15092011 Third

So this week, we are being fed with information about Social Networking Sites. How do they work, etc.

It is quite amazing. How we evolved from MIRC to Friendster and to the oh-so-overused Facebook.

Yes, don't judge me, why can't I use MIRC huh?! I was an avid fan of it even if it needs me to suffer with my 56k Dial-Up Connection back in my primary school days. I love the simplicity of #HASHTAGS that leads you into the 'room' to interact with people. Ah... Life was so simple then.

Okay, so I was given a task to search for a 'New' social networking web. And after some fidgeting on Google, I found this Asianave.com

It denied my access initially as they claimed that their web layout doesn't go well with my browser. =\ awkward much. But I still use Google Chrome to view it anyway.

So it's interface was.... meh~ and the color scheme wasn't appealing to me at all. It looked like some virused con site that will lead me to sacrifice my email & get to know all those weirdo desperados or whatever kind of cyber people on it.

As the description on Wiki goes like, oh, it is popular in Asia. I meant like DUH, of course that it is supposed to be popular in Asia because it is named ASIANAVENUE.

I didn't want to sign up for it as it looked kinda 'spooky'.

But it is funny on how they describe their own 'space'. And they even focused on 3 types of areas, which is your own online space, probability of finding your another half and enlarge your social network. HAHA.

This looked more pathetic than the current - passe Friendster. I seriously don't think there is any usefulness because the segregated and isolate the Asians? It is a global village out there in this 21st Century.

Speaking of Friendster, do you guys know how does it look like now? I believed it is being taken over by Google or so and transformed it into a gaming web. And yes, I still remember my password and all because I totally stopped using it in 2008. I hate how all my testimonials, photos and customized profile page were all gone. What a big refresh.

I managed to find a screen shot of the Old Friendster Interface. Everything was clean and color-themed according to the person's decision. Too bad Facebook came along and minimalized everything.

Next up, MYSPACE.COM.

Yes, probably I'm one of the few among my friends in Singapore that has an Myspace account. I was bored during one of my poly days and created this account. Was quite shocked at the transformation now as it used to be similar like Friendster, everyone can customized their profile page and the whole theme was majorly blue.

But now, it look similar to Facebook with the status option. Very similar interface to www.playlist.com though.

Do you know about this 'WHOLIVESNEARYOU"?

It is a Singapore-based Online Network I think. I forgotten by username and password!!

Everyone signed in will need to provide information about their current location and you'll get to know who lives near you and add them as friends! It is quite creepy and awkward to find your never-spoken-to-them-before neighbors in it. :|

So many social network sites, yet there are some which are ultra successful and yet some which are being buried down under. Why?

I believe that it is all the doings of the word of mouth. Like for example, in 2006, I didn't know what Facebook is about until my popular senior told me about it and urged me to sign up. Okay, so I did but I neglect it so much because I was more active on Friendster instead.

Soon, virus videos and flash .gif images started to flood Friendster, causing me to force to abort it and 'migrate' to Facebook. Therefore, I think it is not how WOW Facebook is, it is on how the current 'HOT' network site maintains itself to keep its users intact.

Social Networking Webs are certainly good for businesses as they provide information about a particular consumer's habit. However, to me, it is quite irritating to see people tagging me in their products' pictures. Sorry, but this kind of no-effort marketing skills doesn't attract me at all.

I'm a heavy twitter user. But I ignore all marketing links that someone my friends tweeted about. Seriously, I'm not interested.

Perhaps it is based on each individual on how they react to advertisements? I don't trust auto-mated tweets on how awesome this product it. I still prefer reviews and realistic shops.

But as time goes by, I think that slowly, there would be more interesting and interactive media forming as a trend. Who knows that if FB and Twitter might have the same state as Friendster? haha.

oh yah, " Would you please write me a testi? " (A favorite phase amongst Singaporean teens back in the Millenium)