(Wasn't sure if this was NF or OT...I thought NF since it was done via technical means online)
Check out this link: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/career/?p=398&tag=nl.e101 I agree with this person. I really don't have much of an interest in social networking. I'm looking at it thinking "Ok, how is this going to help my career opportunities?" I'm a very social person, but I don't know where I'd like to take time away from something else to invest in social networking. Sure, it might not take much time, but I'm not sitting idle currently much at all. Heck...there are times I just auto-delete [OT] emails because I just don't have time to WASTE (and yes, come on...most of the posts on their are not helpful but just opinions on religion, politics, and other stuff). I know Whil and Ed "tweet" but I took a look at twitter about a couple months prior to Whil asking about it, and I just didn't see the value proposition. It seemed like another geek-fest. Should I care what other people are thinking? After all, it's just a thought...they could change their mind in the next minute. What it becomes is a means for more discussion/interaction/participation, and that just requires even more time. Time that I really don't want to devote to such things. Perhaps I'm just not cool. ;-) Here's the way I see it: If you're an independent software developer, I could see the value so as to increase your # of contacts because you're livelihood is totally in your hands and you may soon need to find that next paying client (which I can completely understand folks like Whil doing it). For the employee folks, I guess it's good to keep your options open, but still, it requires time investment. And I'm stingey when it comes to spending my time. Perhaps I shouldn't be as much? It's like blogging. I admit that I like to read some people's blogs, sometimes, and I'm glad I guess that they do it. But it seems like EVERYBODY has a blog of some sort now. It's like a requirement of geekdom. I think of Dr. Seuss' story about the Sneetches, where there are star-bellied Sneetches and those without "stars upon thars." It's like a race to be the uber, modern geek, because if you don't get on board of the latest/greatest/modern software appliance/practice, you're a dinosaur. Easy example: look at the folks who stuck with Foxpro and the ribbing they took from the bleeding edge folks. (There's a reason they call it bleeding edge, by the way!!!!) And besides that, I probably wouldn't blog because I'm somewhat controversial in some of my opinions. No sense stirring up problems if you can keep them to yourself. You know what they say: never discuss politics and religion at a business meeting. Well, if you blog, it's ALL there for people to see. Anything you say CAN and possibly WILL be held against you. So blogging isn't for all types of people, imo. I've seen so many fads pop up in IT over the past 10 years and they're always super-hyped. There are several that I'm glad I didn't chase. These hyped IT "stars" burn bright for a very short time and then they're dropped like hotcakes for the next-best-thing. It's frustrating to the folks who jumped on and are then faced with the reality that they've wasted their time investment. I'm reminded on a time back in the 90s when Robert Green recommended I pursue Visual InterDev, but all signs were already pointing to it being replaced in the very short term back then. That's another reason why folks got so pissed with M$. They'd recommend something just to replace it a very short time later. Now THAT is the appeal of stuff like Python (unless I'm mistaken). It doesn't seem to have a radical change life. Am I wrong in that pov? I'd like to hear the opinions of folks here on the VALUE of social networking, and a compelling argument of WHY an IT professional should social network (beyond what I've mentioned). _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech Searchable Archive: http://leafe.com/archives/search/profox This message: http://leafe.com/archives/byMID/profox/[EMAIL PROTECTED] ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
