Please help if you can guys.

[Metuzalem]

Hey guys. My better half is writing a dissertation for university at the moment and her course is one on archiving. For her research, she has asked me to distribute a questionairre. Please, don't feel that you have to help out but it would be great if you guys could. The deadline for this is Thursday. I realise that this website isn't strictly speaking a social networking website, but it's pretty damn close!

Dissertation Abstract: Social Networking Sites provide an immense opportunity to gain an understanding of contemporary society- the types of communities being formed, the role of technology in our lives, personal relationships, social behaviour, public/private identity etc. As a cultural resource they are unique and their potential use to researchers in the future is an interesting topic to a wide range of academic disciplines. I intend to investigate this from an information management angle, by assessing their impact on the role of the archivist. The role of the archivist is to preserve these in addition to other kinds of resources. The way in which individuals choose to record their lives is a personal choice determined by a number of factors . The archivist can not influence this process and must be able to preserve information in any format, given the current predominance of social networking sites as arguably the main mode of communication, this is a potentially daunting task.
Notes on Questionnaire: Please answer the questions below in as much detail as you feel comfortable with, all answers will be treated anonymously within my dissertation. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.

1.Which social networking sites do you currently use?

2. How regularly do you use these sites and what motivates you to do so?

3. Do you use social networking sites to keep in contact with existing friends, to re-establish links with previous friends or to make new ones?

4. Are you part of any solely online communities/specific interest groups? (e.g. tv show/band fan groups, gingers united etc) Give details.

5. Do you use social networking sites to serve as a record of your life or merely as a communication tool?

6. Are you more likely to communicate online via a social networking site than offline using traditional methods such as letters, postcards or by phone?

7. To what extent do you think your online identity, as evidenced via your social networking page, is representative of your offline identity (e.g. in the language that you use, friends that you have, interests you have etc)? Give details.

8. Of the content available on your social networking page, what is of particular sentimental value? Give details.

9. Do you attempt to preserve any of the content found on you social networking page elsewhere (e.g. save or copy to PC, USB etc)?

10. Do you expect your social networking page to be available indefinitely? Explain.

[Daltons Chin Dimple]

No worries Metz!

1.Which social networking sites do you currently use?
Only Facebook. I did use MySpace and Faceparty but binned them both. MySpace for being annoying and Faceparty for being too full of Russian men pretending they were 17 year old Russian girls who wanted to marry me! This is presuming that Mania Forums and AICN Talkbacks do not count as social networking sites.


2. How regularly do you use these sites and what motivates you to do so?
Very rarely, and only to assist with keeping in touch with dissparate friends.

3. Do you use social networking sites to keep in contact with existing friends, to re-establish links with previous friends or to make new ones?
Existing friends I see in a face to face way. I never make new friends via Facebook.... oh dear me no ! Mostly to re-establish links.


4. Are you part of any solely online communities/specific interest groups? (e.g. tv show/band fan groups, gingers united etc) Give details.
Nope, and have never accepted a invite to join one of those groups.


5. Do you use social networking sites to serve as a record of your life or merely as a communication tool?
Communication.


6. Are you more likely to communicate online via a social networking site than offline using traditional methods such as letters, postcards or by phone?
Absolutely not !


7. To what extent do you think your online identity, as evidenced via your social networking page, is representative of your offline identity (e.g. in the language that you use, friends that you have, interests you have etc)? Give details.
The same. I am anal, opinionated and try to use proper punctuation in real life too !

8. Of the content available on your social networking page, what is of particular sentimental value? Give details.
A couple of good holiday photos, that is all. I place little value on it other than as a tool.


9. Do you attempt to preserve any of the content found on you social networking page elsewhere (e.g. save or copy to PC, USB etc)?
Not so far.

10. Do you expect your social networking page to be available indefinitely? Explain.
I do now, as the sites are so integral to both other people's lives, and corporate strategy.

[JarrodSarafin]

1.Which social networking sites do you currently use?

Facebook more often these days. Myspace, I've been letting get dusty. The constant music on various pages annoyed me after a while.

2. How regularly do you use these sites and what motivates you to do so?

Great places to get to know my friends and co-workers in the industry.

3. Do you use social networking sites to keep in contact with existing friends, to re-establish links with previous friends or to make new ones?

