Why no Metafilter myspace? May 19, 2006 11:34 AM Subscribe
Why no Metafilter myspace?
Is Metafilter feeling the need to contact hot teen who's friends really think you'll like her.
Or, it could be because... MYSPACE SUCKS!
Why would Metafilter want a myspace account anyway?
posted by edgeways at 11:38 AM on May 19, 2006
Or, it could be because... MYSPACE SUCKS!
Why would Metafilter want a myspace account anyway?
posted by edgeways at 11:38 AM on May 19, 2006
There is in fact a mefi group. But, alas, it is broken. If you try to join, it says "Invalid Group ID. Try a different ID."
posted by smackfu at 11:40 AM on May 19, 2006
posted by smackfu at 11:40 AM on May 19, 2006
This must not be allowed to happen.
posted by IshmaelGraves at 11:43 AM on May 19, 2006
posted by IshmaelGraves at 11:43 AM on May 19, 2006
Myspace makes me feel dirty inside.
posted by interrobang at 11:46 AM on May 19, 2006
posted by interrobang at 11:46 AM on May 19, 2006
(and not only did my initial post break this thread, I linked to the wrong page. It should go to here.)
posted by jazon at 11:59 AM on May 19, 2006
posted by jazon at 11:59 AM on May 19, 2006
Isn't that redundant?
posted by necessitas at 12:01 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by necessitas at 12:01 PM on May 19, 2006
metafiler IS my space.
posted by blue_beetle at 12:15 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by blue_beetle at 12:15 PM on May 19, 2006
Someone ought to hack their profile page here to look like a MySpace profile.
posted by danb at 12:31 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by danb at 12:31 PM on May 19, 2006
You're right. There isn't enough blinking and sparkly gifs here at Metafilter, or drunken posting with netspeak and pictures that draw attention to our tits and/or penises instead of our acne. Obviously we need to rectify this with a MySpace page.
I shall begin collecting sparkly gifs of an elephant peeing on vibrating pancakes immediately.
posted by FunkyHelix at 12:34 PM on May 19, 2006
I shall begin collecting sparkly gifs of an elephant peeing on vibrating pancakes immediately.
posted by FunkyHelix at 12:34 PM on May 19, 2006
Now that this has been posted, can we place bets on how long it will take someone to put up a mefi page on myspace? I'm betting on before 1 pm PST...
posted by InfidelZombie at 12:38 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by InfidelZombie at 12:38 PM on May 19, 2006
My favorite thing about myspace is the profile music. If you open up a lot of profiles in different tabs, it's like your own little mashup.
posted by smackfu at 12:41 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by smackfu at 12:41 PM on May 19, 2006
*throws empty bottle of Wild Turkey at invisible bats then randomly fires obscenely large caliber handgun at flying shards of glass while screaming something about goggles and doing nothing*
posted by loquacious at 12:42 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by loquacious at 12:42 PM on May 19, 2006
why would there be a metafilter myspace? that idea can go straight to hell!
posted by puke & cry at 12:51 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 12:51 PM on May 19, 2006
I just assumed metafilter was a myspace front. You know, like those "laundromats" in my neighborhood that don't have any, like, washers or dryers yet manage to do a steady stream of "business" between the hours of 1 and 4 AM?
posted by joe lisboa at 1:14 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by joe lisboa at 1:14 PM on May 19, 2006
(coincentally, the same hours of the "day" wherein I get drunk and post some really stupid stuff.)
posted by joe lisboa at 1:15 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by joe lisboa at 1:15 PM on May 19, 2006
Heya MetaFilter!!!111!1 OMG, thanks for the A.D.D. and the Hilary Duff pics!
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 1:55 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 1:55 PM on May 19, 2006
There once was a Mean Mr. Bucket
Whose post was so dumb, etc.
posted by emelenjr at 1:56 PM on May 19, 2006 [1 favorite]
Whose post was so dumb, etc.
posted by emelenjr at 1:56 PM on May 19, 2006 [1 favorite]
I'm guessing Mean Mr. Bucket was joking (and possibly drunk). If not...
*mind boggles*
posted by languagehat at 2:16 PM on May 19, 2006
*mind boggles*
posted by languagehat at 2:16 PM on May 19, 2006
I'll see you emo fags later! LOL!
posted by loquacious at 2:37 PM on May 19, 2006
blag : "Because we have pubes"
and taste. We also have taste.
posted by graventy at 2:39 PM on May 19, 2006
and taste. We also have taste.
posted by graventy at 2:39 PM on May 19, 2006
no, just pubes.
posted by puke & cry at 2:45 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 2:45 PM on May 19, 2006
I've been fairly ambivalent about myspace in the past.
Recently, however, I've found some friends I thought I'd lost contact with forever, thanks to that site. Even though there's some concentrated evil within its confines, it hath restoreth a little part of my soul. So: I am torn.
