Straw poll on Web Attention span
With the fad-ish nature of social networking and online communities, I’m wondering how long people can manage long term, daily usage.
If I had many more of readers than I do, I would probably do this in survey monkey or something. However, I don’t so, I can just do it low - fi.
Here is my question, how long and when were you obsessed with a social networking site or online community?
It’s informal so, please interpret these as you wish and feel free to keep it short.
Linked In - obsessed in July and August 2007 , now only use it occasionally for work
Face Book - still checking multiple times a day for the last two months
MySpace - log in about once a year, usually coinciding with a musician’s record release
Friendster - created a profile around 2004, and never went back
IM - (any, all flavors) still log on daily to AIM, yahoo, msn, google, first starting in 2003, except for 2005 when it was banned in my office.
Second Life - one month in January 2006
Plaxo - never used, it always felt like spam
Usenet - lurked through the 90s, it’s a bit of a blur
IRC - heavy usage in mid-90s until web-based chat killed it.
For your convenience, here are the site you can cut and paste into a comment. But free feel to add any sites I left out.
Linked In -
Face Book -
MySpace -
Friendster -
IM -
Second Life -
Plaxo -
Usenet -
IRC -
Thanks!
October 5th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Linked In - Put up a page in early 2007, check in every few weeks.
Face Book - OBSESSED since May 2007.
MySpace - A cesspool. Started an account in 2005, and have tried to stay clear since.
Friendster - Introduced me to the social network concept in 2003 or 2004 — lot’s of fun.
IM - Daily since 97, however now only when I’m at work.
Second Life - Looked around for awhile in early 2007.
Plaxo - Nope. Whoops, I’ll be back, gotta check FB…
…
Usenet - For finding mp3 albums in 2002, 2003.
IRC - See Usenet.
October 6th, 2007 at 12:04 am
Linked In - I get invites from people every few days and so i check in and link to them but feel no real reason to be there other than a vague sense that it might come in handy, and not being there looks weird to colleagues.
Face Book - Hey, I’m not the one taking the Never Ending Movie Poll Ray. But I like it a lot since it does something I like in life — it mixes personal, professional and other dimensions of life in ways that are fun.
MySpace - I’m too old for MySpace. If I put up a page the FBI would think I’m a predator thank you very much. And the less I can contribute to any Rupert Murdoch enterprise the better.
Friendster - Just the other day, out of the blue, an old colleague contacted me on Friendster and asked me for a date, now that we aren’t working together anymore. Then he disappeared. Completely flaked. That about sums it up.
IM - Do it all the time, and this in fact is going to make me go blind
Second Life - I’d like to have a First Life first. With a flesh and blood bf.
Plaxo - Isn’t that a mouthwash?
Usenet - I’m old but not that geeky.
IRC - See above.
I notice that you did not mention a number of other social network sites…
October 6th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Linked In - never
Face Book - joined a year ago, got swept up by college/grad school friends who all starting inviting me
MySpace - made account, never visit
Friendster - 2004 joiner, i do like the bday reminders
IM - nope
Second Life - nope
Plaxo - hate it! so many requests from “friends”
Usenet - nope
IRC - never
October 8th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Thanks Mark, Frank and Brian.
What am I missing Mark? I’ll add them to the list.
October 10th, 2007 at 11:20 am
Linked In - Joined summer 2007, check in every week. I get invites and I send a few, mainly to keep track of where my old co-workers and grad school friends are working.
Facebook - Joined summer 2007. I check every day. I joined after 3rd-party applications were annouced b/c I was curious to see what iLike and other hipper companies were doing. I like it. Will probably keep on it, as lots of Microsofties are on it so it’s an appearance thing.
MySpace - Joined 2007 so that I could be friends with celebrities. I haven’t been back since I joined, though.
Friendster - Joined 2003, b/c everyone else in grad school was on. But I haven’t really returned since then.
IM - 1999 for fun. These days I’m on Windows Live Messenger every day b/c of work
Second Life - Never. And never will. Unless my job forces me to.
Plaxo - Never, though I have received invites
Usenet - No
IRC - Never