Facebook Trial 1 (FB -5 : PE 4)

Day 1 is basically over. So, how does it rate?

General observations (non-scoring):

- Setup of my account was painless. That's good.

- My goals were simple and Facebook is overkill.

Scoring:

Today made me realize I already need another option for scoring. So, I'm adding in negative points.

-I only wanted to be in constant contact with a handful of people. They include the small group I mentioned and a few others. In total, I only really wanted to be in constant contact with about 15 people. When FB went through my gmail email addresses and popped up about 100, I was rather annoyed. Seriously, if I emailed a person one time a year ago as a reference or a job application, I DON'T WANT THEM FRIENDED! My goal here is different than most people on FB. (FB -1)

-I see it has a handy little invite dealie.  Looks interesting enough to add a point without even really playing with it.  Gmail doesn't have that type of feature that I know of. (FB +1)

-Easy to create an email to a list in an email client.  Quick, easy communication with those I wish AND ONLY THOSE I WISH.  (PE +1)

-I had, in only 24 hours, I had 62 emails about people confirming, adding or requesting my being their friend on Facebook.  Thank goodness for filters in Gmail. (FB -2  I'll probably add a point back if I can customize these notifications.)

-To drive the point home, the setup for FB was simple, but should have offered me advanced options such as selecting what I want on my wall. I don't care that Jimmy commented on Deborah's picture! I'll be digging in my settings to see what I can get rid of, but a few simple check boxes would have been great.  (FB -2 if I can easily customize this, I'll probably give a point back.)

-Gmail has FAR less annoying ads.  FB is terrible for this. (PE +1)

-Sure, FB has chat built-in. Nice.  Gmail does too.  It's a wash.  It's just one more chat.

-I found the email tool in FB.  Not too difficult, but another click to get to where I can send an email.  But, if I use FB all the time like people tell me I will, maybe I won't need to log into Gmail.  Don't see that happening. (PE +1)

-No simple contact management in the Email.  Extra clicks to get to Friends>List and make a new list.  I only do this once in a while though, so no points.

-Can't seem to add an email address to a list of contacts if they aren't on FB.  USELESS! (FB -1)

-Don't see a simple CC: or BCC: in the email tool. (PE +1)

I'm sure there's more here.  Hopefully in a couple days I can look into the questions I have.  I've not heard anything extra back (no additional responses to my original question to the guys) via FB.  One more did email back though.

Running Total: FB -5 ; PE 4 

Scoring System

Let's lay out the basic scoring for my Facebook (FB) vs. phone/email (PE) test. This will likely be tweaked as the week goes on, but here's the gist:

Scores will be posted in the entry titles. 

- A point is given for a benefit added by the service.  

- If both services add the same benefit, the service with the most convenience gets the point. If it's a wash, both or neither will score. Since they off-set each other, it won't matter.  

- I will arbitrarily assign additional points for benefits I deem worthy.

Example: 

Through email, I can send a message to a single list (created once) and have it go out to all those on that list. It's quick and easy and I already use email often. Point phone/email (PE).

So, in case you didn't catch it or you're new to this whole Web thing, this is my call. You needn't agree. If I'm missing something, comment on it and let me know how I'm woefully wrong. I'll change the score if I agree. If not, I won't. Don't hold your breath for a reply to your comment either way.

1 Week of Facebook: Intro

Well, after much prodding, I've joined what I hear is the current decade.  I have a Facebook account. 

Now, for some of you that's no big thing.  But, as I said, it took some prodding.  You see, I'm skeptical as to whether the whole thing is worthwhile.  I'll go one further.  I'm skeptical as to whether Facebook will be of any real benefit, much less benefit that outweighs the cost.  Let me bring you up to speed.

You see, I work with a group of teens.  (Specifically, the high school guys small group at my church.)  For a long time, they've claimed having a Facebook account would not only allow, but actually create out of thin air, better communication with them.  Well, recently our youth group underwent some changes.  The change that sparked this whole Facebook brouhaha was that our small group would no longer meet at the same time and place.  So, being the organized fellow I am (nearly a complete lie), I sent out a trusty email to the group offering up a couple times we could potentially meet and asking they each reply as to their availability at those times.  The email went out to 7 guys.  A week later only two responded.  Facebook it was.  

So, I decided to join Facebook.  I'm quite skeptical.  This blog will cover one week of my using Facebook.  If, after that week, I find that the benefits it gives do not outweigh the time I invest using it compared to other communication methods, I'll can it.  I'm going to do my best to weigh benefits on a point scale.  This may prove difficult, but I can think of no better way to measure usefulness.  Plus, since it's my little test, I get to assign value willy-nilly as I go.  


Prologue:
I'm not new to computer technology.  Nor the Internet and World Wide Web.  That I know how those two are different should say something.  And, the fact that I know why it's humorous to say Al Gore invented. . .  Nevermind.

Email?  I had it in high school.  (For those of you just who need some catching-up, that would be 1995-1999.)  Early in that timeframe, my family obtained our first computer.   (Yes, people lived without them for a very long time before the 90s).  Internet access via 14.4 modem followed.  Skipping ahead a few years, I studied New Media in college.  To break it down, I studied communication theory and media production.  I mixed English, communication theory, video production, digital music, web, graphic design, photography and a bit of everything else and came out with a degree.  So, though I'm no expert. . . Oh, wait, this is the WWW.  So, since I'm a doctor who knows the czar of a frightfully small yet terribly rich small island country who needs your bank account to pass along a fortune they need to vanish. . .