Besides, in case you hadn't noticed, it's currently being blamed in the popular media for every online horror story you can imagine. Given that, I would expect all y'all free speech/EFF types to be chomping at the bit to get you a piece of some of that action. It's the battlefield, the front lines, the ground zero, the Walkin Dude vs Mother Abigail. And all the pages look just like your "good old days" of the interthing, circa 1995 or so.
The MeFi group site, with that said, should totally have some kind of ginormous obfuscatory background .gif, as well as lotsa blinky geegaws and obnoxious music that starts playing as soon as you open the page.
posted by First Post at 3:08 PM on May 19, 2006
Recently, however, I've found some friends I thought I'd lost contact with forever, thanks to that site. Even though there's some concentrated evil within its confines, it hath restoreth a little part of my soul. So: I am torn.
Besides, in case you hadn't noticed, it's currently being blamed in the popular media for every online horror story you can imagine. Given that, I would expect all y'all free speech/EFF types to be chomping at the bit to get you a piece of some of that action. It's the battlefield, the front lines, the ground zero, the Walkin Dude vs Mother Abigail. And all the pages look just like your "good old days" of the interthing, circa 1995 or so.
The MeFi group site, with that said, should totally have some kind of ginormous obfuscatory background .gif, as well as lotsa blinky geegaws and obnoxious music that starts playing as soon as you open the page.
posted by First Post at 3:08 PM on May 19, 2006
I've also used MySpace to reconnected with a group of friends (all in our 30's and 40's) from my college days. I've had minimal contact with them during the last 12 years, but MySpace has closed that gap. Sure, the overall MySpace demographic is quite frightful, but you can insulate yourself prettily easily within your own tight-knit groups. I don't think the idea is completely absurd.
posted by kimdog at 3:30 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by kimdog at 3:30 PM on May 19, 2006
Whatever - as a long time hater and recent addict, I now understand. myspace is really alright. by now, its so fucking mainstream all the "lol teen" jokes are really irrelavant. All of my favorite bands and djs are on myspace (except autechre) so its easy to add bands or just old college roomates and keep up. And, to refresh your memory, podcasts are for egomaniac webloggers and will die out in 3 weeks, and weblogs are just html vanity pumps that will wither away on livejournal forever. Right?
But yeah this gif totally rules:
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 3:33 PM on May 19, 2006
But yeah this gif totally rules:
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 3:33 PM on May 19, 2006
so you were neither kidding nor drunk then. wow.
posted by puke & cry at 3:40 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 3:40 PM on May 19, 2006
Let's all record a totally contentious demo tape together and post it and get lots of record execs to give us big contracts! It will be soooo cool! We can be called The Meta... uh.. I dunno... MetaDiyos? Meta PPs? MetaPancakes? The Newsfilters? It will be soooo kewl....
I am soooo calling all my friends!
posted by zaelic at 4:01 PM on May 19, 2006
I am soooo calling all my friends!
posted by zaelic at 4:01 PM on May 19, 2006
It will be soooo kewl....
I am soooo calling all my friends!
Be sure to add Morrissey, Sonic Youth, and Mogwai.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 4:16 PM on May 19, 2006
I am soooo calling all my friends!
Be sure to add Morrissey, Sonic Youth, and Mogwai.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 4:16 PM on May 19, 2006
"Is, uh, is Bucket gonna come back to the thread? Ever?"
You'd think he'd be too busy caring for the Oompa-Loompas.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:25 PM on May 19, 2006
You'd think he'd be too busy caring for the Oompa-Loompas.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 4:25 PM on May 19, 2006
Email: metafilter@spam.la
Password: 123456a
Enjoy.
posted by Orange Goblin at 5:08 PM on May 19, 2006
Oh, that will go well.
posted by loquacious at 5:18 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by loquacious at 5:18 PM on May 19, 2006
Having never looked, I did think it was jus a prepubescent playpen. Now I'm going to have to look...
posted by Dunwitty at 5:23 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by Dunwitty at 5:23 PM on May 19, 2006
Please do not associate metafilter with myspace. Not that anyone would care, but if there is an offical metafilter-myspace connection there will cease to be a metafilter-517 connection.
posted by 517 at 5:37 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by 517 at 5:37 PM on May 19, 2006
I fixed that myspace page for you.
posted by puke & cry at 5:39 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 5:39 PM on May 19, 2006
Dude, did you just give an ultimatum and threaten to leave? You do know how well that usually works, right?
Not that I have any desire to see you go or anything.
posted by loquacious at 5:40 PM on May 19, 2006
Not that I have any desire to see you go or anything.
posted by loquacious at 5:40 PM on May 19, 2006
nevermind.
posted by puke & cry at 5:42 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 5:42 PM on May 19, 2006
Yeah, no melodrama here.
It wasn't meant to be an ultimatum. An influx of people from myspace would pretty much finish off metafilter as a place worth visiting on the internet, so it's not so much that I would leave as it is that I wouldn't want to come here.
posted by 517 at 5:45 PM on May 19, 2006
It wasn't meant to be an ultimatum. An influx of people from myspace would pretty much finish off metafilter as a place worth visiting on the internet, so it's not so much that I would leave as it is that I wouldn't want to come here.
posted by 517 at 5:45 PM on May 19, 2006
Don't sweat it. We'd eat them for breakfast. Then they'd go write angry screeds on their myspace blogs in animated glitter fonts about how bad we suck.
