Social Networking Sites

I've been using Facebook for quite some time now and I only remain a user since it has facilitated my opportunity to remain current with the happenings in my friends and family's lives.  As far as I can recall, it has been the same basic blue design.  There have been several changes to the layout, but in essence it has always remained the same.  The focus of the homepage continues to be the news feed.  Out of all of the popular social networking sites, it remains the most polished.   Other than personal information and what one shares with others, here are no other personalization features.  Everyone's page is essentially the same.  I must admit that I don't go on Facebook as much as I once used to.  I think it has much to do with the fact that it seems like EVERYONE is on Facebook now and I don't know how I feel about so much personal information being so readily available to virtually anyone.

Before Facebook, I spent much of my time on Myspace.  It was a fun site to visit.  I would spend many hours daily on Myspace.  There were many ways individuals could personal their pages.  From backgrounds and page layout, to background music, we were allowed to personalize the entire look and feel of our pages.  After visiting my Myspace page for the first time in quite some time, it appears that the customization feature still remains.  Most of my friends appear to have abandoned Myspace for Facebook.  I'm not sure how I feel about what News Corp. has done to Myspace.  It appears way too busy for my taste.  It's just not what it once was.

Twitter I just don't seem to get.  I tried it in the past and I could never get into it.  I never felt a desire to 'tweet' random short messages.  Out of requirement for this class,  I am now giving it another shot.  I am finding the dialogue considerably more interesting now.  Again, like the other social networking sites, the central focus is the current news feed.

LinkedIn offers it's users the opportunity to network professionally.   It is not bombarded with the randomness of Myspace nor Twitter.  Nor is it full of the tagged photos of people in compromising situations.  The design clearly targets those that want to grow professionally.

Each has something to offer to their respective audience;  Myspace being the most casual, LinkedIn the most professional, Facebook somewhere in the middle, and Twitter, well, I hope to figure that one out by the end of this semester.