Is Facebook the problem ?
 

I have still to work out what the benefits are of facebook, but since I have used it I have had no end of laptop problems.

Some people have said that facebook IS the problem, and at the office all staff are banned from using facebook on works computers.

Anyone else suspect FB
?c?

:ban:FB

It's a great way to keep in touch with people you meet around the world. Email addresses become faded and memories slide..

It is essentially EVIL but it has it's uses.

The trick is not to get addicted to it while at home... It's easy to do and before you know it, you don't have a social life outside of it...

I still can't believe how many people seem to live their life on FB.. A couple of friends are currently living out the break up of their relationship online ...never nice, but publicly ?? - I don't get it! never will

It is a handy tool - I keep in touch with my brother in Cambodia through it, but as with everything there appears to be a core of folks for who it becomes everything, I really dont need to to know that a friend has just had their morning coffee or are currently shopping etc <yawn>



!

I actually found Skype more useful for keeping touch with people on the road.

Not had any problems with laptops etc.

FB is pretty bad and it does keep some people locked up indoors. Friends of mine are noe divorced because one of them seemed to be 'living through' FB taking lots of pics and posting up everything she did online! insane!

Anyway, I like it because it is easy for me to share photos from trips with friends and family and keeping intouch with those around the world, I have also set-up a page for sharing things with those outside of my immediate friends circle. I like the little chat thing as its easy to have a few words with people when they are online.

G

It's the add-on bits. Some fool you barely knew ten years ago with no life takes a break from posting pictures of himself being on FB on FB and sends you an invitation to join Warhammer-Gangster-Vampire killers. If you say yes (because you're polite in a real world sort of way and don't want to offend Mr. Saddo) it downloads bit of software that every few minutes will ping something to inform you that Dave-from-ten-years-ago just became a tenth level Jedi-General on WHGVK and wants you to buy him 12th level power stake launcher with your Demon Dollars (ie click ten times on some web page). Say yes to too many of these and your PC spends all it's time responding to daft little bits in the back ground.

I go on FB twice a year just to see if anyone I really do want to meet up with again has popped up. Apologies if you are one of goodness knows how many people FB thinks I should be friends with, but if we were really that bothered we'd be making plans to go to the pub or ride or drink coffee in the same place or something and would then talk by mail, phone or in person. I don't need to know that we worked in the same factory in 1993 and you are having fish for your tea.

Andy

I work at the IT department of a company with 500 workers and i work very very hard to try and make "users" play with facebook during the workinghours becous it is a very important tool FREE tool to make a name for yourselves.

FB, Google discussion, Yammer, Twitter etc can save the company time and money! Aslong as you guide it, monitor it and encourage users to use it in a company positive way.

On the road i use it to share pictures and let the family and friends know that im doing well.

right!

always apply common sense and the "The newspaper test":

"Front Page Of The Newspaper Test


(not 100% right because FB is collecting all data and combines and makes profiles etc... so actually you have to think about what happens if somebody collects all "newpapers" and make a analysis of all newpaper pages :oops2: )

:D

So, instead of doing their jobs, the users are encouraged to chat aimlessly with other people ?

Please let me know the name of the company you work for, I want to make sure I do not waste money on any of their overpriced (they would be cheaper if staff spent more time working) products :-)

If someone wants to make a name for their self, they need to do more than witter on about what they had for tea, or how many beers they just drank.

Tools that save time and money are productive ones, not time wasting ones. I think your IT department should be investing time and money in computer use. E.G. how to use spell checkers, either that or send everyone back to school.

Or is this some sub plot to go to the board and ask for more money to upgrade the overloaded network and internet connections?

Social networking should be banned in the workplace.

I recent decided to give Facebook a shot after years of avoiding social networking. I found it useful in keeping track of friends that you don't have to opportunity to see often.
However, I find Facebook use to be a high maintenance job. It seems you have to really tweak the settings to jet the right amount of privacy without blocking out anyone who would be trying to find you. Make sure you don't have any plugins running you don't really use. Those things seem to be able to get at your personal information and information on people you know. It sucks to find a friend you haven't seen in 10 years only to unintentionally spam him and ruin a renewed friendship...

I'll take a whack at it.
 

I'm currently on the road, and have been for 6.5 months. 3-3.5 more to go.

I've been holed up in Southern Ecuador having had a recent run-in with a drunk pedestrian.


Facebook seems to have an application for nearly everyone. It is a good tool for many people for many different reasons.

I know many people that upload whole photo albums to Facebook, with hundreds and even thousands of photos. I limit my photos to my favorite choices.

I know others that update their status regularly, and I have since UNSUBSCRIBED to that particular person.

I know people with over a thousand friends. I make it a point to do a "spring cleaning" every so often.