In the process, we might even pick up someone new and worthwhile who could actually stand the heat in the kitchen.
posted by loquacious at 5:48 PM on May 19, 2006
In the process, we might even pick up someone new and worthwhile who could actually stand the heat in the kitchen.
posted by loquacious at 5:48 PM on May 19, 2006
Hey, I like long shots.
posted by loquacious at 5:55 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by loquacious at 5:55 PM on May 19, 2006
Why would having a metafilter myspace profile cause an 'influx' of people from myspace?
Anyway, sure there are a lot of idiots on myspace, certainly the majority. But it's actually useful because it's so widely used. Since everyone has an account it's likely that most of the people you know 'in the real world' have accounts -- at least most of the people I know in the real world anyway.
People going on about "oh myspace just sucks so much" have probably only seen a handful of profiles here and there, mostly linked because they were so bad (although like I said, the majority of customized pages are pretty bad, due in no small part to myspace's fucked up HTML)
People complaining about myspace, talking about they're too cool for it are like people who bragged about not having a cellphone in the late 90s. In a couple years you'll be screaming at kids to get off your lawns.
posted by delmoi at 6:11 PM on May 19, 2006
Anyway, sure there are a lot of idiots on myspace, certainly the majority. But it's actually useful because it's so widely used. Since everyone has an account it's likely that most of the people you know 'in the real world' have accounts -- at least most of the people I know in the real world anyway.
People going on about "oh myspace just sucks so much" have probably only seen a handful of profiles here and there, mostly linked because they were so bad (although like I said, the majority of customized pages are pretty bad, due in no small part to myspace's fucked up HTML)
People complaining about myspace, talking about they're too cool for it are like people who bragged about not having a cellphone in the late 90s. In a couple years you'll be screaming at kids to get off your lawns.
posted by delmoi at 6:11 PM on May 19, 2006
Because myspace is a fucking joke.
I happen to feel the same way. Unfortunatley, I have to talk seriously to industry types who think it's the shit because 75 million people have signed up on it. Personally, I see it as a waste of 75 million peoples' time, but, paradoxically, it MUST be doing something RIGHT or so many PEOPLE wouldn't be signing up! RiTE!!?
posted by scarabic at 6:15 PM on May 19, 2006
I happen to feel the same way. Unfortunatley, I have to talk seriously to industry types who think it's the shit because 75 million people have signed up on it. Personally, I see it as a waste of 75 million peoples' time, but, paradoxically, it MUST be doing something RIGHT or so many PEOPLE wouldn't be signing up! RiTE!!?
posted by scarabic at 6:15 PM on May 19, 2006
...it's likely that most of the people you know 'in the real world' have accounts...
No, they don't, and there is a reason for that.
The majority of myspacers are from a very specific demographic, a very different group of people from the one that metaffilter is currently serving.
My sister pointed out that people on the coasts use myspace -like sites in a different manner than people who are not from the coasts. Where I am right now, there is a very specific group of people that make up the majority of people who use myspace. It isn't holier-than-thou to want the two worlds to remain separate so those who do not wish to participate in both are not forced to.
Side note, I don't have a cell phone. I carried one for work for about 4 years and I will never carry one, that isn't forced upon me, again.
This is all getting a little too post-modern.
posted by 517 at 6:28 PM on May 19, 2006
No, they don't, and there is a reason for that.
The majority of myspacers are from a very specific demographic, a very different group of people from the one that metaffilter is currently serving.
My sister pointed out that people on the coasts use myspace -like sites in a different manner than people who are not from the coasts. Where I am right now, there is a very specific group of people that make up the majority of people who use myspace. It isn't holier-than-thou to want the two worlds to remain separate so those who do not wish to participate in both are not forced to.
Side note, I don't have a cell phone. I carried one for work for about 4 years and I will never carry one, that isn't forced upon me, again.
This is all getting a little too post-modern.
posted by 517 at 6:28 PM on May 19, 2006
scarabic, that's a hoot. They still haven't figured out how to turn all those eyeballs into ad cash without ruining the site. It's like 1998 all over again.
posted by mediareport at 6:29 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by mediareport at 6:29 PM on May 19, 2006
Oh yes, and get off my lawn because your loud music is ruining the neighborhood.
posted by 517 at 6:29 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by 517 at 6:29 PM on May 19, 2006
What have I done? It's like some horrible wiki.
I really fucking hate myspace.
posted by Orange Goblin at 6:34 PM on May 19, 2006
I really fucking hate myspace.
posted by Orange Goblin at 6:34 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:43 PM on May 19, 2006
The majority of myspacers are from a very specific demographic, a very different group of people from the one that metaffilter is currently serving.
