Alright, even though I said I as not going to get into the social networking craze because it was a massive timewaster, the many invite emails and the features of facebook has lured me in. So yes I'm finally on facebook. Just search for me, Samuel Lai, and find the one that's in the Australia and Monash networks (that's enough to narrow me down). I would post my profile link here, but facebook doesn't seem to like that very much - haven't seen a single profile link so far that works if you're not friends yet.

So having been on facebook for about two weeks, what do I think?

• I love the fact that there are no usernames involved. Just enter an email address and away you go. Even better, if you activate multiple email addresses, you can use any of them to log in. No more dreading the 'my username has been taken what stupid, unrememberable phrase should I use now?' problem.
• The email notifications are useless. Tell me what's being said! I understand it has to do with bumping up page views but seriously, I think you're big enough not to have to use this tactic now.
• Everything is so Americanised! WTF is a concentration and how is that different to a course? I know it started in the US, but you're international now, so at the very least drop a small helpful hint in those sections so we know what you're talking about. I still don't exactly understand what they are - your concentration is apparently your uni course title (e.g. commerce, mechatronics engineering), but I have no idea what your course is, and what the number, title and section fields mean.
• Why is my high school not considered a network, yet for all intents and purposes it is basically one, where I can search/browse members in it, sorted by class year? People instead opt to create groups for each high school and year, only fragmenting the information further. Clearly the need is there.
• The applications are great - it's impressive what people have come up with. The iLike Music Challenge is a great time waster
• I love the groups there as well. It's amazing to find so many other people who feel the same as you, no matter how trivial the matter is. I'm part of a heap of groups, including Victims of the International Baccalaureate, Monash is Way Better Than Melbourne, Keep Your Fucking Hand Down in Lecture and Shut Up - No One Cares, and my favourite - I hate 5 cent pieces because they're pretty useless!. Seriously, I can't think of a good use for 5 cent coins now that even parking meters don't accept them. Join up and make the 5 cent coin history!
• The problem with groups however, is that it's a pain to keep up to date with them. I should get a summary entry on my Mini Feed, and there should be a Mini Feed style page for all my groups, showing the updated wall postings, discussion board posts etc. The current group page only tells me something's changed - I still have to click into each of them to find out what the post was.
• Finally, I made myself look like an idiot for about a week by replying to wall posts on my wall. No one ever told me you're supposed to reply on the other person's wall, and that the wall-to-wall feature shows the entire discussion! They should just disable the ability to post to your own wall, and use some javascript to make a textbox appear when you click the 'write on ....'s wall' link.

Don't get me wrong, facebook is pretty cool and I can see the massive potential in it. There's so much in there that I haven't even touched! I wish they would give people the ability to access their facebook info outside of facebook though - for example, I'd love a Windows Live Messenger style facebook client, popping up whenever I have a wall post, or whatever, and giving me the ability to reply right there.

Now I just have to convince the majority of my friends on myspace to convert