Am I the only one who has never used any social media site?

[Netkeeper]

I've been using the internet for about as long as he has, originally only using IMs and forums with that much frequency... until everyone stopped using IMs as much. [Why did that stop?] Then I got a Tumblr, and after that Facebook and Twitter. It was just easier to talk to people in my fandoms that way.

Honestly I prefer IMs and forums, but whatever.

[CyberCubed]

Oh yeah, and I never used Chat Rooms, or AIM, or Skype or whatever else those "face to face" messages are called.

I feel like I'm living in The Jetson's time period when I see stuff like that.

[Leo656]

Ah yeah, I remember that. I used to do a lot of AIMing, and had IRC or whatever it was because one of my friends was semi-famous and preferred it to AIM b/c they'd get flooded with messages whenever they signed onto AIM, so IRC was how we kept in touch, but that was brief.

I kinda miss AIM, too, mostly b/c I had a ton of awesome friends on there who I lost track of the first time my internet died and I vanished for like two years (a couple of you may remember, I know GK does), and now I doubt I'll ever be in touch with them again. But that's life, I guess. Plus I forgot all my passwords, haha.

I do sorta feel like FB streamlined and condensed a lot of that stuff into something that's easier to use, but on the flip side, I hate knowing I'm being spied on and everything I say or Like is being fed into some corporation. But then, that's anything anymore. Buy a certain book, you're on a List. Save a certain show to your DVR, you're on a List. I could go on forever about how easily we trade away our privacy for the sake of convenience, but I already have many times, so I won't. I mean, I like FB, I just don't think people use it "right" and it sucks there's no real privacy to it. Ah well.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Oh yeah, and I never used Chat Rooms, or AIM, or Skype or whatever else those "face to face" messages are called.

I feel like I'm living in The Jetson's time period when I see stuff like that.

Which is funny, because AIM's been around since 1997 and Skype's been around since 2003.

Originally Posted by Leo656

Ah yeah, I remember that. I used to do a lot of AIMing, and had IRC or whatever it was because one of my friends was semi-famous and preferred it to AIM b/c they'd get flooded with messages whenever they signed onto AIM, so IRC was how we kept in touch, but that was brief.

Yeah, I used to just IM people links to whatever ridiculous site I found at 2 in the morning and create a whole conversation out of it. I also used it for roleplay [which is about the only thing I still manage to use AIM for nowadays]. I have no idea if AIM was ever more private than Facebook, but it sure had that feel to it.

And I know what it's like to get bombarded with messages as soon as you sign on. Just one reason why I got into the habit of rarely turning my computer off; if I was always online, messages would get spaced out to a manageable extent. And if I just didn't want to be messaged at all, AIM had a function that made you appear invisible [as did any other IM platform]. Habits I still use with Skype today. :V

Skype is pretty beautiful, by the way. It's so much easier to start a voice call and talk into my wireless headset while doing things around the house or playing a video game.

[pennydreadful]

So is Skype primarily face-to-face/audio, or does it have a function where you can just type as well?

I never really used any instant-messaging type things because I really have to be in the right headspace for talking one-on-one (basically, I just get nervous); I kind of get that thing where I worry that I won't have anything to say, whereas an email, PM or a messageboard gives me time to gather my thoughts a bit.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Oh yeah, and I never used Chat Rooms, or AIM, or Skype or whatever else those "face to face" messages are called.

I feel like I'm living in The Jetson's time period when I see stuff like that.

I never knew you could do "face-to-face" chatting with AIM. News to me. Skype, yeah.

Skype is very useful, especially for job interviews outside of your state, city, or country. I've used it for interviews and honestly, this was the initial reason I even started using Skype to begin with. I used to go to a type of class to help improve one's chances of landing interviews and the instructor mentioned using Skype...which was about...8 years ago. If I couldn't find work in my town, I wanted to show that I was flexible enough to relocate and apply for jobs elsewhere.

Now, I use Skype mostly to talk to family back home, but since I'll be quitting this job soon, I'll probably start using it for interviewing again. Anywho, I do video chats with my family at least once or twice a week (weekend) and when I was stuck in the hospital for those 6 or 7 weeks, my mother was able to call me everyday twice a day because of the phone set up Skype has.

I have an online "Skype" number which I decided on about four years ago when I moved to Japan the first time. I set up the number so that it'll have the same area code as my hometown (804) so they can call from a landline. The call is considered local for them and if I call them through Skype to phone, it's considered local for me, but I do have to pay a small fee (like $.0001 a minute or something), but if they call me, it costs me nothing. It's like how people called collect back in the day. Talk real fast and hang up. lol I usually call, let them know I'm available, hang up and they call me back.

So yeah, in my case, Skype is a bit of a necessity as far as family goes and for work, it's useful for job interviews and I need to get on the ball and start putting in resumes and interviewing for spring jobs. I don't plan to put in my 3 month notice until after I renew my work visa, though, so that it'll be easier for me to look for work over here if I decide to actually stay here and already have an advantage over overseas applicants.

Originally Posted by pennydreadful

So is Skype primarily face-to-face/audio, or does it have a function where you can just type as well?

Yeah. It's capable of voice chatting, video chatting, and just plain old typing (IMing).