Well, all my actual people friends on MySpace are 25 to 50 year old geeks, DJs, musicians, journalists, &c., which I imagine also describes a fairly reasonable portion of MetaFilter users. (The non actual people ones are all profiles clubs, venues and bands run by the same sort of folk, too.) I've never even seen a teenager's profile on the place unless it's been linked to from elsewhere as an example of how terrible MySpace is because it contains children comitting the terrible, hateful crime of having a bit of fun with non-standards compliant HTML and animated gifs.
And what did your sister mean about different usage by coastal and inland people? I really can't think why that would be, or what the difference in usage would be.
posted by jack_mo at 6:57 PM on May 19, 2006
Well, all my actual people friends on MySpace are 25 to 50 year old geeks, DJs, musicians, journalists, &c., which I imagine also describes a fairly reasonable portion of MetaFilter users. (The non actual people ones are all profiles clubs, venues and bands run by the same sort of folk, too.) I've never even seen a teenager's profile on the place unless it's been linked to from elsewhere as an example of how terrible MySpace is because it contains children comitting the terrible, hateful crime of having a bit of fun with non-standards compliant HTML and animated gifs.
And what did your sister mean about different usage by coastal and inland people? I really can't think why that would be, or what the difference in usage would be.
posted by jack_mo at 6:57 PM on May 19, 2006
And what the devil is that penis-chinned old lady all about? Hm, never thought I'd type that sentence.
posted by jack_mo at 6:59 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by jack_mo at 6:59 PM on May 19, 2006
I actually do have a myspace account, but only because you need one to view the sexy pictures.
posted by puke & cry at 7:01 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 7:01 PM on May 19, 2006
I don't see a particular benefit for mefi, unless Matt wants a lot of myspacers to pay $5 to join. Unlikely. If you want to chat, try Metachat.
And, metafilterhas 1 friends. is funny.
And, get off my goddamn lawn.
posted by theora55 at 7:08 PM on May 19, 2006
And, metafilterhas 1 friends. is funny.
And, get off my goddamn lawn.
posted by theora55 at 7:08 PM on May 19, 2006
and?
posted by puke & cry at 7:18 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 7:18 PM on May 19, 2006
nothing. it just points there. that's it, pointing. a dildo. pointing.
posted by carsonb at 7:23 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by carsonb at 7:23 PM on May 19, 2006
oh, I have no idea what's gong on there. It was linked to a couple of days ago. Kinda loud though.
posted by puke & cry at 7:27 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by puke & cry at 7:27 PM on May 19, 2006
I just think of MySpace like meeting people in a dirty, smelly subway car with gum on the seats. You just kind of ignore it. And try not to sit down.
posted by dhartung at 7:37 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by dhartung at 7:37 PM on May 19, 2006
I like my joke metatalks a little more recursive, but this is still pretty good.
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:57 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by TwelveTwo at 9:57 PM on May 19, 2006
This whole myspace thing disturbs me.
I mean, first of all, I only heard about it recently. Even though there's 75 million users or something. Then, when I look at it, I see something like the unholy marriage of AOL and geocities but also sort of like a blog. It's like when the Internet was new. But the Internet isn't new, it's old. This is like a flashback to the little "men working" gifs days.
This is a second generation type thing, isn't it?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:25 PM on May 19, 2006
I mean, first of all, I only heard about it recently. Even though there's 75 million users or something. Then, when I look at it, I see something like the unholy marriage of AOL and geocities but also sort of like a blog. It's like when the Internet was new. But the Internet isn't new, it's old. This is like a flashback to the little "men working" gifs days.
This is a second generation type thing, isn't it?
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 11:25 PM on May 19, 2006
Is it too late to be too cool for school in this thread?
posted by keswick at 11:32 PM on May 19, 2006
posted by keswick at 11:32 PM on May 19, 2006
I agree EB. I don't get it. I don't understand what people do on MySpace. I don't understand why bands have profiles there - what does that do for them? So people can listen to half a dozen streaming songs? So random fans can leave lame messages the band will never read?
Colour me unimpressed.
And - I looked - and there aren't any long lost school friends on there.
posted by Jimbob at 3:03 AM on May 20, 2006
Colour me unimpressed.
And - I looked - and there aren't any long lost school friends on there.
posted by Jimbob at 3:03 AM on May 20, 2006
I don't understand what people do on MySpace. I don't understand why bands have profiles there - what does that do for them?
Well, what it's done for us is helped us reconnect with old friends and make new ones, find really good new music, keep up with the touring and new releases of bands we love, book our own shows with venues and bands and even on behalf of other bands, and sell stuff. Perhaps if everyone could give the rather over-the-top reflexive snobbery a wee rest, they might get something out of it too.
Seriously -- 75 million worldwide users -- and you don't think there might be a thing or two of value there? Just confining myself to bands that weren't on my radar prior to myspace, and further to one of the many musical subcultures flourishing there, modern Brazilian music: Numismata, Ronei Jorge e os Ladroes de Bicicleta, and Modern Bossa Band. This is some truly great music and I sincerely doubt I'd have found it on my own. If I'm ever in a position to see any of these guys live, believe me, I'll take it.
