# LiveJournal - Thoughts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 15, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812 "2005-09-15T16:48:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/1 "2005-09-15T16:48:18Z")
I’m literally so bored at work today, that - based purely on having spent the last hour reading the LJ entries of a couple friends of mine - I’m considering signing up with LJ. I can’t even manage to update my REAL website more than once a month. Anything I should know? Good or bad experiences? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/2 "2005-09-15T17:04:21Z")
You’re required to update every day, every week, or every year. It’s no big deal, and it’s free, unless you need 78 icons. Even if you have no interest in writing your own entries, it’s useful to have an account so you can comment in other peoples’ under your own name. It’s been great for me, because I have a bunch of friends I don’t get to see in person very often, either from the SDMB or people who left for school, or whatever, yet I can talk to them every day on LJ. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/3 "2005-09-15T17:07:45Z")
I’ve enjoyed my LJ. No bad experiences, even. I use it for my occaisional rants about my life, and stuff in general. Of course, if I’d known of the SDMB then I doubt I’d have signed up for it. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/4 "2005-09-15T17:09:16Z")
:smack: _You’re **not** required to update…_ ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/5 "2005-09-15T17:09:59Z")
Thoughts? I spend far too much time there. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/6 "2005-09-15T17:28:15Z")
I’ve had no problems with it. I find it a good way to help me keep in contact with friends. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/7 "2005-09-15T17:30:38Z")
Think of it as MPSIMS but more readily controlled since I don’t have to scroll past ten **QuickSilver** OPs a day if I don’t want to. It’s what you make it and, in my experience, LJ’s been much more interesting than the SDMB for months now – CS possibly excepted – because of that. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/8 "2005-09-15T17:32:33Z")
I like it. It’s free, so why not just set one up and see how it goes? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/9 "2005-09-15T17:36:46Z")
I see. Well, I **do** like filling out long checklists of my interests… ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/10 "2005-09-15T17:41:31Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > I see. > > Well, I **do** like filling out long checklists of my interests… Don’t knock the interests thing. When you enter interests, they become links to users and communities with similar interests. Through the communities (especially) you can make “friends” and the whole blogging thing becomes exponentially more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/11 "2005-09-15T17:50:25Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > Don’t knock the interests thing. And even if you want to, you don’t have to do it. It always confuses me when people seem to think that joining LJ is like joining the National Guard. It’s a free registration to a lighthearted website that requires absolutely no time or effort whatsoever, just like the Friendster account you probably forgot you had. It’s no big deal. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/12 "2005-09-15T18:02:17Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > Don’t knock the interests thing. When you enter interests, they become links to users and communities with similar interests. Through the communities (especially) you can make “friends” and the whole blogging thing becomes exponentially more interesting. I was serious. Actually, I’ve signed up now, and I was disappointed with the way in which it had me enter interests. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/13 "2005-09-15T18:02:18Z")
Everybody’s been positive, so I’ll say a few negative things. To me at least it’s got a very gossipy sort of feel to it. I don’t particularly like it myself, I use my sign-on only to answer my friends’ entries and that mostly only one friend. A lot of people have said good things about it, but to me it really comes down to just being a journal, a sort of online blog where you can go on and on and on about your personal life. That’s all well and dandy but I’m \*surprised \* at how much personal info people post. I know that you can make it so only certain people see it, but it still bothers me. Lots of people have said good things, and they’re all true! I don’t deny them. I just wanted to give another side. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/14 "2005-09-15T18:38:58Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > To me at least it’s got a very gossipy sort of feel to it. Well, that’s because the people you read are gossipy. There are [2,597,769 active accounts on LJ](http://www.livejournal.com/stats.bml). That’s a lot of people, who all have different styles. To say that LJ is gossipy based on your friends list is like saying SDMB is dead because you only read **CoCC**. > [@](#): > > …it really comes down to just being a journal, a sort of online blog where you can go on and on and on about your personal life. Some do, yes, and some are mini- **GD** s, and some are photo blogs, and some are extensions of other online communities, and some are [live updates from a disaster area](http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/), and most are a combination of all, some, or none of the above. > [@](#): > > That’s all well and dandy but I’m \*surprised \* at how much personal info people post. I know that you can make it so only certain people see it, but it still bothers me. [Nothing unique to LJ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44749). Yes, I realize I’m being a bit snippy here, and I do apologize, but it bugs me when people paint LJ and its users with a broad brush, when it is merely a blank slate which the user can fill with whatever they want, for better or worse. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/15 "2005-09-15T18:58:09Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > Well, that’s because the people you read are gossipy. There are [2,597,769 active accounts on LJ](http://www.livejournal.com/stats.bml). That’s a lot of people, who all have different styles. To say that LJ is gossipy based on your friends list is like saying SDMB is dead because you only read **CoCC**. I don’t have a friends list. > [@](#): > > Yes, I realize I’m being a bit snippy here, and I do apologize, but it bugs me when people paint LJ and its users with a broad brush, when it is merely a blank slate which the user can fill with whatever they want, for better or worse. Actually, you’re being a bit defensive, and I knew someone would! The OP asked for opinions on LJ, and I saw that everyone was giving super-positive opinions! I have more of a negative feel towards LJ, so what did it hurt to give my honest opinons. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/16 "2005-09-15T18:59:52Z")
> [@Troy McClure SF](#): > > [Nothing unique to LJ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44749). > > . And your defense falls down here…that was a pretty generic TMI thread, as in people just stated one thing they’d done. On LJ I’ve seen people state their financial details, their loans/debts/creditors, how much they owe, how much they get paid - stuff I would never dream of sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/17 "2005-09-15T19:03:28Z")
Highly recommended. I honestly believe it is the best “social network” type website on the internet. The use of friends lists and communities, and the many different styles of posting (everything from well-researched political posts to rants about work to pictures of pets to coordination for social events) provide an incredible tool for communicating with people all over the world. The structure of the site, it’s commenting system, all work together incredibly well. ---
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/18 "2005-09-15T19:05:04Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I don’t have a friends list. This I don’t really understand. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/19 "2005-09-15T19:16:54Z")
> [@Ooner](#): > > This I don’t really understand. Why not? Mostly because I made the ID in such a way as to be completely anonymous, and if I went around putting my friends on there then, well, I wouldn’t be anoymous would I? As far as I know, only two people know who is behind my ID over there. Also partly because I haven’t played around with my own site enough to bother. As for why I was being anonymous? Various reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812/20 "2005-09-15T19:29:00Z")
All I’m saying is that you create your own experience on LJ by choosing who and what you read, and who and what you ignore. It’s not as absoultely simple as that, but that’s true of any group of people. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/livejournal-thoughts/321812.md?page=2)