I never really used any instant-messaging type things because I really have to be in the right headspace for talking one-on-one (basically, I just get nervous); I kind of get that thing where I worry that I won't have anything to say, whereas an email, PM or a messageboard gives me time to gather my thoughts a bit.

A few years ago, I kinda went AWOL on all my messenger things for a long period of time. About two years or so. I didn't return to them until about 2009.

Prior to that, I used to use AIM, MSN (I used to play Pristontale, so many of the players that were on there that I'd befriended would talk outside of the game on MSN, same with Final Fantasy XI), IRC and ICQ, (I used that back in like 2000 to talk to those I'd befriended on the old Upnetwork Pokemon message board and Bulbagarden).

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by pennydreadful

So is Skype primarily face-to-face/audio, or does it have a function where you can just type as well?

I never really used any instant-messaging type things because I really have to be in the right headspace for talking one-on-one (basically, I just get nervous); I kind of get that thing where I worry that I won't have anything to say, whereas an email, PM or a messageboard gives me time to gather my thoughts a bit.

You can have audio-only calls, you can have calls with video, and you can just plain type like any other IM. Skype also keeps all your IM logs and allows you to send messages to people when they're offline that they'll receive once they sign back in... it basically does IMing better than anything else does. Voice calls are just an added plus for people like me that love using their voice because it's easier to multitask.

[pennydreadful]

Hmmm. Wonder if I should install it - might have to give that a ponder. There are some folks here and on the umblr-of-T that I like the idea of IMing with, though again, it'd have to be when I'm feeling chatty. There's nothing more awkward than when you're having a conversation and they come back with just "LOL"... and nothing else. And then you're like "argh, I have to come up with something else to say" and then it just gets stressful. Maybe that's just me though! *shrugs*

[TheCanadiandrome]

Well other than mainly this forum, I don't use Facebook, Twitter, tumblr, or whatever either. But I have a YouTube channel, Vine account and a Google+ page

[CyberCubed]

Fun fact: I never even had an iphone until the Iphone 4.

I still used the old flip-top phones with the buttons.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Fun fact: I never even had an iphone until the Iphone 4.

I still used the old flip-top phones with the buttons.

Fun fact, I never owned a cell phone until moving to Japan my second time in 2012. First time, I had a prepay phone I rarely ever used and had it just so I had some type of number registered to me. I got the iPhone 4 in 2012 because I figured it would be the easiest to use since I had an iPod...and my boss required me to have one so I'd always be in contact.

[CyberCubed]

It seems we are all "technology dinosaurs" here. Given most of us were born in the 80's its not too surprising, when we were kids we didn't have all this new fancy technology the young ones currently have.

Since we didn't grow up with it we're not into the cyberspace the current modern day youth is. Sure, we all got involved in this stuff when we got older, but kids today will never know the joy of never having the internet, no cell phone, and playing 8-bit games on the NES.

[blindturtle02]

The only social media site I use is facebook because I've got friends scattered throughout the world like Jester. My family is spread everywhere as well, so I like checking up on everyone. I'd misplaced my facebook password and finally found it in May of this year, so it's nice to be back in touch with folks because no one calls each other anymore. I'm bad about organizing phone numbers, so just as guilty. I actually prefer phone convos, but Skype also sounds fun and lest costly. Other than facebook, I get on this thing and that's it.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

It seems we are all "technology dinosaurs" here. Given most of us were born in the 80's its not too surprising, when we were kids we didn't have all this new fancy technology the young ones currently have.

Since we didn't grow up with it we're not into the cyberspace the current modern day youth is. Sure, we all got involved in this stuff when we got older, but kids today will never know the joy of never having the internet, no cell phone, and playing 8-bit games on the NES.

This may be why I can't get into things like Twitter or the constant texting stuff.

Even with taking care of business, I prefer to do things face-to-face, unless it can't be helped. I sometimes see my younger cousin (now 20) sitting with her friend, just texting away, even though they were seated right next to each other.

I do feel that we're all becoming a bit more disconnected as the technology continues advancing.

[CyberCubed]

Man, you know its sad that most of us are only in our mid-late 20's and early 30's and we feel like "old timers" compared to today's modern youth.

I mean we're all still young ourselves! Yet we all feel so outdated to the modern technology. Crazy.

[Cure]

What a bunch of old f*cking fogeys.

[Archon_Turtle]

I'm 33. Have a smart phone. Active on facebook, twitter account, long career in video games. Technology is rad. Suck it, old people.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Archon_Turtle

I'm 33. Have a smart phone. Active on facebook, twitter account, long career in video games. Technology is rad. Suck it, old people.

Same age. I have a smartphone but only because my boss told me to. lol I'm also active on FB because I'm overseas. Probably wouldn't use it much if back home. Same with the smartphone.

[Leo656]

I can totally see how some people legit need and/or can benefit from those things for work, but I'm pretty sure most people are just playing "Internet Celebrity".

Anybody you know ever brag about FB Likes in real-life conversation? What's the acceptable protocol for that situation? Do you hit them? I'm pretty sure it's allowed, in that context, to not only hit them, but actually damage them. If not, then it should be.

[CyberCubed]

If anyone ever bragged to me about how many facebook "friends" they have in real life I'd probably punch them in the face and walk away