So what's the deal with Myspace?

[Briarius]

I was checking this out this morning. All I can say is that it looks like a collection for 'the worst web layout' competition. How does anyone actually use that thing?
Anyone here use it, and why? What for?

[tjdee]

1. I think we're too old for it.

My sister has a friend who's on it, (and my very hot Robin Thicke has a page on it) and apparently you can customize your page to look however you want.

The thing about myspace is that all the young kids are on it, so that's their thing I guess. I think it looks like a nightmare, and I can't imagine meeting someone, or whatever the young kids do on there.

I am turning into an old fart prematurely.

[GalleryGod]

2. It's a Really STRANGE neighborhood.

It's like peeking in to my students diaries...ewwwwwwww:wow: :blush:

[Briarius]

4. That's what I got out of it too

I just don't see the coolness of it :shrug:

[LynneSin]

8. All the young kids & all the sexual predators with an internet connection

If I had a kid I'd block that website off our computer. It's too easy for a sexual perv to use myspace to track down their next prey. I've read where schools are starting to ban it just for that reason

[Left Is Write]

11. My daughter is going on 19, but...

if she were 13 or 14, I'd probably consider blocking myspace.

As it is, I keep annoying her by reminding her to be careful about the information she gives out and that it's not only her friends and people she knows reading her stuff.

[Renew Deal]

3. I have a profile

but I kind of hate the site. It's the slowest site on the web. It's also incredibly hormone driven.

[ContraBass Black]

5. I won't touch it.

More trouble than it's worth, I think.

[eeyore]

6. It's a great tool for musicians

Musicians can set up a free page that will let them offer free songs for dowload, do a blog, keep a calendar, and send out messages to all of their friends on MySpace. It's pretty cool how people just go around collecting friends like trading cards. Pretty shallow on a personal level, but it's a really great way for bands to find more people who might like their music.

Here's my band's profile: http://www.myspace.com/uhf

[Briarius]

9. that's cool

at least it has some use then. I'll have to check out your band

[Flaxbee]

15. yeah - the Vanity Fair article did say that the Black Eyed Peas,

Neil Diamond, Depeche Mode, & others were using it to showcase new music & apparently there is going to be a new MySpace record label - sounds rather skanky for dating/meeting people purposes but really good for musicians.

[Dukkha]

27. yup I'm there

http://www.myspace.com/joerenzetti

it's done better for me than download.com and soundclick

*edit* This profile is undergoing routine maintenance.
AAAAAARGH! EVERY God Damn Fucking day it's offline! Fix it on your own fucxking time Tom!!!

[Left Is Write]

7. I stay as far away from myspace as possible.

My daughter is a member. I hate it when she uses myspace on my computer, because inevitably something gets effed up.

[henslee]

10. Myspace completely changes what the concept of "friend" is. The fact

it sold out to Murdoch is indicative of the founders dedication to the integrity of their online environment. Nevertheless, it is a good tool for bands.

[Thtwudbeme]

12. It's weird

I can't stand it.

[Flaxbee]

13. I was clueless until I read this month's Vanity Fair...

the one with Tom Ford and nekkid Scarlett Johanssen and Keira Knightly on the cover (March Hollywood issue). There's an article on MySpace on it - I had vaguely heard of it, really had no clue & now I just hope my sister keeps my nieces off it!

Anyway - if you're interested - more info in the magazine.

[SteppingRazor]

14. I have a myspace site...

like some of the other posters said. It's a great tool for musicians. I write a music column, and by keepin a lot of the local musicians as friends, I can read when/where they're playing and keep up with the scene.

It's also good for tossing out a blog post now and again, if you're not too serious about blogging.

[SteppingRazor]

26. Oh, by the way, my site:

www.myspace.com/dansweeney

Everyone here who has a myspace site should come and be my friend. :hi:

[Ariana Celeste]

16. I have one...

When I moved here to Indiana, I didn't know anyone except for who I was moving in with, being my SO and his roommate. After almost a year of being here, and not really meeting anyone, one of my online friends talked me into creating a profile... I got back in touch with a lot of people from Jr. High and High School, have several online friends on there, and have met a few people in my area. Plus with the blogging thing my mom can check up on what I'm doing. ;)
I just think it's kind of fun.

[bunny planet]

17. Its a great site for networking among musicians and visual artists.

Otherwise there is the whole exhibitionist, pedophile, peeping tom component, yeech. There are 56 million users, most of them are quite normal and often interesting people I assure you. Some are strange, and I would imagine there are a few that are dangerous, you are bound to get that with so many people in the network. It's the underage people that you have to be vigilant about who they are talking to or adding to their page ( I have a page and so does my husband and daughter each have a page), everybody else is a grown-up and can take care of themselves. I know exactly what is going down on my daughter's page otherwise she wouldn't have one. You cannot be too careful. My page is strictly for networking for my art business, and it is quite useful and has generated lots of contacts that have led to real career advancement. There are plenty of gorgeously designed pages there and lots of talent among the riff-raff, you just have to go looking and be selective. It is quite the phenomenon. I haven't read the Vanity Fair article yet, apparently there's a little hawking of the naughty-bits going on there as well. I wouldn't know, there's too much else of interest to worry myself about that.

[Jennos20]

18. I'm addicted to it....

My friends and I have alto of fun with it. It's kind of like an aol profile with better features.

[Scooter24]

19. I have one

though the layout is still a work in progress.

I don't try to achieve much with it. It's more like a bulletin board.

[Atmashine]

20. I use it to keep my friends in touch with me

Since I don't like talking on the phone. It's fun posting pictures too, and get concert updates for whatever bands you like. I woulda loved it in high school, if they had blogs then. You can also set your profile to Private so only your friends see your information instead of the entire world. But that's no fun.

http://www.myspace.com/atmashine

[Briarius]

22. Congrats on having a readable layout!

I think I might just make an account so I can look around some more.

Thanks to everyone for the info!

[mvd]

21. I don't like it

The only reason I have an account is to view the pages on music artists I like. Otherwise, it's not a place worth hanging out for someone my age - plenty of plain blog sites for me to use. Youngsters should be supervised there by parents.

Even with my unused account, I get stupid spam PMs.

[RetroLounge]

23. I use it to post My Poetry and for keeping in touch with friends

It is addicting, and it can be painfully slow.

But I'm having some fun with it, especially the band sites.

RL

http://www.myspace.com/retropaul

[TimeChaser]

24. My friends made me get a profile when we graduated, but

I haven't touched it in months.

[asthmaticeog]

25. I have a profile.

I've actually managed to track down friends (real life ones) I haven't seen in years and get back in regular contact, which has been a wonderful thing. It's also been great for helping my band promote shows.

The sexual predator stuff smacks of a scare-du-jour tailor made for hysterical local-news broadcasts. (Tonight at 11 -- how your own toenails can KILL YOU!) When there's 50 million users, NO DUH there'll be some nasty motherfuckers. If one as careful as one would be on IRC, IM or *ahem* at school or around one's creepy bachelor uncle and is not stupid about what info one gives out, there's not a damn thing to worry about. Hell, same rules apply to DU - we've had some sicko stalker fucksticks here, it happens. It's very easy to block other users. That said, I'd never let a kid under 15 or 16 use MySpace unsupervised. That also would be stupid.

Also, gotta say it: the mutitude of users who customize their pages into the land beyond unreadability are major shitheads.