Social Networking Sites.

Social networking sites, which do you prefer? For my countless and untold sins I have accounts with several of the more commonly known social networking sites, and I have suddenly arrived at a conclusion. Beginning with the ever popular Facebook, what makes this site so widely used? As far as I can see the Facebook team appear intent on changing the damn layout of the site every other day, making it extremely frustrated to those of us who have just gotten used to one format, and learnt how to use it, then Hey Pesto it’s changed again! Bloody nuisance!

Then there are the characters who use this social network, an interesting bunch, which like I said, includes me. Most use the site to keep in touch with friends, sometimes relatives and often just to have a nose at the profiles of those we used to know, want to know, would like to know or wish we didn’t know!

By far my biggest irritant is the `Buy &/or Sell’ sites on FB. Why do people place an item or vehicle for sale on the site but constantly not bother with any information about the item or vehicle? For instance, For Sale. Ford Escort. That’s it! No location, year of registration, mileage or condition. No prices on items, often not even a title or description, just simply a photo! Do these people all assume we are a nation of mind readers? Or are they themselves just too damn lazy! Imagine a shop with no advertising, no items on show and no prices available, not even a name above the shop premises, would you go in and attempt to purchase something? Not bloody likely!

OK, what about Twitter? From the little I have learned about this site, it is further reaching than its FB rival, tweets appear to span the world based solely on what subjects or people one follows. A Good idea I think. The downside to me is, every one seems to just tweet links to other sites or webpage’s, no real messages, just links. If one reads a statement or comment and replies, no further answers, replies or insults are returned, is this `social’ or more in the realms of anti-social? I am still learning about Twitter and so far I have made some fascinating contacts, or follows & followers as the used titles. I just wish more Tweeters would write something interesting, entertaining, hopeful, helpful or simply plain nice, instead of thousands of links to other sites, films, books, people or publicity stuff that no one really wants to bother with.

I became a member of Linkedin but damned if I can remember why and who invited me! Yes it’s a great site for announcing ones business, qualifications, work status and other formal information, but again getting answers is difficult. I find no one sends me messages or answer any I send, the Linkedin members seem intent on publishing their own successes and achievements but with little thought to what their own contacts are up to. OK, so this may be just down to me, maybe I’ve chosen the wrong people as contacts, or not stated my interests clear enough, or possibly I simply don’t have any friends . . . . .