And anyone arguing that this is mainly by and for American coastal kids, all I can say is that I would have given my eyeteeth for a robust Net in general and myspace in particular as a teen on the desolate rural steppes, and I'm well pleased that most kids, no matter how isolated, have it now. Like First Post said so well, aside from the usual exhibitionism, meatheadism, and sparkly animated .gifism, this is some blessed Mother Abigail shit for the far-flung independent musicians, artists, and socially misfit teens of this world -- and I know some of you all could comfortably fit into all those categories, at least once upon a time. Give it a chance or don't, but as with most things, if you haven't at least explored it a bit, you are talking from your received notions and prejudices -- otherwise known as your ass -- about it.
posted by melissa may at 4:54 AM on May 20, 2006
Well, what it's done for us is helped us reconnect with old friends and make new ones, find really good new music, keep up with the touring and new releases of bands we love, book our own shows with venues and bands and even on behalf of other bands, and sell stuff. Perhaps if everyone could give the rather over-the-top reflexive snobbery a wee rest, they might get something out of it too.
Seriously -- 75 million worldwide users -- and you don't think there might be a thing or two of value there? Just confining myself to bands that weren't on my radar prior to myspace, and further to one of the many musical subcultures flourishing there, modern Brazilian music: Numismata, Ronei Jorge e os Ladroes de Bicicleta, and Modern Bossa Band. This is some truly great music and I sincerely doubt I'd have found it on my own. If I'm ever in a position to see any of these guys live, believe me, I'll take it.
And anyone arguing that this is mainly by and for American coastal kids, all I can say is that I would have given my eyeteeth for a robust Net in general and myspace in particular as a teen on the desolate rural steppes, and I'm well pleased that most kids, no matter how isolated, have it now. Like First Post said so well, aside from the usual exhibitionism, meatheadism, and sparkly animated .gifism, this is some blessed Mother Abigail shit for the far-flung independent musicians, artists, and socially misfit teens of this world -- and I know some of you all could comfortably fit into all those categories, at least once upon a time. Give it a chance or don't, but as with most things, if you haven't at least explored it a bit, you are talking from your received notions and prejudices -- otherwise known as your ass -- about it.
posted by melissa may at 4:54 AM on May 20, 2006
Why Join MySpace?
» Create a Custom Profile
» Upload Pictures
» Send Mail and IM's
» Write Blogs & Comments
» It's FREE!
I still don't get it. I can do all that and more on my own website without being confined to having an ugly-ass profile on a social networking site that looks like Geocities anno 1998.
Oh, and clicking "tell me more" gives me a 404.
posted by sveskemus at 5:19 AM on May 20, 2006
» Create a Custom Profile
» Upload Pictures
» Send Mail and IM's
» Write Blogs & Comments
» It's FREE!
I still don't get it. I can do all that and more on my own website without being confined to having an ugly-ass profile on a social networking site that looks like Geocities anno 1998.
Oh, and clicking "tell me more" gives me a 404.
posted by sveskemus at 5:19 AM on May 20, 2006
If it's OK with melissa may, it's OK with me.
In other news, how many times do I have to tell you kids to get off my lawn!!
posted by languagehat at 7:13 AM on May 20, 2006
In other news, how many times do I have to tell you kids to get off my lawn!!
posted by languagehat at 7:13 AM on May 20, 2006
MySpace is two things at once, and that's why there's so much disagreement on the subject:
1. Myspace is a website that a lot of people use to connect to other people who use it. They get ahold of new people and old friends and keep a blog and keep in touch &c. This is utility.
2. Myspace is a website that a lot of people use because they don't know better. It's ugly, ugly shit and sets back both design standards and design aesthetics by a mile. It's a pandering, lowest-common-denominator piece of technology. It's full of blithering idiots (along with some totally decent folks, natch). This is awfulness.
Some folks see myspace as useful; some see it as awful. Some people tread the line. Needless to say, anyone who sees it primarily as useful is going to take issue with declarations that it is awful, and anyone who sees it as primarly a piece of shit will be confused that anyone is willing to use it, let alone find it useful.
Reasonable people unable to agree on something because of differing frames of reference. Happens a lot.
I think myspace is shit, shit, shit—but I also acknowledge its utility. Sure, I think my home-rolled blog is prettier and I know it's more standards compliant, but then (1) no one else is using my blog code and (2) my resulting social network is utterly miniscule.
posted by cortex at 7:25 AM on May 20, 2006
1. Myspace is a website that a lot of people use to connect to other people who use it. They get ahold of new people and old friends and keep a blog and keep in touch &c. This is utility.
2. Myspace is a website that a lot of people use because they don't know better. It's ugly, ugly shit and sets back both design standards and design aesthetics by a mile. It's a pandering, lowest-common-denominator piece of technology. It's full of blithering idiots (along with some totally decent folks, natch). This is awfulness.
Some folks see myspace as useful; some see it as awful. Some people tread the line. Needless to say, anyone who sees it primarily as useful is going to take issue with declarations that it is awful, and anyone who sees it as primarly a piece of shit will be confused that anyone is willing to use it, let alone find it useful.
