anti-Facebook rule?

[Mike OReilly]

I've come to believe (only slightly tongue-in-cheek), that if there is evil in the world, it is FaceBook. Its business model seems to parallel the illicit drug industry in that it hooks it's users into a dependency, and then keeps dragging them deeper and deeper.

As the old saying goes: Just Say No!

[Bash]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I do have an account on FB because of some other thing I want that Ned's one to have a FB account.
I just don't allow any friends. And have the photo tagging position off so no one can tag a photo of my face.

Thanks Markj, I didn't realize that there was an anti-tagging option.

Amazed at the number of people not using facebook. I've had an account since 2004, when it was first expanded to Stanford, Columbia and Yale. Most of my classes have their own facebook groups, usually run by my TAs, and if I want to ask students to bring a specific text to class, it's a lot more effective to communicate with them via facebook than email. That's the nature of the beast these days, especially when dealing with undergraduates.

Anyway, thanks. I'm now untaggable.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Bash

Has anyone found effective ways to discourage this behavior?

Don't have FB friends that you aren't willing to have on the boat!

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Bash

...Most of my classes have their own facebook groups, usually run by my TAs, and if I want to ask students to bring a specific text to class, it's a lot more effective to communicate with them via facebook than email. That's the nature of the beast these days, especially when dealing with undergraduates.

My point exactly. It gets you hooked so that it's very hard to stop using it, and then it drags you deeper with all their links, their constant changing of default settings, and their outright sale of your personal data to everyone who can pay.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Bash

Amazed at the number of people not using facebook. I've had an account since 2004, when it was first expanded to Stanford, Columbia and Yale. Most of my classes have their own facebook groups, usually run by my TAs, and if I want to ask students to bring a specific text to class, it's a lot more effective to communicate with them via facebook than email. That's the nature of the beast these days, especially when dealing with undergraduates.

Another non-Facebooked person. Despite being in the interactive industry for 15 years, I'm fairly skeptical about immediately jumping on the latest and greatest. So I've stayed off of FB and twitter, but I do have a LinkedIn profile.

My wife makes intelligent use of Facebook; most of her relatives, friends and professional contacts are on it. I can see the utility of FB for students and profs.

Anyway, sailing forums are already enough of a time-suck.

[FrankZ]

Bash,

You can follow all the advice in this thread, or just take me sailing again. My FB page looks like the middle of the Sahara.

[ArtM]

So take them sailing... you don't like sailing? Or you don't like friends?

There's a guy in Miami who will take anyone sailing on a certain day every week for $25/person - just recently bumped to $50/person "expenses". Keep it under control, and establish a business purpose for your boat at the same time.

[rgscpat]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

Just say yes to everyone, and be sure your excursion is on a day of 25-30 knot winds. Go out the Golden Gate with the wind against the tide. They'll never ask again.

Nah, you can't count on this, some sailors will take this punishment and ask for more.

[jongleur]

I don't understand.

How hard is it to make a category, ie, Students Econ 101,
on e-mail and send to the category?

It's easier on Facebook? How could it be?

[MarkSF]

If the worst problem you have this week is that some friends enjoyed sailing, and now some other friends want to sail too, I would say you have nothing to worry about. Perhaps a sense of proportion would be useful?

[Kettlewell]

I tried FB, I really tried, because I had a friend on there with a group that I was interested in, but I really couldn't stand it. Has to be the worst social interface going. My teenage kids tell me that they and their friends don't really use FB much anymore--it's considered old school, and even they hate all the friend requests from creepy people.

[Invictus69]

You can always invent enough reasons to scare-off a non-sailor and on another hand, an too-attractive-to-refuse opportunity may come up. Look at it from the bright side....

[Sailmonkey]

Facebook is an addiction that I have refused to partake in. All of my friends use it, they keep up with every last little thing in each other lives. I'm usually one of the last to know about big events, but I'm also not compelled to post updates constantly, nor am I bothered by what Zuckerberg wants to do with your information.

[Seaworthy Lass]

I find it interesting that I am not alone in wanting a little privacy.

I briefly had a Facebook account but it was short lived. I had people I barely knew (including patients) wanting to be "friends" and I felt just awful ignoring requests. And there was the "Big Brother" sense as well. I quickly deleted my account.

During trips back home (I have had nearly a six year absence now from full time "civilization") it amazes me how for many people their experiences aren't perceived to be validated until they have shared them on Facebook. Instead of enjoying the moment, they have their smart phones out typing and posting photos of their experience. Must admit I find it thoroughly puzzling and not just a bit unnerving .

[Bash]

Originally Posted by jongleur

I don't understand.

How hard is it to make a category, ie, Students Econ 101,
on e-mail and send to the category?

It's easier on Facebook? How could it be?

I don't even have to make the category. The university's course-management software will email all the students on my roster with the touch of a button. And 40% of the students will swear they never received it, because they pretty much never check their email. Email is for old people and/or people with jobs.

They do, however, check facebook on a somewhat hourly basis. When I post on the group's wall, 80% of the class will see it within half an hour.

at least this is how the world works here in California.