Social Media

[prod_pep]

The social media bug has worn off for me. I used to use Facebook and Twitter a lot, but not at all now. Instagram? Set up an account but have never used it. It was one of those good intention things - take the odd photo, maybe even push the boat out and put on the odd selfie before work, but it never happened.

As for discussing my interest in trains on Facebook, absolutely never. I know a lot of enthusiasts do and good luck to them, but trains is a no-go area for discussion with 'normals'. That's for specialised groups and forums only with me, unfortunately.

I remember people Googling my name when at Uni back when I wasn't too bothered about using my name in rail enthusiast circles, and I was praying (I'm not religious, but you get the idea) that no train photos came up in the results. Luckily, they didn't - a lot of ties, for some reason, but no trains.

 

[NY Yankee]

I'm on Facebook but I don't use my real name (send a private message if you want me to friend you). I don't talk about trains on FB since I don't want to be perceived as a weirdo.

 

[ExRes]

I don't talk about trains on FB since I don't want to be perceived as a weirdo.

Has that plan worked?



I note in the papers and on the internet this morning that the appalling Stephen Fry and financially challenged Joleon Lescott are doing a highly successful advertising campaign for the use of social media ........

 

[sprinterguy]

I always imagined it was full of normals !

You've not seen the Real Ale Tw*ts page on Facebook, then. It's all booze and Deltics on there.

I use Facebook, as I'd never be able to keep track of all the gigs and nights out I've got coming up otherwise, as it's the medium through which all my mates, bands and groups I'm involved with keep in touch. I have also recently gained one of those fancy smartphones, which occasionally gets fired up to browse the interwebs, but I mostly keep all of its' all singing, all dancing features switched off and use it just for calls and texting as I only accepted it because it was the fastest way to get out of the phone shop after my last phone died a sudden and unexpected death. I don't interact well with brightly lit, highly polished, technologically advanced environments. I prefer dark corners of dingy pubs where I can hide behind a pint of bitter.

I also spout my mouth off on topics of total rubbish and inane trivia on this and a couple of other online forums, topics varied.

 

[DarloRich]

I do Facebook and twitter. I use them for different things but find twitter an excellent way to abuse people ( sorry comment on the performance of under educated politicians and underskilled footballers) and generally post semi libelous comments along with random gibberish and wiblbings

I also spout my mouth off on topics of total rubbish and inane trivia on this and a couple of other online forums, topics varied.

You sound perfect for Twitter. Get on there!

 

[BlythPower]

The pending discontinuation of the printed version of The Independent makes me wonder if I am on the only person on RailUK Forums who is not on Facebook or Twitter and does not posess a Smartphone or Kindle type device.

No Facebook, Twitter, smartphone or Kindle for me either. And long may that continue...

 

[sprinterguy]

You sound perfect for Twitter. Get on there!

Nah, never seen the point of twitter: I can't chunter on to my preferred length within the 140 characters allotted (there are, however, a few accounts on there that I like to have a browse of from the outside on a fairly regular basis)...
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I...find twitter an excellent way to abuse people ( sorry comment on the performance of under educated politicians and underskilled footballers) and generally post semi libelous comments along with random gibberish and wiblbings

...Although when you put it like that I can see the appeal.

 

[trainmania100]

I find it easier to just browse through the latest headlines on BBC News or The Argus website for my local area, especially on the go. Also I like to use Facebook to post rail photos to subscribers and followers of my youtube channel
I can understand why you prefer the paper version though, my grand parents also buy the papers

 

[sprinterguy]

As for discussing my interest in trains on Facebook, absolutely never. I know a lot of enthusiasts do and good luck to them, but trains is a no-go area for discussion with 'normals'.

I've never been one to hide who I am and I'm increasingly happy to let my varied eccentricities show through on social media (although eighties prog-rock is a bigger vice for me than trains ). I move within a social group of like-minded and accepting friends who after a number of years know exactly where my interests lie anyway, so glossing over portions of my personality isn't necessary. I work in the railway and some of my friends (generally met independently of any railway affiliations) do as well, so they know where I'm coming from anyway. I don't chunter on about class 37 deltics (error intended, pedants ) on Facebook or anything but I don't in real life either; there's more interesting things to talk about.

I've even had a couple of my comparatively normal (if you ever met me and my pals you would know that "normal" is a relative term ) friends out with me on train-based activities like the Cumbrian Coast 37s, as they know that I know where all the best pubs are.

 

[Busaholic]

Paul Merton said on HIGNFY recently that he possesses neither a computer or a mobile phone, and I must admit to being surprised at the latter. It just proves you can more than survive in the modern world without them if you put your mind to it, but it does become more difficult by the day to do so unless you have other people to do these things for you especially now officialdom requires certain things to be done online.

