[LINK] Largest Facebook group in Australia?

Antony Barry tony at tony-barry.emu.id.au
Wed Jan 7 13:33:14 AEDT 2009


On 07/01/2009, at 12:32 PM, Jan Whitaker wrote:

> I'm not a facebook or myspace participant. I don't know what tools
> are provided there.


I'm on facebook, initially because three generations of my family are  
on it plus a large part of my extended family. I found that many of  
my library/IT colleagues from past years were also there. For me so  
far it has been a gossip medium - text plus photos and video.

As far as communication tools are concerned you have -

Ability to publish basic information about yourself

	a wall where you can post material for your facebook "friends" to  
see. They can post comments in response.

	a messaging mechanism to individuals or groups.

	chat for those who are online

	Tools to restrict access to published material to only "friends" or  
sub-groupings.

	Tools to control the amount of current material coming from  
individuals and groups.

	Email notification of the arrival of particular types of  
information. This can be selectively turned off.

The facebook groups I have joined seem to be largely useless although  
some send me notification of interesting physical events.

The facebook "applications" other than those for posting information  
appear to be largely silly although I find a few to be intriguing.

By and large it is letting me hear snippets of information about the  
daily activity of people most of whom I would hear little of,  
sometimes for years. I can tailor this to focus on particular groups  
such as family and reduce the amount coming from others. You hear  
that people are travelling, are ill, having exams and what they are  
reading. Gossip basically but there is potential for more.

An example would be my Godson's (and me an atheist) sister who is  
touring Latin America alone and posting comments and photos a couple  
of times a day from her mobile phone. Her friends back in Australia   
make comments on her postings and in a way share in her travels. I've  
known her since she was an infant and it is reassuring to know that I  
and others can track her. Needless to say her brother and father are  
also on facebook!

Tony


phone : 02 6241 7659  | mailto:tony at Tony-Barry.emu.id.au
mobile: 04 3365 2400  | mailto:tony.barry at alianet.alia.org.au
http://tony-barry.emu.id.au






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