Facing Off over "FaceBook"
Deja Vous. :nerd:
I just got to watch this same invitation unfold on another very active sailing chat site I participate in (Cascadia list, focused on Pacific NW sailors). There were multiple views of the idea, ranging from the obvious fear of dilution of participation over too many different message venues to the revelation (at least to some Facebook users) that there are major lawsuits and concerns over loss of
all their information they post to Facebook itself, and of course the usual threat of ID theft by outsiders.
Some were in favor of it and some not.
Final truce seems to be that anyone can post anywhere they wish, and people will stay or migrate... or just add another site to their daily 'net pursuits. Whether one likes a given site or not, people will do as they please...
"herding cats" would be easier!
Having watched the original 'net listserv for sailors (the YachtList) decline from 500++ worldwide participation to less than 200 in the last 15 years due to the rise of focused listserv's, broken down by geographic region, make of vessel, or promulgation by vendors (like Sailnet), I kind of miss having all the sailing conversations in one room, but long ago realized that the growth of cyber-sailing participants would have overwhelmed any one all-inclusive site.
FaceBook, like all other collaborations of marketing and the 'net, is a device to bring "eyeballs" to their ads. That's why they insist on harvesting information from all participants just for the privilege of entering their portal to stare at other people's stuff - and ads.
That's neither good nor bad... just a way to pay the bills and then generate a tidy profit.
I should note that I have had to lock out spam from both Facebook and Classmates.com for several years; their spam ads are relentless. Giving either site my email address (demanded for a casual look) does not seem like a good idea anymore.
That business model is, however,
quite a contrast to this site. Here you get expert and interested site admin. without salary and are asked only to chip in some bucks every fall for the out-of-pocket expenses that Sean incurs. Sean keeps the software up to date and running and battles the spammers for you.
(The Engles have become part of our - distant - extended family, as it were, and so have quite a few others here.)
Sidebar: both the YachtList and the Cascadia site/list are privately run, the first by two retired university sailor/professors on two continents, and the later by a small-boat sailor in northern Washington out of his house. Neither has advertising.
So, good luck on your idea and since I have learned in life to "never say never" perhaps I will yet log in there some day.
Loren
