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I hate Facebook with a vengeance

Grumpy Old Lemons Like You
TUK020
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I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358492

Postby TUK020 » November 20th, 2020, 3:53 pm

I don't use Facebook Social media.
Unfortunately, my master plan to ignore its entire existence* has a slight wrinkle.
The younger generation use Instant Messenger (a spawned app from FB) as their preferred medium of communication, and family chat lines for "Whose getting what for XXXX for Xmas?" get created and used intensively in our household. It also helps to bridge remote location - uni/lockdown/quarantine etc.
To be fair, it is also starting to become the medium of choice amongst friends for setting up an ad hoc 1-1 video call on the fly. I prefer Google Meets for anything scheduled in the calendar.

The problem is to use Instant Messenger, you have to have a browser window open which has FB operating in the background.
FB's entire business model is built around
a) Oooh look at this useless distraction
b) prod you to create useless distractions to others
c) expose you to all sorts of crap adverts in the process
I have spent ages learning the plumbing of FB settings to turn off all notifications, and resenting every moment spent, but it still finds opportunities to create new wormholes into my attention, when all I want is for it to crawl away into a hole and die.
It feels like FB is an attention vampire that just won't let go.

Imagine my surprise when one of the uninvited new snippets thrown up for my distraction actually looked like the answer to my prayers!

Instant Messenger App for Windows
Downloaded, installed, logged in, and running!
All browser windows for FB gleefully shut.

Everything started swimmingly, until I maxxed the window size - no option to put it back to a small window. min or max only now
Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggh

Be fair (yes even to them) is is still a great improvement. The app has a little beta flag.


* this masterplan has worked well for Twitter. I have never used this, and never felt the remotest urge to do so.

JohnB
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358495

Postby JohnB » November 20th, 2020, 3:58 pm

Fluff Busting Purity extension for browsers defeats much of FBs idiocy, but in the war they've just lost the battle to keep the old UI. FB apps are likely to be even more evil than their website.

Lootman
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358496

Postby Lootman » November 20th, 2020, 3:58 pm

My kids use Whatsapp for messaging and groups, so I have to if I want them to talk to me. Although Whatsapp is owned by Facebook it is separate from it, and has none of those issues. I do not use Facebook.

Only works on a phone though. And the key is your phone number so you have to be happy to give that out. Seems like almost all kids use Whatsapp - do yours?

TUK020
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358502

Postby TUK020 » November 20th, 2020, 4:11 pm

Lootman wrote:My kids use Whatsapp for messaging and groups, so I have to if I want them to talk to me. Although Whatsapp is owned by Facebook it is separate from it, and has none of those issues. I do not use Facebook.

Only works on a phone though. And the key is your phone number so you have to be happy to give that out. Seems like almost all kids use Whatsapp - do yours?

Some of my friends and one of my customers insist on using it, but thank god none of my kids
I hate that too:
a) it is yet another bloody app for making phone calls and sending text messages and doing things differently for no apparent benefit*
b) the messaging doesn't work across platforms
c) the UI constantly freezes when I am trying to type, which is murderously irritating

* international call rates aside.

AsleepInYorkshire
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358503

Postby AsleepInYorkshire » November 20th, 2020, 4:13 pm

Lootman wrote:My kids use Whatsapp for messaging and groups, so I have to if I want them to talk to me. Although Whatsapp is owned by Facebook it is separate from it, and has none of those issues. I do not use Facebook.

Only works on a phone though. And the key is your phone number so you have to be happy to give that out. Seems like almost all kids use Whatsapp - do yours?

We recently received an email from my daughters school about Whatsapp. In particular there was a "slightly nasty" exchange between two students using the app. Whatsapp's user agreement requires users to be over 16. If they are not the parent becomes legally liable for the child's comments. It's common for children to set up groups of more than 50 on the app and that can often lead to inappropriate comments and "low level" issues. I wasn't aware that Whatsapp had an age restriction until receipt of that email.

AiY

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358505

Postby Watis » November 20th, 2020, 4:15 pm

Lootman wrote:My kids use Whatsapp for messaging and groups, so I have to if I want them to talk to me. Although Whatsapp is owned by Facebook it is separate from it, and has none of those issues. I do not use Facebook.

Only works on a phone though. And the key is your phone number so you have to be happy to give that out. Seems like almost all kids use Whatsapp - do yours?



It's true that a mobile phone number is essential for Whatsapp - and of course, their app on your phone - but it can be run in a browser on a PC. Go to https://web.whatsapp.com/ and follow the instructions to mirror your chats onto the PC.

