This is a poke-free zone
It’s been a good four months. I watched the South Africa network on Facebook grow from 100,000 to 400,000 members, and missed Miss South Carolina by minutes. Maybe she is on Orkut. That’s where I’m going.
Adieu, Facebook. I never was sure about the propriety of the Facebook feature that copied your blog posts as notes. But then, I never was sure about the propriety of poking random people either, or giving them growing gifts.
If the notes annoyed you, my apologies. If you enjoyed them, thanks. Soon, however, they’ll be no more. If you kept track of these posts via Facebook, you’ll have to subscribe to my RSS feed instead, or become a guinea-pig for the brand new e-mail subscription service on your right. (If it doesn’t work as expected, please do let me know.)
Microsoft is buying a teensy sliver of Facebook for a whole lotta dough, with the intention of advertising at me. Personally. It thinks it paid $300 for that right, but I’m not up for that. The deal is all over the news, and as usual, The Register has by far the best headline and funniest take on it.Shortly after I blogged about the impending deal, in which I explained my deep misgivings about the prospect of doing business with a company whose products, privacy policies and security record I don’t particularly like, and whose online services I’ve long vowed never to use again, I made a public promise. If Microsoft buys a stake in Facebook, I’m leaving.
I’m not saying that Google is any less of a privacy risk, but I sold my soul to them a long time ago, and to date, it hasn’t burnt me. There’s no turning back now, and I have no spare soul to sell to Microsoft. Call it a risk exposure minimisation strategy. Orkut was all the rage in 2004, when I last tried it, but it was a dog. It’s been groomed a little since, had its nails clipped and stuff, but still seems to enjoy some canine capriciousness. I’ll get used to it. Someone, somewhere in the Googleplex, must be paying just a little attention to Orkut, surely?
I’d better get used to it. Because in a few days, soon as I’ve informed everyone, handed over the groups I manage, and backed up whatever data I have on there, I’ll never point my browser at facebook.com again. Maybe eating the cookie will make me feel better.
Adieu, Facebook.
Update: I’m now on Orkut. Apparently, it’s up for a relaunch on 5 November, so I’m looking forward to see what the Googledroids have conjured up. If you’re there too, you can find my profile here.
[…] we would do … but then you wouldn’t know what it is all about … unless you visit Ivo’s blog, of course, so do that) has declared that he is leaving Facebook: Microsoft is buying a teensy […]
[…] a post entitled, ”This is a poke-free zone,” a South African blogger, Ivo, says he’s leaving Facebook, closing his account there, […]
Hi Ivo
Just confirm this bold move, you might want to deactivate your account on Facebook, you can do so here. If you ever want to return to Facebook, don’t worry you will be able to reactivate your account with ease. :)
I did say “in a few days”. Just tying up some loose ends over there (lots of people and groups to say bye to), and getting settled in Orkut. By early next week, my Facebook account will be deleted.
Ivo, I’m surprised you’re not attempting to persuade your groups and people to move over to Orkut with you…or is that what’s taking so much time? lol.
You were poked by Justin Hartman.
:)
@Henre: I did. I messaged the group with the announcement, and asked them to move too. I asked them to ask their friends and their friends. With some trepidation, I might add. After all, only six degrees separate me from destroying Facebook completely.
@Justin: You are so looking for a banning.
Couldn’t find you on Orkut dude…
Saw a sexy picture of you with a cigarette (http://wiredgecko.net/2007/10/please-turn-out-the-lights/). How much did BAT pay you for that?
Think you could put me in touch?
lol, Ivo, good luck with that. Your urgency in this matter reflects your stance in society. Should I be scared that one morning I’ll wake up and receive 500 invites from my previous so-called friends to join Orkut?
@Ivo, sorry I just couldn’t resist. That darn poke feature is my worst…
Henk, I’m afraid I paid even for that particular cigarette. (And it cost a fair few to get the shoot done.)
The day I get funded by BAT, oil companies, or the vast right-wing conspiracy, I’ll retire and throw a party.
Or start your own social network? Maybe get BAT to buy some shares?
Oh, I added my Orkut profile ID to the post. Seems it takes a while to propagate. I’m here:
http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=13361480640176232372
@Tyler: Happy now?