Have been invited by two people to join, and feel like a pedophile but joined. BTW, both friends are adults.
We just did this about a week ago. I’d search for “facebook” and link you to some recent discussion, but, you know… 300 second rule. 
ETA: Damnit, 25 words. I always go over on these things.
I felt the same way when I was asked to join two months ago. I did anyway. I find it boring so far.
It’s not really supposed to all that exiting. It’s a personalized “phonebook”, but with extra information about the people in it.
Valete,
Vox Imperatoris
Facebook is a site giving you an entirely new way of finding and ignoring people you haven’t ignored in years.
Um, thanks?
I did know that. And I still find it boring.
My facebook account is my brain. It keeps track of birthdays, parties, phone numbers, emails and other things so that I don’t have to.
Exactly.
You add a bunch of people you already talk to, and a few you haven’t talked to since the 1900’s, and then you end up only talking to the ones you already talk to.
Every now and then one of the ones you added that you don’t talk to, starts sending all sorts of little crap messages that say things like: “you were poked by so and so”, “so and so planted a cyber tree for you”, or “I made this special '80s song request for you”…etc.
I will give it some more time. Maybe I will actually make a lasting connection some day. And if nothing else it keeps me somewhat current, for when my son wants to start using myspace or facebook. I want to know how to maneuver around the thing if I have to, ya know?
OR, maybe I will go nuts someday and start, “poking” everyone!
Quick ansewer is that its a networked application to separate you from your money in some way that has yet to be determined.
A longer ansewer , since its free upfront I have no problems with the primary function of giving people a space where they can colaborate their shared lifestyles. It really does need an adult function that dispenses with the chintzy apps.
Its not something that you can live with out and you might end up letting it lay fallow for weeks at a time , or you might find it to be the killer app you never knew you needed.
Declan
I’m 33, and I have almost 200 friends on facebook, all around my same age… there is no need to feel like a pedophile!
Good way of keeping in touch with/sharing photo with friends and relatives in different countries or organising events.
Lots of spams, ‘friends’, games, updates about your friend and be in the know when they change their relationship status.
Set your privacy so only friends can see your profile. Do not “friend” your co-workers, in-laws, or children other than your own.
ETA: Ignore ALL applications. All of them.
Speaking as one of those friends, it’s far out!
heh
I have not even asked to ‘befriend’ my own kids.
They need their privacy; they probably don’t especially want Mom to be constantly updated on the status of their relationships or how hard they partied on Friday night.
I agree that Facebook is good for photos/keeping in touch, esp for those in other countries.
Geni is good for this, too, as is Couchsurfing.
I like it because it lets me see what’s going on at a quick glimpse with the friends I left behind when I moved this summer. We keep in touch other, more conventional ways, but seeing the photos, the status updates etc are more immediate and spontaneous because it doesn’t take huge amounts of time from any of us.
Cat if it’s not for you, no worries. But I do find it helpful given that I’m in a strange city and missing my friends.
It’s over rated. But I have no friends.
Speaking as a hopelessly addicted uni student:
I think it depends on how you and the people you know use it. If you have friends who take advantage of its features, it’s excellent. Otherwise… kinda pointless. It’s good for photos, organising events and just generally keeping in touch. Oh, and SCANDAL! With all the interaction that occurs online among my circles, I honestly believe I would be missing out on a lot if I wasn’t on facebook. But having said that, I would lose interest very quickly if my friends didn’t use it much.
Oh, sorry, did you say 20 words?
Facebook is dumb but
Ev’ryone else uses it
I must use it, too
Digital narcissism. Also a bit evil.
edit: Oh and you can never leave.