There's an app for the PC here: https://www.whatsapp.com/download if that helps, but I haven't tried this myself, yet.

Watis

WrongLicence388
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358506

Postby WrongLicence388 » November 20th, 2020, 4:18 pm

Lootman wrote:Only works on a phone though. And the key is your phone number so you have to be happy to give that out. Seems like almost all kids use Whatsapp - do yours?


It is possible if one anticipates a longer enduring conversation to have it open up in a browser on your computer through Web.whatsapp.com

You have to take a picture of the QR code provided by the brower with your phone's Whatsapp app.

C.

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358521

Postby PinkDalek » November 20th, 2020, 4:43 pm

TUK020 wrote:...c) the UI constantly freezes when I am trying to type, which is murderously irritating


I realise which board we are on but no doubt you've located the how to dictate a message or text function, with punctuation, that is available.

My standard dictated comment is if you want to make arrangements that benefit you, telephone me. All else, such as notifications for WZapp, the ping, ping, pings etc, are on mute and I'll look at them in my own time. Which may well not satisfy the senders.

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358619

Postby AJC5001 » November 20th, 2020, 11:30 pm

Watis wrote:It's true that a mobile phone number is essential for Whatsapp - and of course, their app on your phone - but it can be run in a browser on a PC. Go to https://web.whatsapp.com/ and follow the instructions to mirror your chats onto the PC.

There's an app for the PC here: https://www.whatsapp.com/download if that helps, but I haven't tried this myself, yet.

Watis


Do either of those let you save Whatsapp photos direct to the PC? Instead of having to save them to the Photo's app on the phone then transfer them to the PC (or download from iCloud.)

Adrian

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358635

Postby Mike4 » November 21st, 2020, 3:38 am

TUK020 wrote:The younger generation use Instant Messenger (a spawned app from FB)


Is it? I've never heard of it, but would have guessed with that name it was a descendent or mutation of MSN, the forerunner of all the web-based messaging services. (Or was that ICQ?)

MSN latterly became just Microsoft "Messenger" IIRC before falling mostly into disuse. Last time I checked it still had a rump of diehard users, and is now nothing to do with Micro$oft.

My lot use plain SMS texting for messaging each other and WhatsApp for group messaging and swapping photos. One particular reason for using WhatsApp instead of SMS texting (seeing as someone asked), is photos are sent and received free of charge, unlike with a lot of SMS text tariffs. Also plain SMS texting does not offer the setting up of group conversations AFAIK.

WhatsApp seems clumsier to use than SMS as to message someone with it, you seem to first have to set up a 'group' with them, whereas with SMS you can just send a message a any mobile phone number with no setting up.

swill453
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358639

Postby swill453 » November 21st, 2020, 6:25 am

Mike4 wrote:WhatsApp seems clumsier to use than SMS as to message someone with it, you seem to first have to set up a 'group' with them, whereas with SMS you can just send a message a any mobile phone number with no setting up.

Not really. If I click the button to create a new message in WhatsApp, it offers me my list of contacts* to choose from. Exactly the same as would happen with an SMS message.

You can create a group at that point, but you don't have to.

* - only those contacts who have registered with WhatsApp are listed, as you might expect. If you only have a phone number, you'd have to enter it as a contact first, but it's an option on the same list and trivial to put in the number and call it "Jim", say.

Scott.

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358640

Postby swill453 » November 21st, 2020, 6:28 am

AJC5001 wrote:
Watis wrote:It's true that a mobile phone number is essential for Whatsapp - and of course, their app on your phone - but it can be run in a browser on a PC. Go to https://web.whatsapp.com/ and follow the instructions to mirror your chats onto the PC.

There's an app for the PC here: https://www.whatsapp.com/download if that helps, but I haven't tried this myself, yet.

Do either of those let you save Whatsapp photos direct to the PC? Instead of having to save them to the Photo's app on the phone then transfer them to the PC (or download from iCloud.)

The web page allows you to add photos into messages from the PC, and save photos to the PC from messages.

Scott.