A little of all. Within hours of signing up to Myspace in 2006, I had three old Highschool friends join my friends list. Definitely trippy to reconnect with old childhood friends after so long.

4. Are you part of any solely online communities/specific interest groups? (e.g. tv show/band fan groups, gingers united etc) Give details.

Most definitely in my new Facebook account since a lot of them have to do with fellow news editors like Coming Attractions, Joblo, IESB, Shock Til You Drop, Dark Horizons, etc.


5. Do you use social networking sites to serve as a record of your life or merely as a communication tool?

Merely communication. There's going to be a movie one day that will record my life. After I save the world from a nasty alien invasion, everyone will come calling. :wink:

6. Are you more likely to communicate online via a social networking site than offline using traditional methods such as letters, postcards or by phone?

Tough, but good question. In fact, someone on the radio was just addressing this question the other morning i.e. how many people use email now days to avoid phone conversations?

I don't mind using the phone but for business between multiple parties such as things for this site, email is much easier because you can CC multiple people at once without having a phone conference.

Example, if Devin wants to tell us about a certain scoop, he's not going to call everyone. Instead, he'll send out an alert to all of our emails and through his social network page, which will send an alert to our emails. Much easier and quicker to connect between everyone.

7. To what extent do you think your online identity, as evidenced via your social networking page, is representative of your offline identity (e.g. in the language that you use, friends that you have, interests you have etc)? Give details.

I'd say to a certain extent, I can be myself but more often than not, I can't. Obviously, I have to maintain a business as usual attitude around here for my job i.e...sometime I have to be straight and narrow when looking after the TOS here compared to outside the computer when I can just be myself.

Same thing applies to some of my social networking pages to a degree.

8. Of the content available on your social networking page, what is of particular sentimental value? Give details.

Hmmm, good question. I'd say that I don't include very many sentimental aspects into my Facebook and Myspace pages because as pointed above, a lot of it is business related. But it is nice to recall old times and occasionally joke around with friends like the old days.


9. Do you attempt to preserve any of the content found on you social networking page elsewhere (e.g. save or copy to PC, USB etc)?

Not really, no. I have to save enough stuff for the online job stuff.

10. Do you expect your social networking page to be available indefinitely? Explain.

Definitely seeing how Facebook and Myspace are always in the top 15 websites on the internet. Those entities will change of course in design and strategies but I bet they will be available one way or another for a long time.

Unless of course, they're bought out. But that only means a new (and possibly better) social network site will come along. Like Facebook, which I prefer over Myspace these days.

[rappites]

Yeah, what they said.


Hope I helped.

[neglet]

1.Which social networking sites do you currently use?
I'm on Facebook, and Blogger, too, if it counts (I communicate with people via the comments section)

2. How regularly do you use these sites and what motivates you to do so?
Daily (except for weekends). I like to keep up-to-date on what people are doing, and contribute my own remarks.

3. Do you use social networking sites to keep in contact with existing friends, to re-establish links with previous friends or to make new ones? Not so much to make new friends, unless you count the boards here at Mania. Facebook is great for re-establishing links (just got a request from an old high school friend today), Blogger better for keeping family and friends in touch with what I'm up to.

4. Are you part of any solely online communities/specific interest groups? (e.g. tv show/band fan groups, gingers united etc) Give details.
I guess Mania would count. Its boards for James Bond, Lost, Heroes, and 24 are the only ones I visit to discuss those topics.

5. Do you use social networking sites to serve as a record of your life or merely as a communication tool? Not really as a record--just mainly for communication.

6. Are you more likely to communicate online via a social networking site than offline using traditional methods such as letters, postcards or by phone?
When it comes to more casual acquaintances, yes. (eg, wishing someone a happy birthday)

7. To what extent do you think your online identity, as evidenced via your social networking page, is representative of your offline identity (e.g. in the language that you use, friends that you have, interests you have etc)? Give details.
It's fairly close, although I am not as open as I might be in person. I always keep in mind that internet postings (of whatever sort) can have a long life, so I don't post anything here that I'd feel uncomfortable with my family reading. In my blog, I wouldn't express certain negative opinions about authors or publishers, for instance, that I might in talking with my critique group in person. If a prospective employer or agent or publisher were to Google me, I wouldn't want anything unprofessional attached to my name.

As far as Mania, since I use a screen name, I feel a little freer in terms of adult language and topics, but I still go by the principle that I wouldn't post something that I'd be ashamed to have my family read.

