Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby....

[Kevin Burton Smith]

What does all this "friend" stuff mean, exactly?

I mean, yeah, I joined, and I promptly went through the lists, looking for people I know and consider buddies and asking them to be my "friend." It's a little pathetic, i guess, but it's sincere.

My yardstick for "friendship" is simple. Would they have a drink with me? Would I have a drink with them? Do they know me from a hole in the ground? Do I know them from a hole in the ground?

But what's the deal with all these total strangers -- or people I know but who I think should be IN a hole in the ground (and feel the same way about me) -- asking to be my friend? My mailbox is full of requests from people I don't know.

Do requests expire, or do they hang around forever? How long do I have to figure out who these people are and respond?

Am I missing the point of it all or what? If I become a friend, do I have to buy them presents at Christmas?

Or are they just kissing fanny wherever they find it?

Are we about to be beseiged by the Self-pubbies and the BSPistas?

Has Daniel created a monster?

Buy my book.

Buy my book.

Buy my book NOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!

[Daniel Hatadi]

You might want to read the help, Kevin. And I wrote a post that talks about the whole friend thing too.

Also, avoid the pills with the Mitsubishi logo. You just never know what's in them. :)

[Graham Powell]

A quick rundown:

Actual friend = friend.

Person you know reasonably well online = friend.

Cute female = friend.

Anyone else = who the Hell do you think you are, anyway?

[Vince Keenan]

I'm not 100% on this friend business, either. You should see my MySpace page, where my only friends are tumbleweeds. And Tom.

My rule of thumb is if I've read your books or your website, I'll ask to be your buddy. What the hell, right? It's only the internet. It's not like I can siphon money from your PayPal account. Unless Ning has that in the works ...

Conversely, if you send me a request, I'll accept it if I don't know you from Adam or Eve. But that's just me. Amigo de todos.

[LC Fraser]

Yes we all expect Christmas presents. Well unless we don't celebrate Christmas in which case send money.
Lynne (sorry - I did not ask to be a friend to you cuz I do not think I know you but hey a free Christmas gift? too good to pass up) and back I go to the poker game

[J.D. Rhoades]

Part of the point of the whole Internet Social Networking thing is to find new people who share your interests. If you just send FR's to people you know, you're missing that. Being on a friends list isn't' any kind of RL obligation.

[Joy Calderwood]

Kevin, if you click on a link, it gives you a chance to enter a resounding Reject. You could even save them up until you're in a mood to take potshots at things, and do it then. Could be satisfying.

[Gerald So]

The friends I value most are those I've met in person, followed by people I know reasonably well online, people I've corresponded with a few times, people whose work I admire, and lastly people I haven't met but who seem to have the same interests I do. If at some point my list becomes unwieldy, the first "friends" I'd let go are those I haven't met or corresponded with, but who seem to have the same interests. Nothing personal, just fair warning. :)

[Angie]

Um...internet/social networking friending is (to me at least), just a way to say hello & bookmark someone who seems interesting. I'll pretty much "friend" anybody, 'cause it's generally polite & most folks here at Crimespace have something kinda cool about 'em. I write, but I'm not self-pub'd or a big BSP freak. I just like writing (and reading) crime fiction. So, y'know. If you feel weird about a friend request, you can always just decline. I doubt anybody'd hold it against ya...

[Merrill Young]

I ,too have been accepting friends 'that I don't know.
I figure I can always block them if they prove annoying or show signs of being axe murderers.
However, i've only been sending friend requests to folks I know from real life or other lists.
Anyone with a good sense of ha-ha is welcome around my place, so it's all good. It's not as if they
asked for my first born.......
hmmmmmm.... but that MIGHT work.....

[LC Fraser]

Okay Merlot (aka Merrill) you know you can only get rid of you first born in the poker game. Do we keep our kids if win or if we lose? I forget.
Lynne

[Karen from AustCrime]

Cyber axe murderer - now that would be an interesting one to pull off.

I'm sending you a photo of the axe that I want you to go out and buy.

How much do you reckon you could piss off your spouse / neighbour now?

[Merrill Young]

That's fine. As you know, I live on acreage and have a neighbour with a backhoe who doesn't ask any questions.
As long as you fly over to do the deed- I'm not cleaning up that mess.