Reasonable people unable to agree on something because of differing frames of reference. Happens a lot.
I think myspace is shit, shit, shit—but I also acknowledge its utility. Sure, I think my home-rolled blog is prettier and I know it's more standards compliant, but then (1) no one else is using my blog code and (2) my resulting social network is utterly miniscule.
posted by cortex at 7:25 AM on May 20, 2006
Reasonable people unable to agree on something because of differing frames of reference.
No it's not. Any reasonable person would know it absolutely sucks. There is nothing good about myspace. From the ownership to the html there is not one positive. Users who are accusing others of being too cool for school are either blind or fooling themselves.
Well, I take that back. The only positive about myspace is that EVERYONE uses it. So you can keep track of friends or your favorite music because of course, it's there. That's the positive. But that could have been livejournal, or blogger, or anyplace.
It's like living in a really crappy city, where the water is brown and it rains every day. But you stay there because all your friends are there. One day someone's going to to realize the place is a piece of shit and move on. Eventually another city will take it's place. But right now crap is king, and so is myspace. And just because random dj x is on myspace, it's still crap.
posted by justgary at 3:10 PM on May 20, 2006
No it's not. Any reasonable person would know it absolutely sucks. There is nothing good about myspace. From the ownership to the html there is not one positive. Users who are accusing others of being too cool for school are either blind or fooling themselves.
Well, I take that back. The only positive about myspace is that EVERYONE uses it. So you can keep track of friends or your favorite music because of course, it's there. That's the positive. But that could have been livejournal, or blogger, or anyplace.
It's like living in a really crappy city, where the water is brown and it rains every day. But you stay there because all your friends are there. One day someone's going to to realize the place is a piece of shit and move on. Eventually another city will take it's place. But right now crap is king, and so is myspace. And just because random dj x is on myspace, it's still crap.
posted by justgary at 3:10 PM on May 20, 2006
Give it a chance or don't, but as with most things, if you haven't at least explored it a bit, you are talking from your received notions and prejudices -- otherwise known as your ass -- about it.
I have explored it, and like I said, I don't get it. Still. I was posing honest questions - why, when Sonic Youth have all the money in the world for their own website, on which they can do whatever they want, and implement whatever technologies they want, design it however they want, install whatever kind of blogging software and comment software...why do they need a MySpace profile? It feels like a huge step backwards in technology. Why do you feel MySpace has "exposed" you to artists, when other internet sites haven't? The band profiles on MySpace are pretty lame, really. Very limited storage space for downloadable songs.
posted by Jimbob at 3:17 PM on May 20, 2006
I have explored it, and like I said, I don't get it. Still. I was posing honest questions - why, when Sonic Youth have all the money in the world for their own website, on which they can do whatever they want, and implement whatever technologies they want, design it however they want, install whatever kind of blogging software and comment software...why do they need a MySpace profile? It feels like a huge step backwards in technology. Why do you feel MySpace has "exposed" you to artists, when other internet sites haven't? The band profiles on MySpace are pretty lame, really. Very limited storage space for downloadable songs.
posted by Jimbob at 3:17 PM on May 20, 2006
justgary, you just defended the very dichotomy you called bullshit on. Is your point that you're not a reasonable person?
posted by cortex at 3:48 PM on May 20, 2006
posted by cortex at 3:48 PM on May 20, 2006
Why do you feel MySpace has "exposed" you to artists, when other internet sites haven't?
Basically, because like much better designed utilities like last.fm, flickr, and stumbleupon, it connects people through mutual interests and contacts. I found the bands I mentioned after one friended us -- because, I'm convinced, we mentioned Milton Nascimento, Os Mutantes, and psychedelia in our profile, so when they searched for one or more of those terms, there we were. Once we were friends with that band, other bands already linked to them friended us. Or, we friended them. There are obviously plenty of bands who do this cynically -- adding bands or people just to boost page views or general perception of their popularity. But they are easy enough to ignore, at least for me, and worth doing so for the more sincere connections you can forge with like-minded artists. As I mentioned, these can lead to all kinds of real world connections, like tour stops or other collaborations. We just played with and hosted a band who arranged their entire tour and publicity through myspace -- and if you've ever done your own booking you know it's a frustrating, time-consuming headache. It's so much easier to deal with when the bands, the venue, and the fans are all working out of the same forum.
Really, cortex's breakdown makes perfect sense to me, mirroring something I've often thought before -- the site itself, in esthetic and functional utility, is extraordinarily poor, but the sheer number of users gives it extraordinary power as a social utility (that plenty of tools and schemers do their utmost to exploit, but that's a verity for any huge marketplace). We also have our own site, and people have found us that way, but they have to be looking for us. One myspace, they find us because their friend likes us, or another band they like links to us, etc. We also appreciate having another place to direct people for downloads, because hosting mp3s gets frigging expensive.
