Do we need Facebook in ER?

[donheff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyounge1956 Do those newsgroups still exist, or have they all morphed into something else? I am not so old a web hand as you, but I can remember when the web access through my local library was a text-based thingie called "lynx". That would have been maybe 1996 or 7...

Lynx was actually the earliest Web browser - it was text based. Archie, et al preceded that and preceded the Web itself. Newsgroups also preceded the Web and still exist. They are not as popular now as they used to be for discussion topics - I think have been largely replaced by blogs like ER. They are still popular for trading binary files (pirated software, porn, etc.) DejaNews archived all the old news groups and then got bought up by Google which still hosts many. My favorite newsgroup was rec.windsurfing which is still active and available as a Google Group: Discussions - rec.windsurfing | Google Groups

Edit: actually Lynx was one of the first browsers. It looks like something called WorldWideWeb, later renamed Nexus to differentiate it from the WWW itself was the first actual browser. I think Mosaic was the first "graphical" browser (you could view images, initially GIFS and later JPGs) but it was Mac only. I used an early graphical windows based browser named Cello which quickly got blown away by Netscape.

[mh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyounge1956 Do those newsgroups still exist, or have they all morphed into something else? I am not so old a web hand as you, but I can remember when the web access through my local library was a text-based thingie called "lynx". That would have been maybe 1996 or 7...

lynx was/is just a text based (ascii terminal style) web browser
usenet news groups existed lang before that. even before the prevalent use
of tcp/ip.

You could get usenet newsgroup distribution over dialup modems via
uucp on old-timey unix machines long before tcp/ip became prevalent.

newsgroups still exist today via more modern delivery methods
e.g.. Google Groups
but their heyday has come and gone..

[mh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donheff Lynx was actually the earliest Web browser - it was text based. Archie, et al preceded that and preceded the Web itself. Newsgroups also preceded the Web and still exist. They are not as popular now as they used to be for discussion topics - I think have been largely replaced by blogs like ER. They are still popular for trading binary files (pirated software, porn, etc.) DejaNews archived all the old news groups and then got bought up by Google which still hosts many. My favorite newsgroup was rec.windsurfing which is still active and available as a Google Group: Discussions - rec.windsurfing | Google Groups Edit: actually Lynx was one of the first browsers. It looks like something called WorldWideWeb, later renamed Nexus to differentiate it from the WWW itself was the first actual browser. I think Mosaic was the first "graphical" browser (you could view images, initially GIFS and later JPGs) but it was Mac only. I used an early graphical windows based browser named Cello which quickly got blown away by Netscape.

as don intimated. there are still niche groups out there that are quite useful
so if there was one you liked it's worth seeing it it's still vibrant..

[Ally]

I grudgingly use FB, but there are so many things i hate about it. I hate that my kids, my Dh, my coworkers, my bosses, my college friends and my relatives are all my "friends". What can I say that I want all these different people to know? Worlds are colliding!

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ally I grudgingly use FB, but there are so many things i hate about it. I hate that my kids, my Dh, my coworkers, my bosses, my college friends and my relatives are all my "friends". What can I say that I want all these different people to know? Worlds are colliding!

It is a bit weird at first, but you get used to it.

[haha]

I permanently killed my account yesterday. I have too much junk to keep track of, this was just one more annoying thing. And I trust billionaire Mark 1/2 one inch.

Just say no to modernity! It mostly sucks.

Ha

[bbbamI]

I look at my FB page about once every 2 months. Yesterday I got creeped out when a guy sent me a long letter telling me about himself and included his picture. He wanted me to get in touch with him so we could 'get to know each other better'.

I guess I'll keep my FB account, but I'm gonna remove my pic from my profile page.

Heh...maybe I should use the pic I have on my profile page on this forum.

[obgyn65]

Hello Ha - the internet (and therefore this website) are part of modernity. How can you say "just say no to modernity" while having 14,000+ posts here ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Just say no to modernity! It mostly sucks. Ha

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by obgyn65 Hello Ha - the internet (and therefore this website) are part of modernity. How can you say "just say no to modernity" while having 14,000+ posts here ?

Given internet time, we on the ER forum are in the "classic period". So Ha was right after all.

[steelyman]

I've managed to survive without a Facebook account, although likely most of my friends and co-workers are on it. There are three main reasons why I have (and probably will continue to) avoid it:

1. I have privacy/security questions about it, and the news pieces I've seen don't reduce those at all,
2. I would like to spend less time (not more) in front of a computer/handheld,
3. The alternate ways of communicating with people (e.g., email, text, phone, and oh my gosh a letter/card!) have been doing just fine.

So I don't think ER would benefit from trying to expand into Facebook. I think the people that are running this site (and all you contributors) do a great job just as it is.

Sometimes I think that tech "innovations" have had the effect of people communicating too fast!

[kyounge1956]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbcal Quote: Originally Posted by obgyn65 Quote: Originally Posted by haha I permanently killed my account yesterday. I have too much junk to keep track of, this was just one more annoying thing. And I trust billionaire Mark 1/2 one inch. Just say no to modernity! It mostly sucks. Ha Hello Ha - the internet (and therefore this website) are part of modernity. How can you say "just say no to modernity" while having 14,000+ posts here ? Given internet time, we on the ER forum are in the "classic period". So Ha was right after all.