8. Of the content available on your social networking page, what is of particular sentimental value? Give details.
I'm not sure I'd use the word "sentimental," but the only thing I really value is some of my blog postings, as samples of my writing.

9. Do you attempt to preserve any of the content found on you social networking page elsewhere (e.g. save or copy to PC, USB etc)?
No, I'm fairly confident in the stability of these websites. If I thought they might go under, I might make copies.

10. Do you expect your social networking page to be available indefinitely? Explain.
For the near future, these sites seem to be growing. Perhaps some other technology might supercede them in the future, but I can't predict when that might happen. For now, I would say "indefinitely until...."

Good luck on the dissertation!

[tstone]

1.Which social networking sites do you currently use?

Myspace and a few fandom BBSes.

2. How regularly do you use these sites and what motivates you to do so?

Every day to every few days. Communicating with like minded types, keeping in touch with friends, self expression.

3. Do you use social networking sites to keep in contact with existing friends, to re-establish links with previous friends or to make new ones?

All of the above.

4. Are you part of any solely online communities/specific interest groups? (e.g. tv show/band fan groups, gingers united etc) Give details.

Highlander BBS, Treknation

5. Do you use social networking sites to serve as a record of your life or merely as a communication tool?

Mostly as a communications tool, though I have a Myspace blog.


6. Are you more likely to communicate online via a social networking site than offline using traditional methods such as letters, postcards or by phone?

Yes.

7. To what extent do you think your online identity, as evidenced via your social networking page, is representative of your offline identity (e.g. in the language that you use, friends that you have, interests you have etc)? Give details.

Exactly the same. I make it a point to say and do things as I do them face to face.


8. Of the content available on your social networking page, what is of particular sentimental value? Give details.

My blog. Some private thoughts.


9. Do you attempt to preserve any of the content found on you social networking page elsewhere (e.g. save or copy to PC, USB etc)?

Very rarely.


10. Do you expect your social networking page to be available indefinitely? Explain.

No. Nothing lasts forever.

[Kaeos]

1.Which social networking sites do you currently use?
NowLive.com and Myspace primarily. I have presences on Facebook, Tagged, Piczo, and Friendster, though I rarely if ever look at them anymore.

2. How regularly do you use these sites and what motivates you to do so?
The NowLive and Myspace several times per day. The others I may peek at once per month. I use Myspace primarily for the ability to reach such a large network of people for marketing opportunities.

3. Do you use social networking sites to keep in contact with existing friends, to re-establish links with previous friends or to make new ones?
50% new contact/50% new connections

4. Are you part of any solely online communities/specific interest groups? (e.g. tv show/band fan groups, gingers united etc) Give details.
Mania.com - Entertainment Industry Forums. NowLive.com - Social Broadcasting.

5. Do you use social networking sites to serve as a record of your life or merely as a communication tool?Primarily communication.

6. Are you more likely to communicate online via a social networking site than offline using traditional methods such as letters, postcards or by phone? Almost 100% yes.

7. To what extent do you think your online identity, as evidenced via your social networking page, is representative of your offline identity (e.g. in the language that you use, friends that you have, interests you have etc)? Give details. Social networking sites and my online identity are as removed form my real name and identity as possible with only a few exceptions - mania.com being one of them. But this is the nature of such site, I believe. To provide an escapist outlet.

8. Of the content available on your social networking page, what is of particular sentimental value? Give details. The original artwork and audio elements as they represent hundreds of hours of work to create.

9. Do you attempt to preserve any of the content found on you social networking page elsewhere (e.g. save or copy to PC, USB etc)? backed up on hard drive.

10. Do you expect your social networking page to be available indefinitely? Explain. It's possible myspace may be around forever, however at some point most - Freindster, tageed, bebo, piczo will die away as bigger sites like myspace and facebook take the public's attention.

[Metuzalem]

A big thank you to all you guys. I know this was done at such incredibly short notice, but you have no idea how scatter-brained Misstuzalem can be at times!

Once she's finished all this nonsense I'll get those fancy dress pics sorted out that she's been promising! :wink:

[Jakester]

I've got an entire box of kleenex reserved for the occasion, 'Tuz.

[Bill_the_Pony]

No computer at home and being at work the rest of the time prevented me from this, sorry. Too late? :(