Ubuntu Facebook page, wasted opportunity?

[Cobracommand0]

I recently ran across a Ubuntu Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/ubuntulinux?ref=ts#!/ubuntulinux?v=wall) and saw that there was quite a lot of discussion going on regarding general Ubuntu/10.10 questions concerning installation and problems pertaining to people's Ubuntu overall experience. With 275,000 something members of the page, there is not one mention of the Ubuntu Forums. I've noticed over the past few days that people are asking questions that belong in the forums, not getting solutions, and then reposting regarding their frustration of not getting help with their first Ubuntu experience.

Does anyone know who runs this Facebook page? With 275K members it seems legitimate, however it's a wasted opportunity for Ubuntu to be advertised to that many people without once mentioning the amazing resource that is the Ubuntu Forums!!

There should definitely be some community awareness about pockets of new Ubuntu users who are only getting the "Facebook" version of the Ubuntu community, and mostly unaware of the resources the more experienced crowd knows/uses.

Just curious to see what the rest of you think about this, it just seems like a wasted opportunity to nurture those who are thinking about trying out Ubuntu!!

Cheers,

CC

(Not sure if this was the right place to start this, feel free to move if necessary, mods.)

[conundrumx]

sed -e "s/Ubuntu//"
-e "s/page\,/\=/"
-e "s/opportunity/time/"

[alexan]

sudo rm -R /facebook

[sendblink23]

facebook sucks

[Oxwivi]

Well, the forum is mentioned in the about page or whatever, though I doubt any Facebook user bother to check it. Maybe we, Facebook and Ubuntu Forum members, should advertise Ubuntu Forums, and direct the users on the Discussion Boards to this place?

[t0p]

Well, the forum is mentioned in the about page or whatever, though I doubt any Facebook user bother to check it. Maybe we, Facebook and Ubuntu Forum members, should advertise Ubuntu Forums, and direct the users on the Discussion Boards to this place?

I agree. It doesn't really matter if *you* don't like Facebook. Lots of people do, and many of those people will be Ubuntu users who don't know about these forums' existence and so may never be able to fix easily-solved problems and dump Ubuntu in frustration.

I think those of us who have Facebook accounts could occasionally post info about these forums and a link on the group's Wall, so more of our fellow Ubunteros can join our community.

[Oxwivi]

Yes, someone should add this to the Forum Council's agenda. With their popularising of the issue, many Facebook users over here can head over to help.

[planet81]

omg.... how many "UBUNTU" page in FB?... i thinks its not the one.... :confused:

[PuddingKnife]

I always find it funny that when Facebook is brought up on this forum, people that don't use it always have to chime in about how much they hate it. If you dont use it, why click on the post let alone comment on it?

I guess narcissistic egotism isn't limited to Facebook ;)

[Cobracommand0]

I agree. It doesn't really matter if *you* don't like Facebook. Lots of people do, and many of those people will be Ubuntu users who don't know about these forums' existence and so may never be able to fix easily-solved problems and dump Ubuntu in frustration.

I think those of us who have Facebook accounts could occasionally post info about these forums and a link on the group's Wall, so more of our fellow Ubunteros can join our community.

I agree, this is probably the best solution for making sure the new users are introduced to the UFs.


I always find it funny that when Facebook is brought up on this forum, people that don't use it always have to chime in about how much they hate it. If you dont use it, why click on the post let alone comment on it?

Haha, seriously...

[Oxwivi]

I guess narcissistic egotism isn't limited to Facebook ;)
It's an internet-wide phenomenon.

[alexan]

I agree. It doesn't really matter if *you* don't like Facebook. Lots of people do, and many of those people will be Ubuntu users who don't know about these forums' existence and so may never be able to fix easily-solved problems and dump Ubuntu in frustration.
Your same exact right to use Facebook, is the same exact right I've to discourage its use.
Facebook is getting data not only "of" subscribers but also "by" subscribers. This is a powerful network which strongly underestimate common people privacy of data.


Again, go on with your using of Facebook... my only point is to make the other side of the network.
May seem a little paranoiac, but don't always everyone? :guitar:

[whiskeylover]

I hate Facebook, hence it sucks. Also, I'd rather be hanging out with random strangers on random Linux forums, than connect with people I know in real life. And, inspite of the fact that I can restrict personal info on FB if I really want to, I'm still going to hate it because I'm such a non-conformist.