Yes. Similarly, the above-mentioned usenet groups are Ancient History, and the BBSs that came before them the Neolithic era. Before that, stone tools and bear skins.

[theloneranger]

I have no desire to be on the facial page.

[simple girl]

Although FB has it's drawbacks, the benefits far outweigh the negative parts for me. I love being able to know the little day-to-day things going on with my siblings and neices/nephews. I live far away from my family, and facebook has really helped me keep connected with them. It's not like my neice is gonna call me up just to tell me that her husband has to drive home in the snow, and she's worried about him. However, she did post that on facebook, and I was able to reply and be supportive - it's these little things that help me stay close to my family.

[FreeAtLast]

No Facebook here. I am content with email and occasional texting when I need to communicate some information but do not have time to call.

[slingshot]

Im conflicted about FB also.
My privacy settings are way high (hopefully) and I only friend (this is a verb now) people who are really my friends, not just people that I know.
It can be awkward when someone wants to friend you and you are thinking "not so much" and so you hit the ignore button for a few months before you actually hit delete.
I've been able to get info to many people quickly, as in the case when my mother was so ill before she passed.
I let all my friends know one of my show horses was for sale before I offered him to the "public".
I also sold a sailboat using FB as my first line of getting info out.
FB has it's uses, many of you connect to family, etc. But if you want to get CRAZY try Twitter.

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DangerMouse What I find amusing is how everyone is reconnecting with these old "friends" from the past. If they were real friends would you have ever lost contact with them?

I've lost track of friends when they joined the military or went out of state to college, and then never returned to our area.

I even lost track of a girlfriend 'way back when'....she lived in another town quite a few miles away, and her family didn't have a telephone. She usually came to my town about every other weekend or so with her family. Then all of a sudden, without warning, she was gone! I had no idea why or where, and never knew for over 35 years....'til I found her on one of my friend's "friends list". I sent her a message, and we've reconnected and keep in touch almost every day now!

Oh, and I found out that she had abruptly moved to the east coast 'way back when', and that's how we lost touch.

And in our modern mobile society, where folks are always moving from here to there, I've been able to locate friends that have made multiple moves for work, and get reconnected.....and others who have moved have been able to find me, since I've changed my phone number and it's unlisted...and because address books have a tendency to get misplaced/lost during moves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigMoneyJim .......and then a bunch of people I used to sort of know found me. At first it seemed cool, but I don't really have anything to say to any of them, and I feel restricted in what I might post because they are politically and religiously nothing like me.

I used to be that way, then I decided "the heck with it", now I post whatever I want regardless of others opinions. After all, it is MY facebook wall. I don't post anything merely be rude or nasty, but if it is rude or nasty, they're adults and they can just deal with it or ignore it.....it's their choice. And politically, I'm QUITE the opposite of most of my friends!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigMoneyJim I haven't defriended a bunch of people so far because it feels somehow rude.

I've dumped defriended some folks because they became blatantly rude, obnoxious, or argumentative.....I don't behave that way myself, nor do I tolerate it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcowan I belong and keep up with my family. Not a big problem to check in once in a while and see what is happening. Of course I am an open book on the internet as I have nothing to hide. But I do ignore all friend requests that I want to.

Ditto! I have family and friends flung all over the world, and FB is a great way for us all to stay in touch very easily! All of my friends and family know just about everything about me anyway, so there's not much to hide. And as for friend requests....I ONLY accept request from people that I actually know and that I want to connect with....all others are ignored!

Oh......BTW.....I'm back!!! I don't spend much time online anymore, so I won't be on the forum very much either. I'll fill in the details later.

Cheers!

[bbbamI]

Well holy cat's perjammers, I'm glad I was online when you posted Goonie! It's great to hear from ya!

[Rambler]

Goonie's baaaaccckkkk! yayyy!

Where ya been and whatcha been up to?

R

[Goonie]

Thanks!

Well, I spent all last summer and much of the fall out in the gardens (my favorite outdoor hobby)...some of it workin', but most of it loafin' and sipping lemonade! The rest of the fall we went to Bluegrass Festivals, then in December we spent a week in Nashville at Gaylord's Opryland Resort for their Christmas shows (all front row seats....including the Oakridge Boys Christmas dinner & concert, and the 'meet & greet' beforehand) and festivities....and FOOD!!!

We hibernated through January, then in February spent a few days in Jacksonville Beach, FL, and then a couple weeks in Ormond Beach, FL....then almost a week in Nashville at the Opryland Resort again. We were home for a week, and then went to a 3 day Bluegrass Festival in Schaumburg, IL ( a northwest 'burb of Chicago). Got home from that last Sunday....the 1st day of Spring....and did some garden clean-up, and planted a couple different mesclun mixes...which started sprouting up Friday (the 25th)!!!

In my free time...what little that there's been....I've been tinkering with my model railroad empire! My favorite indoor hobby!

[Rambler]

Good deal Goonie! Sounds like you are enjoying life. What could be better?

R