen blog. Now I know that I may find other sites of interest to me by looking at the Delicious pages of those folks. I also liked having the opportunity to share some of my favorites!
It was challenging for me to think of myself in terms of the Web sites I look at, even though I spend hours a day on the Web and references to things like xkcd or Cute Overload occur regularly in my real-world conversations. And, as with any social software, I really thought through each choice and what it would "say" about me beyond "I like sports." On Facebook and other networking sites, I always refrain from listing favorite books, movies, music, etc. because I know people form opinions based on those things that are very limiting. If I post, for example, that my favorite musician is Yo Yo Ma, people will form a very different opinion of me than if I post that my favorite musician is Justin Timberlake. Does everyone think I'm a total geek now that I linked to Whedonesque?
How we present ourselves is, of course, not a concern that is limited to the virtual world, but it seems like a much larger challenge because so much of the information on social networking sites is not couched in any kind of context. When you make a list of favorites, people make their own assumptions, whereas when your favorites come up in the course of real-life face-to-face conversations an explanation is attached. You can relate a funny story or sentimental memory or something else that gives actual insight into your character more so than the simple fact that you like a certain movie. Facebook can make people seem very one-dimensional.
It was challenging for me to think of myself in terms of the Web sites I look at, even though I spend hours a day on the Web and references to things like xkcd or Cute Overload occur regularly in my real-world conversations. And, as with any social software, I really thought through each choice and what it would "say" about me beyond "I like sports." On Facebook and other networking sites, I always refrain from listing favorite books, movies, music, etc. because I know people form opinions based on those things that are very limiting. If I post, for example, that my favorite musician is Yo Yo Ma, people will form a very different opinion of me than if I post that my favorite musician is Justin Timberlake. Does everyone think I'm a total geek now that I linked to Whedonesque?
How we present ourselves is, of course, not a concern that is limited to the virtual world, but it seems like a much larger challenge because so much of the information on social networking sites is not couched in any kind of context. When you make a list of favorites, people make their own assumptions, whereas when your favorites come up in the course of real-life face-to-face conversations an explanation is attached. You can relate a funny story or sentimental memory or something else that gives actual insight into your character more so than the simple fact that you like a certain movie. Facebook can make people seem very one-dimensional.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Thing 11: Facebook
Here are the links to my profile and note, per the instructions for the "discovery exercise." Hopefully, you won't actually be able to see anything since I have my privacy settings set to allow only my "friends" to see any of my info.
My note.
My profile.
I have yet to utilize Facebook to represent my library, but that's not to say I haven't utilized it professionally. I am a member of the following library/school-related groups: University of Texas iSchool; American Library Association Student Chapters; Librarians and Facebook; Libraries and Librarians; and American Library Association Members. Admittedly, I don't utilized Facebook to the extent I could and I don't check up on these groups too often, but I do get useful notifications from ALA from time to time.
My note.
My profile.
I have yet to utilize Facebook to represent my library, but that's not to say I haven't utilized it professionally. I am a member of the following library/school-related groups: University of Texas iSchool; American Library Association Student Chapters; Librarians and Facebook; Libraries and Librarians; and American Library Association Members. Admittedly, I don't utilized Facebook to the extent I could and I don't check up on these groups too often, but I do get useful notifications from ALA from time to time.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Thing 10: Don't Shoot the Messenger
In college, I was signed on to AIM 24 hours a day. Literally. (And yes, I do mean literally. It drives me crazy when people say "literally" when they really mean "figuratively.") It was my main method of communication, even when talking to my roommate who's computer was just on the other side of the wall from mine!
I haven't really used it much since then. Occasionally someone will instant message me through Facebook or Google chat, but I don't really like either of those as well as I liked AIM. These days, I generally prefer other forms of communication to instant messaging. That's not to say it doesn't have its uses. I have been using AIM much more often since I got engaged to chat with my maid of honor and my mom so that I can send them pictures and links while we talk. There's definitely an advantage to the multimedia capabilities of chat that you can't capture over the phone. There's also the advantage that you can hold several conversations at once. Still, for me, these advantages rarely outweigh the disadvantage of having to be tied to the computer.
Despite my preference for other forms of communication in my personal life, I think that online chat can be really useful in a library setting, not only by adding another means of connecting with our patrons through chat reference, but also by enhancing our ability to communicate and collaborate with other librarians. ALA or TLA committee members can "meet" in chat rooms or librarians can use internal chat services to communicate with staff at other branches, for example.
I haven't really used it much since then. Occasionally someone will instant message me through Facebook or Google chat, but I don't really like either of those as well as I liked AIM. These days, I generally prefer other forms of communication to instant messaging. That's not to say it doesn't have its uses. I have been using AIM much more often since I got engaged to chat with my maid of honor and my mom so that I can send them pictures and links while we talk. There's definitely an advantage to the multimedia capabilities of chat that you can't capture over the phone. There's also the advantage that you can hold several conversations at once. Still, for me, these advantages rarely outweigh the disadvantage of having to be tied to the computer.
Despite my preference for other forms of communication in my personal life, I think that online chat can be really useful in a library setting, not only by adding another means of connecting with our patrons through chat reference, but also by enhancing our ability to communicate and collaborate with other librarians. ALA or TLA committee members can "meet" in chat rooms or librarians can use internal chat services to communicate with staff at other branches, for example.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thing 5: Flickr
Here's a photo I found on Flickr when I searched "Pflugerville." (from: http://flickr.com/photos/txkimmers/3157796/) The whole "love written in grass" thing is a little contrived for me, but I like the style of the photograph and I love the bright orange flip-flops near the bright green grass on the concrete gray background.I took a couple of pictures of the Pflugerville Community Library, but opted not to sign up for Flickr after all. I already share photos through Shutterfly (for sharing with family because it's what some of them were already using); Kodak (for sharing with friends for the same reason); and Facebook. I'm also wary of signing up for anything else online. Just for the heck of it, I recently made a list of all of the online tools I use and my username for each one (don't worry--I shredded it!). There were around 60 things and just while typing this paragraph I've thought of two more I forgot! I've got an Amazon account, a Facebook page, three e-mail addresses, a LiveJournal, etc. and so on and so forth. It's becoming unmanageable and I am a bit concerned about security.
Extra Credit: Compare Picasa and Flickr
Picasa and Flickr seem to have a lot of the same features: photo editing, sharing, organizing functions, etc. Flickr seems more user friendly and yet, if I were to use either, it would probably be Picasa because I already have a Google account and I wouldn't have to add anything to my list of usernames!
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