Pardon me if this all seems supremely obvious, and for my defensiveness earlier -- but after so many sarcastic comments basically stating that only dumbasses could possibly find value in it, it seems that it's not all that obvious. Really, the main reason I'm going on like this is to assert that if you are an independent musician or artist and want to tour or book your own shows (or you are a fan of same trying to keep up with their activities), and you've been disdaining myspace because of its shit esthetics (as is perfectly reasonable), you should reconsider. There are ways it is truly useful. Crap may be king, but it seems to me that if you can use his own kingdom to make something better for yourself -- and for free -- then why the hell not do it?
posted by melissa may at 6:00 PM on May 20, 2006
Basically, because like much better designed utilities like last.fm, flickr, and stumbleupon, it connects people through mutual interests and contacts. I found the bands I mentioned after one friended us -- because, I'm convinced, we mentioned Milton Nascimento, Os Mutantes, and psychedelia in our profile, so when they searched for one or more of those terms, there we were. Once we were friends with that band, other bands already linked to them friended us. Or, we friended them. There are obviously plenty of bands who do this cynically -- adding bands or people just to boost page views or general perception of their popularity. But they are easy enough to ignore, at least for me, and worth doing so for the more sincere connections you can forge with like-minded artists. As I mentioned, these can lead to all kinds of real world connections, like tour stops or other collaborations. We just played with and hosted a band who arranged their entire tour and publicity through myspace -- and if you've ever done your own booking you know it's a frustrating, time-consuming headache. It's so much easier to deal with when the bands, the venue, and the fans are all working out of the same forum.
Really, cortex's breakdown makes perfect sense to me, mirroring something I've often thought before -- the site itself, in esthetic and functional utility, is extraordinarily poor, but the sheer number of users gives it extraordinary power as a social utility (that plenty of tools and schemers do their utmost to exploit, but that's a verity for any huge marketplace). We also have our own site, and people have found us that way, but they have to be looking for us. One myspace, they find us because their friend likes us, or another band they like links to us, etc. We also appreciate having another place to direct people for downloads, because hosting mp3s gets frigging expensive.
Pardon me if this all seems supremely obvious, and for my defensiveness earlier -- but after so many sarcastic comments basically stating that only dumbasses could possibly find value in it, it seems that it's not all that obvious. Really, the main reason I'm going on like this is to assert that if you are an independent musician or artist and want to tour or book your own shows (or you are a fan of same trying to keep up with their activities), and you've been disdaining myspace because of its shit esthetics (as is perfectly reasonable), you should reconsider. There are ways it is truly useful. Crap may be king, but it seems to me that if you can use his own kingdom to make something better for yourself -- and for free -- then why the hell not do it?
posted by melissa may at 6:00 PM on May 20, 2006
MetaFilter: It's like living in a really crappy city, where the water is brown and it rains every day. But you stay there because all your friends are there. One day someone's going to to realize the place is a piece of shit and move on. Eventually another city will take it's place. ... and Cleveland sucks too!
posted by mischief at 6:13 PM on May 20, 2006
posted by mischief at 6:13 PM on May 20, 2006
Jack_mo: And what the devil is that penis-chinned old lady all about? Hm, never thought I'd type that sentence.
She's Sue Johansen from the Sunday night sex show.
posted by kechi at 10:59 PM on May 20, 2006
She's Sue Johansen from the Sunday night sex show.
posted by kechi at 10:59 PM on May 20, 2006
Pardon me if this all seems supremely obvious, and for my defensiveness earlier -- but after so many sarcastic comments basically stating that only dumbasses could possibly find value in it, it seems that it's not all that obvious.
That's exactly right. It's not at all obvious. Thank you for your explanation. I went there after wondering why people were so excited about yet another social networking site--"Isn't that fad dead?" I thought--and the first thing I saw was some of the most hideous web design ever. Animated gifs, blink tags, tiny bright green text on black backgrounds, flash ads offering me the latest in fun IM smileys, pages too wide for my browser, cReaTivve SPEElling aNd caPitalIzaTioN--the worst of the web, essentially. (And a page that plays music when you open it is a big no-no in my book.)
Call me too cool for school or a snob or an elitist, but I saw this and thought, why would I want to be here? What does this offer me that my existing Friendster profile, which I lost interest in 2 years ago, does not? And speaking of Friendster, the fact that MySpace came along well after the first wave of social networking sites likely eliminates for many of us one of the great things about MySpace cited above: that everyone's on it. My friends and acquaintances were on Friendster well before the ascendancy of MySpace.
I point this out not because I want you think that my social network was country before country was cool (I for one wasn't), but because the fact that everyone I would want to add to my network is already on one service means that there's no one left to add another service. People I know just aren't into this stuff enough to want to migrate over to another social networking site. So really, for me, and I imagine for some others, not everyone is on MySpace. If I leave out the profiles for my schools, the City of Venice, and the college film organization, I have 31 friends on Friendster. Leaving out Tom, I only have 4 friends on MySpace. I haven't searched exhaustively, but from spot checks it seems that almost everyone I know is just not on MySpace. So for my social circle at least, Friendster simply has a first-mover advantage.
