Watching the DVDs of the mid-60s Thunderbirds and looking over the new Facebook GUI got me thinking. When I was a kid in the 60s I was promised many things. A jet pack for instance. Also, world peace and, well, that jet pack. But I was also promised global information sharing. Have I got that? I sometimes wonder if text based archiving internet yapping like on Facebook is not something that is a few cuts below that sort of voice and radio communications the Thunderbirds got to use. All those reel to reel tapes, smooth metal consoles and toggle switches provided control. But we have left those to the ham radio shack owners, haven't we? Sure there is Skype but I don't want just a free telephone, I want radio. And a jet pack. And one of those machines that burrows through the ground.
The new Facebook is somewhat confusing but does have advantages. I like the grouping of friends (what now need to be called "contacts" or "agents") into sub groups and reading just those bunched with their ilk. Now I can send out warnings or instructions to exactly those who particularly need to be warned or instructed. I may have been able to do that before but it is more obvious now. I like the downgrading of groups. Groups are useless. I have no interest in whether we share interests. I need to be able to issue commands. The new Facebook provides that. And lots of rounded corners on pictures and things. Very webtwenny. I am not sure where it issues food in pellet or metal tube form yet but that is just a matter of time.
So, for now, Twitter sucks. I give it seven weeks until it changes and Facebook will again suck more.
Comments
Ben (The Tiger) - March 14, 2009 11:16 AM
The new new Facebook... I'd just gotten used to the new Facebook.
Oh well. :p
I too like the upgrading of friends lists -- I had started using them b/c I restricted access to my wall, now that I'm job-hunting.
Alan - March 14, 2009 11:21 AM
I wonder what roles discussions on the blog, Facebook and Twitter each have. I think I am seeing them from big idea, moderate idea and small idea but I don't know why I need all three.
I hadn't realized that I can segregate access to different levels of me via the friends sub categories. That means I can set one pools of agents/contacts against the other. Interesting.
Ben (The Tiger) - March 14, 2009 11:25 AM
Oh, absolutely...
But it's total segregated access... you can't have one set of posts for one group and another for another -- I have a list of friends I grant access to my wall, and the rest only see what links I post and that stuff.
Alan - March 14, 2009 11:38 AM
Can you let me know what you see? I have created an elaborately even Byzantine set of levels of access to my Facebook. You fall into the class "People I have never meet and yet for whom have a likely dangerous level of trust." That gives you high but not absolute authorizations.
Brother Iain - March 14, 2009 12:15 PM
I've been on Twitter for about three days now and I just can't see the point of it ... except, of course, for the updates from William Shatner.
Alan - March 14, 2009 12:37 PM
I had to banish a brewery from my twitter following list for over the top activity that was tantamount to spamming. I am not sure there is a point except for people too disinterested in the internet for even Facebook. Or maybe it is where you place the people who aren't friends.
Ben (The Tiger) - March 15, 2009 1:49 AM
Alan --
Actually, you can see what I see.
Go to the profile section of the privacy settings menu, and enter my name into the "View as..." box, and you'll be able to view your profile as me.
Alan - March 15, 2009 9:48 AM
Ahhh, I thought that would be a useful thing but didn't know how to do it.
seanie - March 18, 2009 2:35 PM
Meh. I am sick of the new fb look and the constant changing of things around. Its like a grocery store that keeps moving the cans of chili from one aisle to the next. One day its with soup, the next it is with beans, then for some bizarre promotion, its over there near the ground beef. I just want things to stay the same that are not being complained about. Oh well, the only useful thing on FB of late was an invitation to go see the Planet Smashers on the 27th from a new friend. Other than that, its all grot and annoying cringeworthy status updates from people I have no care for anymore.
I am on a self imposed withdrawl right now. Only making any sort of FB comments/updates/posts on Friday nights. Soon, I will be free of the monkey.