FriendFinder: A Popular Social Networking Website

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Creating Your Social Networking Website Profile

How you would like to meet and communicate with other internet users, especially ones that share the same views and beliefs as you do? If you would then you may want to think about joining a social networking website, if you haven't already done so. When it comes to easily finding and communicating online with other internet users, social networking sites are, perhaps, the best way to go.

If you are interested in joining a social networking website, the first thing that you will need to do is find a network to join. You can easily find a number of networks by performing a standard internet search. For the best search results, you may want to search with the words social networking or social networking websites. In your search, it is likely that that you come up with a fairly large number of different networking sites. Popular sites that may be included in your search results may include, but will not be limited to, MySpace, Orkut, Friendster, FriendWise, Facebook, and Classmates.

Once you have made the decision to join a particular social networking website, whether or not it is one of the ones mentioned above, you will need to need to register with the site. Even free networking communities require that you go through the registration process. Once you are registered, you should be able to start communicating with other community members. Before you start communicating, you may need to develop your online profile or profile page, depending on the networking site in question. Although it may seem easy enough to create a profile, there are many internet users who are unsure exactly what they should and should not include.

Perhaps, one of the most important things to include in your online website is your picture. While a personal picture is optional, it is ideal. Many internet users enjoy taking to someone that they can see in their minds, without a picture this is difficult. If you are looking to use social networking websites just to meet new friends you may not necessarily need to post a private picture, but you may need to if you are looking to find love online. When it comes to internet dating, many individuals will not even view an online profile if a picture is not included.

In addition to your photograph, you may want to include your name. Now, when it comes to your name, you need to be cautious. You are advised against giving your full name, especially if your profile or profile page contains a personal photograph of you. In addition to your name, you may want to put down your location. As with your name it is important to display caution. Your picture, your address, and your full name can be dangerous, especially if it falls into the wrong hands. As much as you would like to fill your social networking profiles with personal information, you are advised to think about your safety before anything else.

You may also want to include information on yourself. This information may include your hobbies, issues that are important to do, your likes, and your dislikes. With many social networking websites, including MySpace, you will find that there are preset profile fields for this information. In addition to preset questions or categories on your likes and dislikes, you may also find additional information, including fun questionnaires. Many social networking websites will ask that you describe your favorite color, your goals in life, your most embarrassing moment, and so on. As with your other personal information, it is important to stay as vague and possible and not use any full names, especially real ones.

Social Networking - Classmates: A Popular Social Networking Website

Have you ever wondered whatever happened to your high school sweetheart? How about your best friend who you lost contact with overtime? If you have there is a good chance that you have tried to contact them. Unfortunately, many individuals get married or move away. This may make it difficult to contact those that you used to know. That is unless you join one of the most popular online social networking websites. That website is known as Classmates.

Although classmates is considered a social networking website, it is, in a way, unique from most of the others. This is because classmates focuses on connections that were made in school, whether it be elementary school, high school, or college. Although it is encouraged that you contact those that you know from school, you are able to contact just about anyone on the website. That is one of the many features of Classmates that makes the social networking site worth joining.

The only problem that many internet users have with Classmates is the fact that it is often requires a paid membership. There is a free membership plan that is available, but you are limited with what you can do on the site. Despite the fact that you have to become a paid member to enjoy what Classmates has to offer, it is well worth it. In addition to being well worth it, the membership fee is easy to afford. Currently, there are three different levels of membership that you can sign up for, the highest being only five dollars a month.

If you are interested in seeing what Classmates has to offer, you can easily do so by visiting their online website at www.classmates.com. Once at their main page, you will have to go through the process of selecting your school. Once that has been done, you will then need to create a user profile. This profile is part of what will be displayed on the website; however, once you officially become a member you can add more information to your profile.

With a free membership, you can post your own profile and view profiles from other members. Viewing the profiles of other members, especially those that you went to school with, is easy. Classmates has separated everyone into categories. These categories not only include the schools that everyone went to, but the years that they attended. This means that whether you graduated in 1970 or 2000, you should easily be able to obtain information on your classmates.

Although you can view other member profiles with a free membership, you cannot contact them. To make contact with those that you have lost touch with, you will need to become a paying member. As previously mentioned, this membership is relatively easy to afford. Once you have become a paid member, you cannot not only contact your classmates individually, but you can also send out broadcast messages or announcements to everyone that you went to school with. A paid membership also gives you the ability to use the message boards.

By joining Classmates, you will not only be able to make contact with your old classmates and friends, but you may also even be able to renew old friendships or make new ones. Reconnecting with your old friends and making new ones, what could be better than that?

Viacom VS Google: Copyright Violations / Copyright Infringement

The interesting detail about the last salvo alleged copyright violations concerning Google YouTube is no suprise. My friend and I had talked about it about 6 months ago.

