Social Media Integration - Oh how you plague me!

[Fet600]

I'm a relatively recent convert to Ubuntu after many years of being a Mac OS X user and I'm really quite impressed by how well it functions. The reason I switched from OS X is due to the fact that Apple seem determined to turn their desktop OS into an extension of iOS with all kinds of integration with social media and other items of "added functionality" that I really don't want.

I'm a great believer in having things segregated unless I deliberately choose to connect them. I do use Ubuntu One (very useful) and Picasa (very handy) and even Facebook (begrudgingly) but I don't want these things to be plugged into the depths of my OS by default and I'm very particular about what I share.

Ironically, this seems to be the direction that Ubuntu is heading as well, so it made me wonder if this was just something that I didn't like or if other people found it annoying as well?


(Before I get flamed to a crisp I would like to point out that I accept the fact that I could just a grumpy old man before my time and that I was raised in the computing world by a tribe of bearded Unix admins who promised me that the whole Linux thing would blow over and wasn't worth worrying about!)

[haqking]

I'm a relatively recent convert to Ubuntu after many years of being a Mac OS X user and I'm really quite impressed by how well it functions. The reason I switched from OS X is due to the fact that Apple seem determined to turn their desktop OS into an extension of iOS with all kinds of integration with social media and other items of "added functionality" that I really don't want.

I'm a great believer in having things segregated unless I deliberately choose to connect them. I do use Ubuntu One (very useful) and Picasa (very handy) and even Facebook (begrudgingly) but I don't want these things to be plugged into the depths of my OS by default and I'm very particular about what I share.

Ironically, this seems to be the direction that Ubuntu is heading as well, so it made me wonder if this was just something that I didn't like or if other people found it annoying as well?


(Before I get flamed to a crisp I would like to point out that I accept the fact that I could just a grumpy old man before my time and that I was raised in the computing world by a tribe of bearded Unix admins who promised me that the whole Linux thing would blow over and wasn't worth worrying about!)

I don't get what you are asking, everything you connect to is choice.

In what way are those "things" you use plugged into the depths ?

[Merrattic]

I'm with you Fet600 You will probably want to use a derivative like Xubuntu, Mint or Lubuntu that leave all these things "up to you". I prefer to be disintegrated

[coldraven]

Yep me too! My "social integration" consists of a telephone hanging on the wall. I do call my friends, but not every 10 minutes, more like once a month.

[mastablasta]

i don't think it will integrate or share anything unless you tell it too. well except amazon search lens... but that can be turned off.

in other events Cannonical as a company is heading to make some money while keeping "everything" free including source code.

[Fet600]

I don't get what you are asking, everything you connect to is choice.

In what way are those "things" you use plugged into the depths ?

Everything is about choice and I do have the option of switching to another distro or just taking the time to strip out the bits that I don't like. This is one of the things that I like about Linux in general.

The point Mastablasta makes about the Amazon search lens is completely fair and true of anything in Ubuntu. Anything can be removed if you really try. Giod bless the joy of open source!


My point was more along the lines of how things are getting integrated into the OS as part of the standard installation with an increasing emphasis on social media. I was curious about how many people want this and whether I was simply out of touch with modern communication practices.

[haqking]

Everything is about choice and I do have the option of switching to another distro or just taking the time to strip out the bits that I don't like. This is one of the things that I like about Linux in general.

The point Mastablasta makes about the Amazon search lens is completely fair and true of anything in Ubuntu. Anything can be removed if you really try. Giod bless the joy of open source!


My point was more along the lines of how things are getting integrated into the OS as part of the standard installation with an increasing emphasis on social media. I was curious about how many people want this and whether I was simply out of touch with modern communication practices.

OK well then to respond, I dont care either way, I dont use them so it has no effect on me.

People dont like or want a particular DE so they change it, they dont want Libreoffice so they change it, etc etc.

There has to be a default something, so they base that default on the technologies of the day, social media is ubiquitous so it is now integrated, no need to use it though

[sharathpaps]

I agree with Fet600. I find that feeds from Facebook, Google Plus, MySpace, Twitter and so many other social networking sites are being integrated into operating systems, phones, tablets and other environments. Why oh Why? It bugs me so much..

[not found]

If you don't configure all of these services then you won't have them. I for one welcome to way they all seamlessly and naturally integrate into my computing experience (and judging by the amount of people that make use of them on a daily basis I am not alone).


404

[Grenage]

I find that feeds from Facebook, Google Plus, MySpace, Twitter and so many other social networking sites are being integrated into operating systems, phones, tablets and other environments. Why oh Why? It bugs me so much..

Because when the vast majority spend so much time on social media sites, you please a great many people by implementing such features. I don't bother with them myself, but no modern desktop is going to get wide acceptance by ignoring them.

It's 2013, and the internet is facebook, wikipedia, and lolcats; everything else is a secondary consideration.