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#358660

Postby bungeejumper » November 21st, 2020, 8:43 am

Well, I hate Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter, Bake-Off, Strictly, Casualty, Ant and Dec, TV soaps, and all other so-called popular sources of unendingly mindless drivel. I've got quite enough of that already without needing to go round looking for more. ;)

BJ

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360269

Postby stevensfo » November 26th, 2020, 1:01 pm

bungeejumper wrote:Well, I hate Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter, Bake-Off, Strictly, Casualty, Ant and Dec, TV soaps, and all other so-called popular sources of unendingly mindless drivel. I've got quite enough of that already without needing to go round looking for more. ;)

BJ


Well, of all those, I use Facebook for certain interest, mainly academic groups, and Whatsapp for family stuff. Never used the others.
I do occasionally annoy my Mum with questions about Crossroads and Brookside (You're kidding. What d'you mean it's not on any more???), if Annie Walker still runs the pub, oh and what's happened to Dirty Den and Angie.
There is one called 'Neighbours' that I quite like to see when I visit. Though that's probably because I can actually understand what they're saying! ;)

Steve

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360290

Postby bungeejumper » November 26th, 2020, 2:00 pm

stevensfo wrote:Well, of all those, I use Facebook for certain interest, mainly academic groups, and Whatsapp for family stuff. Never used the others.

I have an old LinkedIn account, which can sometimes be useful for keeping in touch with people I used to work with, but I only check it perhaps once a month, and then only for a few minutes. I also have a Twitter account which has had just three posts from me in eleven years, and one of those was a test. :D But which has somehow accumulated a couple of hundred followers.

Fatface not at all. Whassup, etc, I wouldn't know what to do with all that, even if I had a 3G mobile signal, which I don't. I suppose I might watch more TV drama if it didn't always focus so relentlessly on crime, violence and hospitals - the cheapest of thrills, and surely getting a bit tedious to even the most devoted followers? So it's documentaries, news and HIGNFY - most of the rest is dross.

Count me out as well for the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Spectacular. Sorry, BBC, I'm expecting an urgent appointment with a drain that needs cleaning. :|

BJ

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360379

Postby Rhyd6 » November 26th, 2020, 5:20 pm

BJ has read my mind.

R6

TUK020
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360409

Postby TUK020 » November 26th, 2020, 6:19 pm

bungeejumper wrote: I suppose I might watch more TV drama if it didn't always focus so relentlessly on crime, violence and hospitals - the cheapest of thrills, and surely getting a bit tedious to even the most devoted followers? So it's documentaries, news and HIGNFY - most of the rest is dross.


On the weekend I start my Xmas break, Amazon Prime will be releasing the new season of "The Expanse", which I shall duly bingewatch. First few days entertainment sorted.
SciFi as it should be done!
Very little on mainstream channels worth watching anymore. Even Spitting Image requires a subscription to BritBox

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360462

Postby AF62 » November 26th, 2020, 10:31 pm

TUK020 wrote:The problem is to use Instant Messenger, you have to have a browser window open which has FB operating in the background.


1. Set up a Facebook account with nothing in it other than your name, but with all the privacy settings turned up to maximum.
2. Install Messenger on your phone.
3. Go back to settings in Facebook and deactivate your account but tick the box to leave Messenger active.
4. Close Facebook and never open it again.
5. Messages arrive and can be sent on Messenger on your phone.

Sorry, I know this is the place for moaning and not solutions.

TUK020
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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360498

Postby TUK020 » November 27th, 2020, 7:14 am

AF62 wrote:
TUK020 wrote:The problem is to use Instant Messenger, you have to have a browser window open which has FB operating in the background.


1. Set up a Facebook account with nothing in it other than your name, but with all the privacy settings turned up to maximum.
2. Install Messenger on your phone.
3. Go back to settings in Facebook and deactivate your account but tick the box to leave Messenger active.
4. Close Facebook and never open it again.
5. Messages arrive and can be sent on Messenger on your phone.

Sorry, I know this is the place for moaning and not solutions.

Constructive suggstion, but the offsprung have the habit of sending attachments, links, screenshots via Messenger, which are a pain to try and decipher on the phone small screen.

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Re: I hate Facebook with a vengeance

#360502

Postby servodude » November 27th, 2020, 7:35 am

TUK020 wrote:
AF62 wrote:
TUK020 wrote:The problem is to use Instant Messenger, you have to have a browser window open which has FB operating in the background.


1. Set up a Facebook account with nothing in it other than your name, but with all the privacy settings turned up to maximum.
2. Install Messenger on your phone.
3. Go back to settings in Facebook and deactivate your account but tick the box to leave Messenger active.
4. Close Facebook and never open it again.
5. Messages arrive and can be sent on Messenger on your phone.

Sorry, I know this is the place for moaning and not solutions.

Constructive suggstion, but the offsprung have the habit of sending attachments, links, screenshots via Messenger, which are a pain to try and decipher on the phone small screen.


My family are like that with WhatsApp: and my phone is for screwing up TLF posts ;)
... so I forward them to something I've got Google access to via a browser
Perhaps messenger allows you to do that or something similar
-sd


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