MySpace, Is it really that cool?
Why don’t I get MySpace? Really, can you guys enlighten me, because I don’t get it.
MySpace allows its users to create a profile page where they can then share their music, videos, pics and blog entries with others. Others are then welcome to come by and leave messages creating a ’social network’ of sorts.
Two musicians I really like, Shawn McDonald and Mat Kearney both have MySpace pages that I view from time to time. The main reason I visit their MySpace pages are to see if they are ever going to be in Colorado. They don’t seem to make it to the mountain state that often. However, I did catch Shawn in Fort Collins last year…
On the surface MySpace sounds good - so why don’t I get it? I think it has something to do with all the pages are so disorganized and frankly ugly to look at. It reminds me of the old GeoCities sites. Yuck. Why not just create a WordPress blog where you have more control?
What am I missing here, because MySpace seems to be the talk of the town and I just don’t get it.
June 30th, 2006 at 1:05 pm
You’re not alone, I don’t get it either.
June 30th, 2006 at 2:31 pm
Hey Ben, at least I’m not alone. Admittedly, I haven’t spent loads of time over at MySpace so maybe there is something we are missing?
Does anyone use MySpace and can explain why it’s so popular?
June 30th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Dude, you’re missing the point!
Where else can you post all your private personal info and then be approached by every sicko child-porn dealer out there looking for a quick feel?
That’s what I thought . . . I watch Dateline. I know which side is up.
Ben O.
BTW - Nice follow up to my Brainfuel caption. Really good stuff.
June 30th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
The Guardian UK tries to explain it in an article out today (interesting timing):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1809647,00.html
June 30th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
I have a MySpace page… and it is ugly but better looking than everyone else on there.
http://www.myspace.com/negative99
It started just for indie music… whuch made sense to me. Set up a site that has your songs and show schedule… cool. But for whatever reason once schoolkids found out they could make a personal page it start to slowly grow… and then once a critical mass of kids were using it it ballooned. Then news stories on it triggered massive explosive growth.
Right now it’s mostly a parade of infantile vanity and perverts. It’s still a good place for indie music, but you have to tolerate much.
June 30th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
Ha!! Oh yeah… it is as geocities-esque as it gets.
June 30th, 2006 at 9:39 pm
I’ve been messing with a MySpace page for a friend of mine and I have made .css work for me, but it cannot be the correct way to use .css at MySpace as it just appears in the middle of the HTML, vs being in the head section.
I now understand why so many pages look the way they do, as I actually know a little about HTML/CSS, I dunno how a complete novice would ever figure it out.
But as Mark said, just create a WP blog, it is easier to set up, easier to control, costs a bit to host it I suppose but man there are some really cheap hosting deals out there.
I guess it is just popular (a fad that will fade away one day, I hope), and no I will not show the page I have been working on because it is embarrassing.
July 3rd, 2006 at 2:30 am
One thing about a WordPress blog is that once you’ve set it up, your initial community is determined by the friends you have that are willing to drop by from time to time to check out what you’re posting about. After that, you have the set individuals who are attracted to your site because of the appeal or relevance of your content. If your content begins to shine, then you’ve got a chance of being invited on to a bigger blog community like 9rules, et cetera - and your community begins to grow beyond your wildest dreams. With sites like Friendster, orkut, and MySpace (to name a few), you’ve got the community built in. In one easy layout, you see everyone and anyone who links to your friends - and they’re just a quick invite & click away from becoming your “friend” & vice versa. In the WordPress world, you contact someone hoping they find the value in your site & one day take the time to add your site to their list of links. In theory, you should be able to grow your network/community much like the other community-centric sites, yet it’s a little more informal and cumbersome. ANYWAY, I’m assuming MySpace is so popular because the creators have bent over backwards to give users all the bells and whistles (regardless of how badly users make use of it all) to make their page as custom and individual (and disgusting) as they are - and given them the ability to network and grow their list of “friends” with one easy click.
July 3rd, 2006 at 7:28 am
You make some good points Tomas, I can see how having the community built right in can make it appealing…
There’s no doubt about it, building up a community is not an easy thing.
If only I was able to pass out donuts to all my blog viewers!!
April 5th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I was bullied and guilted into signing up for a myspace by friends when it 1st started up.I have a really low user id to prove it.I’m so cool,not.
Anyway,yes it is ungettable.For instance:my real life friends are on it and it’s pathetic that we comment each other instead of picking up the phone 70% of the time.
Second: the community is really young, can’t spell and is completely uninteresting.
Third: if you do go out of your way to “meet” strangers eventually your interaction will be reduced to “hey,what’s up” in a comment.
Myspace promotes banality.It’s something in the water.
On the CSS side after having a hideous page for about 2 years(very Frontpage-esque) I delved into the myspace customizing forum community,learned up and really got addicted to changing my page.
It’s been about as exciting as that for me.Once in awhile I like to change my page.Other than that I pick up the freakin phone!!
Here’s my page and here’s a lol (myspace speak)
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=1411110
June 2nd, 2007 at 12:00 pm
It might be popular due to its large member base. Its database is more than 30 TB. And it will be great platform for new artists to launch their first-draft talents just like the Cannes Film Festival.
But regarding its look and feel of the pages that are so crappy and messed-up, I agree 101%