The two founders of YouTube dodge a huge bullet in copyright violations, and made out like a bandit in the process (i.e selling to Google). Not sure who has the better deal in the transaction, Google, or the two founders of YouTube. It's looking like that in the latest suit between MTV (Viacom) and YouTube (Google). The potential is that if Google loses this suit, YouTube would not be a great investment (at least not in it's current form).

I would not underestimate Google. I would be willing to bet that there will be an 11th hour agreement to settle out of court. CEO Eric Schmidt is an extremely shrewd business leader. He will guide the company there this rough patch of currents.

This case is a precendence setting case. If Viacom MTV wins, you better bet that there will a long line of companies / entities filing suits against YouTube. On the other hand if Google wins, this would be the exact oppossite of what happened in the music industry (i.e Napster case).

I am sure the lawyers will battle it out in Southern District of New York. In the end, the lawyers are the winners.



tags: Viacom VS Google, YouTube, MTV, Napster, copyright violation, software

Mini Y2K - Daylight Savings Time 3 weeks early

Daylight savings time is 3 weeks early this year, thanks to the US Energy Policy Act 2005. On the surface it sounds like a good idea. But is it?

In the past this might have been a good idea. These days maybe not. People are leaving for work before dawn, and sometimes not getting back until after dark. Due to these patterns are we energy? I'll let you decide.

On other hand, we use lights, and appliances while we are awake, and turn them off when we go to sleep. In a sense we do same electricity, but do we save gas?

Moving clocks 1 hour forward three weeks early affect all electronics that have a time device. This past Saturday night / Sunday morning, IT specialists were busy patching their systems to account for this change. It's like a mini Y2K. Three weeks later, we have to adjust the clocks 1 hour back to account for the original daylight savings time. How much is this really costing companies, and government agencies? Are we actually saving money, or energy?

The good news is IT specialist now have more work to do. How's this for job security?


Don't forget moniker "Spring forward, Fall Back".




tags: daylight savings time, software, IT systems, electricity

US DOT Banned on latest Microsoft Products

US DOT CIO Daniel Mintz says he has placed "an indefinite moratorium" on Windows Vista, Office 2007, and Internet Explorer 7.

Sounds like there are concerns with security and compatibility. The department is looking at other alternative solutions.

With upgrade come costs. With upgrade of OS comes upgrading of other specialized department applications. Spending on upgrades at this time is unwarranted.

In addition, not upgrading is risk mitigation. This is in light of the move later on this year to the new DOT headquarters.

A similar banned is in effect at the Federal Aviation Administration.

Any prolonged banned can cost major $$$ for Microsoft.

This is good use for the competitors Google, Linux, and Sun Microsystems.

For once the competitors of Microsoft might be able to benefit from this moratorium.



tags: Google, Microsoft, software, Linux, Sun Microsystems

Google VS. Microsoft: Latest Salvo

As usual, Microsoft starts fighting the competition when there is a sense threat or perceived threat to their turf. The latest on the radar is Google. I was perusing an article from SiliconValley.com, it sounds like the battle lines are drawn. Each are firing salvos. The battle will get serious soon. Latest salvo is from Microsoft Attorney Thomas Rubin. Rubin says "Companies that create no content of their own, and make money solely on the backs of other people's content, are raking in billions through advertising revenue."

Rubin also riped into the handling of copyright materials. According to Rubin, "In essence, Google is saying to you and to other copyright owners: 'Trust us — you're protected. We'll keep the digital copies secure, we'll only show snippets, we won't harm you, we'll promote you,' " Rubin told the publishers. Then came a little rhetorical misdirection. "But Google's track record of protecting copyrights in other parts of its business is weak at best."

The remarks were presented at the Association of American Publishers.

On other hand there others in Microsoft that don't exactly agree wtih Rubin's stance. Don Dodge, director of business development for Microsoft's Emerging Business Team, shook his head: "Really dumb move! What are these Microsoft lawyers thinking? Even if they are right, which is debatable, what reaction do they expect from the public at large? This strikes me as pandering to the Association of American Publishers."

It seems to me that Microsoft is attacking Google's most vulnerable part of the company. This is just the latest in the many salvos between the two companies.

Of course we know the history of competition versus Microsoft. Give a prayer to those fallen by the way side. Novell, Borland, Netscape, Sun Microsystems, etc.

Of course the bundling technique has worked well for Microsoft over the years. We will see how the latest move of bundling the search bar in the Windows Menu works.

Jury is still out on Vista.

This does not mean Google not fighting back. Google is has introduced various products to compete with Microsoft. The latest is Google's premium apps.

Of course, this is good healthy competition, give people choices, just like when you pick hotels (silicon valley hotels). The hospitality industry just like the software industry is extremely competitive.

tags: Google VS. Microsoft, microsoft, google, siliconvalley.com, silicon valley, software