 

[sprinterguy]

What I don't understand is the snobbery around either supermarkets or social media. "Oh no, I wouldn't be seen dead shopping in Lidl." "I don't go on Facebook, it's just full of people showing pictures of their lunch."

If you don't want to shop in Lidl or go on Facebook, that's fine, but why the need to denigrate those who do?

I'd also like to add that you populate your own Facebook, so it is what you want to make of it. You can add, accept or decline friends and groups based on your own preferences, so you can fairly easily occupy your own online bubble surrounded by people holding similar views and interests.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

A suggestion for all Facebook users.
Be careful what you like on Facebook....
Your Mum sees it all! So avoid embarrassment when possible.

 

[Crossover]

This somehow springs to mind:

As for myself:
Facebook - yes - Too many people on it who IM which can be useful, but keep considering trying to use it less - in an attempt to not get drawn into some of the rubbish, I have unfollowed some stuff now
Twitter - no (ish) - Never seen the point, to be honest. I say ish as I manage a company one, though I have posted very little and don't really get what I need to do when I have. It does seem like it is the way companies interact though. I think if they remove the 140 character Tweet restriction, it will lose its USP.
LinkedIn - yes - Don't really post much on it, if anything
Instagram - no
Smartphone - yes - Company provided which I actively avoid emails on . That said, I would probably now upgrade my own if I no longer had the company one, but for now I don't need to

I do have a couple of friends who flatly don't do social media, so I talk to them mostly by email and text...actually quite nice, to be honest!

They're mechanisms for ensuring nobody on a commute has to engage with anything other than a ticket barrier

Though lets be honest, one would rather not have to engage with a machine either - neither the metal types or the STM type...

 

[fowler9]

The social media bug has worn off for me. I used to use Facebook and Twitter a lot, but not at all now. Instagram? Set up an account but have never used it. It was one of those good intention things - take the odd photo, maybe even push the boat out and put on the odd selfie before work, but it never happened.

As for discussing my interest in trains on Facebook, absolutely never. I know a lot of enthusiasts do and good luck to them, but trains is a no-go area for discussion with 'normals'. That's for specialised groups and forums only with me, unfortunately.

I remember people Googling my name when at Uni back when I wasn't too bothered about using my name in rail enthusiast circles, and I was praying (I'm not religious, but you get the idea) that no train photos came up in the results. Luckily, they didn't - a lot of ties, for some reason, but no trains.

Regarding discussing trains or the railways on Facebook. Maybe it comes with age, I don't know, but I really don't mind telling people I like railways or planes or what have you. When I was younger I did keep my gob shut about it because people can be idiots. The older I have got though I just feel that yeah I like trains, I also like death metal, travelling, football, films and many other things. My profile pic on here was my profile pic on Facebook for a while taken in Peru, one of my mates is on tour in America with Slayer at the moment, I have been abroad 7 times since October 2014. If anyone thinks I am boring or weird because I like trains then good luck to them and what they are in to. Again though it can be harder when you are younger.

 

[flymo]

Living in Asia, if you don't have a smartphone you are really in the minority. Whatsapp is part of my intra-company communication medium as we all travel around. Also between us and customers to arrange visits etc and to talk to colleagues in China and overseas basically free of charge (data charges of course but that is all part of the service plan).
WeChat also for China. (Kind of China's version of Whatsapp)
Facebook is endemic here and I love being part of it. Couldn't do without it. Messenger too. Good job my wife doesn't do these two.....wouldn't be able to have anywhere near as much fun if she did.
Twitter I use when in the UK to find out how much Go North East fares are this week so I know how much to borrow from the bank. Sometimes even get answers...
Instagram is just like Facebook I think with #unfathomabletags. Got an account but rarely use it.
Linkedin - no more - too many people trying to sell you something.
Snapchat, no thanks.

So there.

 

[DarloRich]

i have my twitter and facebook linked so I need only abuse someone on one format and it immediately spreads to the other! isn't the 21st century wonderful?

 

[Clip]

Got both FB and Twitter and Linkedin!! Get me.

All my friends know I like the trains and work on them so they dont think I m weird for talking about it - especially if I can help them.. People seem to think theres still a stigma about liking trains but there really isnt.

 

[PeterY]

Facebook yes but mainly to pay Scrabble. Twitter no. I don't own an ipad or smartphone but prefer my dumb phone. It does what I want - text and call people plus the battery lasts about 4 days.

