Because it is quite likely that traffic on this forum will die down, and because it would be nice to at least be able to keep in contact with each other, I'd suggest we befriend each other on Facebook. Likely a lot of you will have done so already, but I'm totally new to this web 2.0 thing. I got an account a couple of weeks ago, but haven't done anything with it yet.

Anyway, feel free to befriend me (so I won't have to find out all your real names in order to find you on Facebook) by searching for my real name

oh damn, there are 1 or 2 other Koen's. Yeah, so I'm the one with 'philosopher' in his profile

I posted a link to my page at one point but I think Conrad took down the thread due to fear of abuse from FDR members.

If anyone else is on FB please PM me.

okay, now what is the goal: to get as many friends as possible, or to tweak one' s database of friends so that the exact right balance between closeness, interaction, coolness, networks, whatever is reached, or something else still?

In other words, what does Facebook do?

It's just for enjoying your friends, chatting, and keeping in touch.

As far as I'm aware, its primary functions are: a) seeing pictures that your friends post, and posting pictures for your friends to see; b) sending people links to amusing things on the internet; c) making public statements either on other people's "walls" or as Twitter-like "status updates;" d) sending messages to people whose e-mail addresses you don't have; and of course e) making sure that the girl you met last night was really as cute as you thought she was.

As much as someone's willing to pay for it.

Well I'd pay about $7.50 for it, but I don't think they'd sell...somehow I figured that $7.50 wasn't the answer you were looking for.

I find it useful in a number of ways:

-keeping up with people I wouldn't stay in contact with otherwise

-disseminating pictures, links, etc that might be of broad interest, when sending them to individuals would be to cumbersome

-finding shared interests I didn't know I had with people

-building rapport with people I have met recently, I am terrible with names but if I see it written and am reminded of someones existence on a regular basis then I find there is much more rapport at the second, third, fourth meeting.