Friendface (aka Facebook)

If the Friendface reference is lost on you I’ll direct you here:  http://youtu.be/6rNgCnY1lPg

For years now I have managed to not have a Facebook account, and I have been quite happy without one.  In fact, it has been almost like a badge of honor.  I’ve even given Google+ a shot, but nobody that I know really uses it.  The conversation will typically go something like

Inquiring Mind: You really don’t have a Facebook account?

Me: No

Inquiring Mind: Why not?  Everybody is doing it.  How do you keep up with your friends?

Me: When I first heard of it you had to have an EDU email address.  It was only a service for students and I no longer had a student email address.  I can hear about anything going on with my friends from my wife.  She has an account

Now, keep in mind that I do have a Twitter account and have so for quite some time.  I use it a lot for professional purposes, immediate news and information, as well as personal thoughts, etc.  This often further confuses the above inquiring mind even more.

However, after so many years of not participating in Facebook’s social media outlet, it looks like professional needs are finally going to drive me over the edge.  It started with a request to add a Like button to one of the my employer’s online presences. I couldn’t do it because I couldn’t grab the link and test it.  Next, I wanted to sign up for a online live discussion for a software platform that I support and could not do so.  Although the discussion wasn’t held via Facebook, the signup and instructions for the event were all on Facebook.  Add that to continually missing out on other signups – be it for Windows Phone, SharePoint, SQL Server – I’m just getting more and more frustrated with reliance on the platform.

I have finally, after much consideration and consternation, come to the conclusion that I have no choice but to cave and join the masses.