 

[yorksrob]

You've not seen the Real Ale Tw*ts page on Facebook, then. It's all booze and Deltics on there.

I use Facebook, as I'd never be able to keep track of all the gigs and nights out I've got coming up otherwise, as it's the medium through which all my mates, bands and groups I'm involved with keep in touch. I have also recently gained one of those fancy smartphones, which occasionally gets fired up to browse the interwebs, but I mostly keep all of its' all singing, all dancing features switched off and use it just for calls and texting as I only accepted it because it was the fastest way to get out of the phone shop after my last phone died a sudden and unexpected death. I don't interact well with brightly lit, highly polished, technologically advanced environments. I prefer dark corners of dingy pubs where I can hide behind a pint of bitter.

I also spout my mouth off on topics of total rubbish and inane trivia on this and a couple of other online forums, topics varied.

Ha yes, that inevitable ache of phone shop fatigue

I use such passe formats as email and text messaging to meet up for beers!

I agree with your point about dark corners of dingy pubs though

 

[sprinterguy]

I use such passe formats as email and text messaging to meet up for beers!

That's true, the main reason I got any sort of mobile phone in the first place was to make it easier to arrange pub meet-ups.

 

[fowler9]

That's true, the main reason I got any sort of mobile phone in the first place was to make it easier to arrange pub meet-ups.

Ditto. Ha ha. My first mobile and sim card was given to me by a friend who got sick of trying to arrange pub meet ups with me.

 

[Tracked]

Not sure if it's a general trend on Facebook or if it's just the people I know that are active on it, but hardly anyone's writing their own status on there anymore, it's nearly all status that've been shared these days

 

[Clip]

Not sure if it's a general trend on Facebook or if it's just the people I know that are active on it, but hardly anyone's writing their own status on there anymore, it's nearly all status that've been shared these days

Yeah facebook is now pretty much clickbait central with a lot of people not really knowing that these are ads(see south park)

Also its like one big political cringefest with stories from everywhere being posted.

 

[Tracked]

Yeah facebook is now pretty much clickbait central with a lot of people not really knowing that these are ads(see south park)

Also its like one big political cringefest with stories from everywhere being posted.

You won't believe what happened next ...

 

[GatwickDepress]

You won't believe what happened next ...

This mum found one simple trick that big companies hate...

 

[beeza1]

Facebook, I was until my account got hacked and/or compromised, don't know what the correct term is.
Twitter, No.
Nook, Yes, but don't use it much, either use library or charity shop, it's cheaper!
Smart Phone, No, been after one for a while, my choice was Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Sim Free, it was advertised at £89.99 but no one had them in stock, now they are back in stock the price has risen to £119.99!
Can anyone suggest a decent Sim Free Android phone for around £100?

 

[Domh245]

Facebook, I was until my account got hacked and/or compromised, don't know what the correct term is.
Twitter, No.
Nook, Yes, but don't use it much, either use library or charity shop, it's cheaper!
Smart Phone, No, been after one for a while, my choice was Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Sim Free, it was advertised at £89.99 but no one had them in stock, now they are back in stock the price has risen to £119.99!
Can anyone suggest a decent Sim Free Android phone for around £100?

You can get the Moto G (3rd gen) as handset only for £125, or the 2nd gen for £100.04 on Amazon at the moment. I highly recommend the Moto G series, very good value for money, and it runs an almost completely clean install of Android, no unnecessary bloatware - just a few handy apps. Storage is limited though in the 2nd gen to 8GB internal (or 16 if you shell out some more cash) - you can use micro SDs in the 3rd gen however.

 

[fowler9]

You can get the Moto G (3rd gen) as handset only for £125, or the 2nd gen for £100.04 on Amazon at the moment. I highly recommend the Moto G series, very good value for money, and it runs an almost completely clean install of Android, no unnecessary bloatware - just a few handy apps. Storage is limited though in the 2nd gen to 8GB internal (or 16 if you shell out some more cash) - you can use micro SDs in the 3rd gen however.

I'd like to second this. I am on Sim only and bought myself a Moto G 2 years back. Really good phone, looking at getting the third gen one over the coming months.

 

[beeza1]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will have a look at the Moto G this weekend.
The main attraction with the Galaxy Core Prime was the battery life, plus my laptop and tablet are Samsung and I have been well pleased with both of them.

 

[fowler9]

​

Thanks for the suggestions, I will have a look at the Moto G this weekend.
The main attraction with the Galaxy Core Prime was the battery life, plus my laptop and tablet are Samsung and I have been well pleased with both of them.

My phone prior to the Moto G was a Galaxy and they are pretty similar. Worth a look.