I know people that link to their blogs, and their ride reports, and their favorite activities. I limit most of my updates to my status where I am currently traveling, or links to my RR both here on the HUBB and over on ADV.

When I am sitting in an Internet Cafe, or on my netbook, especially the past 3 weeks, I enjoy chatting via the FaceBook chat window with my friends all over the world. At 11pm here, I can chat with my friends in Australia in the late morning, and in Taiwan in the early morning. Or with my friends in the States/Canada in the late evening. Hell, I've chatted with 4 continents at the same time.

I have since learned to use FaceBook as a directory service. I have "categorized" my friends, and can easily find them based on this. If you ride an adventure motorcyclist or are an overland traveler, you're in my Adventure Motorcycle list. If I met you while traveling, and we hit it off, you go into my Travel Companions list. If we went to High School or College/University together, that's the list you are in. If you are one of my best/close friends, you are in my Close Friends list, or likewise if your an acquaintance, you're in my acquaintances list.

I "subscribe" only to my closest friends, and enjoy reading what they are up too. All of my friends are thousands of miles away from me now, reaching them on Skype isn't always viable, and when I just want to tell my girl friend Kristi, or best friends Kevin or Tom that I miss them cause they are awesome, well, I can send a message.

I've turned FaceBook into a resource and a tool for myself, and it serves it's function nicely. I've made friends in over 40 countries (easily) and now have a way to contact them easily. I'm limited the feedback I receive to come from only intended audiences/groups/people.

Social networking is NOT to be considered lightly. It is a valuable tool for many, and a considerable weapon for others, especially in the every shrinking world that we live in today.

To neglect the value of such a tool, whether it be Facebook or otherwise, it equivalent to limiting your outside exposure and presence in the virtual marketplace. People you meet WILL want to use FaceBook to contact you, and when they can't find you, it can be a shame! I can't say how many times I've lost an email or phone number, and all I can remember is their full name and where they are from. That is usually enough to find my new friend, and remain in contact with them on Facebook.

For those of us that are young and upcoming, and interested in flowing well with the current socialistic paths that have found their way into our lives, it is a natural step to welcome it.

For those of us that are naturally secure in their position, with ample friends, a positive network, and an enjoyable workplace, these paths/networks/FaceBook applications are secondary to standard procedure and can be treated as such.

It's all based on perspective, and how you wish to interpret it!

That's my "whack" at it.

--Alex
No Jobs, No Responsibilities, No Better Time than Now

I work in a niche where groups of 20 share like 5 pc's during there working hours, when it gets more calm we ask them while they are taking a break to use the companys fb page to interact with costumers and alsow people who are intrested to work with us. People from outside can ask workers how it is to work at our company and we even allow complaints over facebook. Wo do ask a sertain etique and everyone knows the boss is on there to so no fooling around or it will be a ticket to the boss his office for a talk.

I use a firebox to limit the facebook (and other social media) there functions within the domain of the company, so no chatting, no games, its basicly just the companys page.

It gives us great value, i work in the healthcare and it is a very very hard business to find good young staff, placing adds in magazines or on billboards would by way way way more expencive!!! and way less effective because you dont always reach out to the people you want to.

We alsow try to connect true facebook with students studying for different facets in the healthcare and reach out for them even before the graduate. Its way less expencive than sending some worker over to a school or fair trying to talk to graduates!

Its a very effective way to reach out to workers, clients, students etc. Most big companys have facebook where you can ask about problems or make remarks, Try twittering an airline next time you have a problem checking in or finding a gate, i beth they will give you a answer and help you int within minutes! way faster then getting in line to ask someone behind a desk:thumbup1:

its hard to use social networks in an effective way, company's spend thousands of dollars in schooling on how you should use facebook in an company positive way. But it works and pays off! I know of company's who have people on there payroll just monitoring social networking sites and guiding there company true the digital jungle.

Thats a very closed minded view for a traveller, I always thought we were open minded.

How do you know this particular company is not say a PR company, or based in the service industry where a name and behind the scenes contacts can get things moving a lot quicker.

In fact take me for example I work in telecommunications, Ive lost count the amount of times Ive got help from searching google discussions, I was even able to identify a trend with DSL router chipsets being incompatible with the ADSL2+ chipsets in our exchange equipment by the numerous forum posts across the world.

Ive had a friend in another teleco company do something for me after a quick message on FB that gets my customers service up and running a lot quicker, if it was you would you have prefered me to not have used facebook and let your fault progress buisness as usual and instead of 1 hours downtime you get 2 days downtime?

I don't know what sort of firm it is, he never said. You have chosen a different point of view. In some small areas you are able to utilise the social network.

As so much productive time is wasted on social networks, I do not believe they have a place in the general office.

My opinion, but it does not mean I am not open minded. And just because I travel, does not give me the same mindset as you.