But melissa may brings up an interesting idea. Aside from lowering the costs of distribution and marketing for small bands (which I have no experience with), I see now how MySpace could bring to the music industry the sort of less-obnoxious-because-it's-well-targeted advertising that Google has brought us. I really wouldn't object, and might even be happy, if a band searched my Music interests field (if I had anything there) and said, "I see you like band X. We like band X too. Maybe you'll like us, band Y." The advantage over conventional AdSense style targeted internent marketing would be that it could be delivered in a semi-personal, more human fasion and that I could hear their music with only a couple clicks. So that is something novel.
But really, I'm just not that social...
posted by epugachev at 10:59 PM on May 20, 2006
That's exactly right. It's not at all obvious. Thank you for your explanation. I went there after wondering why people were so excited about yet another social networking site--"Isn't that fad dead?" I thought--and the first thing I saw was some of the most hideous web design ever. Animated gifs, blink tags, tiny bright green text on black backgrounds, flash ads offering me the latest in fun IM smileys, pages too wide for my browser, cReaTivve SPEElling aNd caPitalIzaTioN--the worst of the web, essentially. (And a page that plays music when you open it is a big no-no in my book.)
Call me too cool for school or a snob or an elitist, but I saw this and thought, why would I want to be here? What does this offer me that my existing Friendster profile, which I lost interest in 2 years ago, does not? And speaking of Friendster, the fact that MySpace came along well after the first wave of social networking sites likely eliminates for many of us one of the great things about MySpace cited above: that everyone's on it. My friends and acquaintances were on Friendster well before the ascendancy of MySpace.
I point this out not because I want you think that my social network was country before country was cool (I for one wasn't), but because the fact that everyone I would want to add to my network is already on one service means that there's no one left to add another service. People I know just aren't into this stuff enough to want to migrate over to another social networking site. So really, for me, and I imagine for some others, not everyone is on MySpace. If I leave out the profiles for my schools, the City of Venice, and the college film organization, I have 31 friends on Friendster. Leaving out Tom, I only have 4 friends on MySpace. I haven't searched exhaustively, but from spot checks it seems that almost everyone I know is just not on MySpace. So for my social circle at least, Friendster simply has a first-mover advantage.
But melissa may brings up an interesting idea. Aside from lowering the costs of distribution and marketing for small bands (which I have no experience with), I see now how MySpace could bring to the music industry the sort of less-obnoxious-because-it's-well-targeted advertising that Google has brought us. I really wouldn't object, and might even be happy, if a band searched my Music interests field (if I had anything there) and said, "I see you like band X. We like band X too. Maybe you'll like us, band Y." The advantage over conventional AdSense style targeted internent marketing would be that it could be delivered in a semi-personal, more human fasion and that I could hear their music with only a couple clicks. So that is something novel.
But really, I'm just not that social...
posted by epugachev at 10:59 PM on May 20, 2006
Ironically, this thread spurred me to join MySpace. Mostly just because I pretty much list myself on everything like this that comes along. I did have one friend who invited me last month. Oh, also to get "kmellis" before anyone else does. Which, alas, was not possible in this case.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:59 PM on May 21, 2006
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 6:59 PM on May 21, 2006
Think of all the things about the web - the entire web - that are bad...Now, go to myspace, and see if you can find a single item from your list that isn't represented.
Don't forget pages that automatically load loud music. It cracks me up how that's considered rude by almost everyone I know online except the MySpace users.
posted by mediareport at 11:15 AM on May 22, 2006
Don't forget pages that automatically load loud music. It cracks me up how that's considered rude by almost everyone I know online except the MySpace users.
posted by mediareport at 11:15 AM on May 22, 2006
While I respect previous points about myspace's utility, I think it's important to not involve metafilter with it. Not because it sucks, but because we cannot, cannot allow scumfucks like Murdoch to control the content and construction of the web.
posted by Football Bat at 1:10 PM on May 22, 2006
posted by Football Bat at 1:10 PM on May 22, 2006
Don't forget pages that automatically load loud music. It cracks me up how that's considered rude by almost everyone I know online except the MySpace users.
There's got to be a lesson in here somewhere. If you make it easy to add background music, or crap colors, or bad fonts, the average internet user will choose those to add them. Regardless of how we all consider it to be the "bad" and tacky part of the web. (A depressing lesson, at that.)
posted by smackfu at 1:38 PM on May 22, 2006
There's got to be a lesson in here somewhere. If you make it easy to add background music, or crap colors, or bad fonts, the average internet user will choose those to add them. Regardless of how we all consider it to be the "bad" and tacky part of the web. (A depressing lesson, at that.)
posted by smackfu at 1:38 PM on May 22, 2006
Oh wait, I think I might have a MySpace page! I should check up on that thing, if I can find my password.
posted by danb at 7:25 AM on May 24, 2006
posted by danb at 7:25 AM on May 24, 2006
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posted by LarryC at 11:36 AM on May 19, 2006