The Business Blog at Intuitive.com

Dave Taylor has been involved with the online world since 1980 and is recognized globally as an expert on both technical and business issues. He has been published over a thousand times, launched four Internet-related startup companies, has written twenty business and technical books and holds both an MBA and MS Ed. He's a columnist for the Boulder Daily Camera and Linux Journal and frequently appears in other publications both online and in print. Additionally, Dave maintains four weblogs: The Business Blog at Intuitive.com, Ask Dave Taylor, Dave On Film, and GoFahterhood. Based in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, Dave is an award-winning speaker, sought after conference and workshop participant and frequent guest on radio and podcast programs, as well as active member of his community and busy single father to three children.

What is it with all these stupid Facebook apps?

Maybe I'm just in a curmudgeonly mood or something, but every time I log in to Facebook there's yet another daft invitation from someone to sign up for some idiotic widget or app or another.

From vampires and hurled sheep to circles of friends, super friends, movie favorites and super walls, I am finding that I spend a not insignificant percentage of my time rejecting these impassioned invites to be more intimately intertwined with my Facebook pals.

It's not like there are a dozen that everyone uses, either. According to the Facebook applications area, there are now 9493 applications I can hook up with and then pester my erstwhile friends to join.

Is it just me, or are you getting sick of this Facebook graffiti and pollution too?

Posted by Dave Taylor at November 28, 2007 9:15 AM

Comments

Call me old fashioned. Call me out of date and out of touch. But I still have a fundamental problem with a software revenue model based on providing a service that no one would pay ANYTHING for. How much stickiness, how much longevity, and just how much ad revenue is an app going to generate that you aren't willing to even pay $1 a month for?

Jim, The Grinch

Posted by: Jim Pollock on November 28, 2007 9:51 AM

Throw me on this grinch-y bandwagon too. I have been offered apps to sell t-shirts, throw snow at people, race virtual cars---the stupid list goes on and on. But since I am getting so many invotes, I assume it means people are spending lots of time on Facebook which drives their CPM model... Right? --Ken (purethinking.typepad.com)

Posted by: Ken Barber on November 29, 2007 9:25 AM

Dave, I'm with you and the other cynical old curmudgeons. I like facebook, but I refuse to install apps or join groups - with very rare exceptions.

Posted by: Steven Pam on November 29, 2007 7:36 PM

Same here, I fine some of those applications to be totally senseless.

I can understand if you would send an e-kiss as it would imply some flirtatious motive, but apps like sending Starbucks coffee or Mc Donalds fries really tops the list of stupidity. Its so dumb its incomprehensible, what does it do? Does it allow the receiver to use it as a coupon of some sort in real life? Absolutely nothing, so how does that even deem to be entertaining? Its cheesy.

Posted by: Eric on January 18, 2009 6:06 AM

I agree - facebook would be way better without them. I have a love/hate relationship with facebook anyway. I came across a funny video that describes it perfectly haha. Have any of you seen this?

25 Things I Hate About Facebook:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVA047JAQsk

Posted by: Cheyanne Ogletree on February 14, 2009 3:50 PM

I honestly wonder how anybody gets any work done during the day with the amount of stupidity that follows Facebook and they're stupid apps. I agree with Eric, if you can't validate a true use for these things being sent to you, what the hell is the point? I tried Joining Facebook to network with others I might be out of touch with and I'm growing to really hate that site. I think I'll stick with LinkedIn.

Posted by: John on April 24, 2009 1:08 PM

haha that video is funny : )
25 things i hate about facebook but its kind of the truth : )
Lol

Posted by: Stephen Mathews on December 5, 2009 6:02 AM

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