[Oxwivi]

Enough of that, we aren't discussing Facebook, but Ubuntu users of Facebook. I'm not saying it because I like it, but I don't dislike it either.

By the way, your reasoning sounds like the world revolves around you...

[whiskeylover]

By the way, your reasoning sounds like the world revolves around you...

Mine? If yes, then I'm sorry I didn't apply my sarcasm font.

[castrojo]

Does anyone know who runs this Facebook page? With 275K members it seems legitimate, however it's a wasted opportunity for Ubuntu to be advertised to that many people without once mentioning the amazing resource that is the Ubuntu Forums!!

Please file a community team bug and we'll look at it as soon as we get a chance, thanks: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-community

[Oxwivi]

On it.

[Oxwivi]

Bug reported: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-community/+bug/663905

[Frogs Hair]

Ubuntu Facebook users get the same support links as others . I found this site via the Ubuntu website under community . I'm not sure what being on Facebook has to do with finding or not finding the Ubuntu Forums.

[Cobracommand0]

Bug reported: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-community/+bug/663905

Nice follow up, was just going writing one up myself but you beat me to it :)


Ubuntu Facebook users get the same support links as others . I found this site via the Ubuntu website under community . I'm not sure what being on Facebook has to do with finding or not finding the Ubuntu Forums.

Read my original post, my concern was that the Facebook page was attracting a lot of discussion that should have been directed towards the Ubuntu Forums. I could not find any reference to the UFs on the linked page and was curious if that could be remedied if that page was an official Ubuntu presence on Facebook.

Also, I was not discussing the pros/cons of using Facebook; simply the existence of an Ubuntu resource that lacked proper support. :)

[Frogs Hair]

I agree an official presence would be helpful to users with problems . The link to IRC and Ubuntu Forums can be found at Ubuntu.com > support > community.

[Crowchild]

I just 'liked' Ubuntu on Facebook with the intention of offering help and/or directing people towards the forums. Immediately afterwards the sponsored adds on the side of the page, which are usually for one of those soul destroying click games, changed to Microsoft Canada ads.


For the Facebook/social media bashers. Though, I tend to be on the same side as you, we have to recognise it's value as an out reach tool. On the new here, the mayoral candidate in Calgary who used it in the lead up to yesterday's election go more votes than all the votes combined in the last election!

[nlsthzn]

Imagine if your first interaction with the world of Ubuntu is the FB site... it might literally become your last... any thing that can get people to show up here with there concerns and problems could be helpful for the image of Ubuntu (and also GNU/Linux)...

I like the proposals made in this thread thus far... as for those who has nothing better than to point out there hate for FB, nobody cares... Heck I hate FB, but it has its uses, like most things...

[98cwitr]

sudo rm -R /facebook

this...I boycott social networking sites with all my being.

[nlsthzn]

this...I boycott social networking sites with all my being.

Thanks for sharing :KS

[Oxwivi]

I believe Ubuntu boycotting Facebook would do more harm than good, since, as nlsthzn noted, it could be many users first interaction with the Ubuntu's Community. If the page disappeared, those users would feel abandoned. Users should be reached out to in anyway possible.

[Oxwivi]

Facebook, if anything, should be nothing more than the introduction and index to a good book - it should guide the users to the information he/she needs about the issue at hand.

[Cobracommand0]

I like the proposals made in this thread thus far... as for those who has nothing better than to point out there hate for FB, nobody cares... Heck I hate FB, but it has its uses, like most things...

Well said! I'm very much in agreement with your last sentence.


Facebook, if anything, should be nothing more than the introduction and index to a good book - it should guide the users to the information he/she needs about the issue at hand.

Absolutely, it's obvious that people are finding Ubuntu through the social networking. We just need to make sure that once they find it, they are directed to the main sources of information. Since that community already exists, it is counter productive to disband/isolate them only because it exists through Facebook. "Since it's there..." kinda thing. ;)

[PuddingKnife]

this...I boycott social networking sites with all my being.

Yet you found it necessary to post this thought on the wall of a social forum, oft used for networking.

Why don't you just come out of the social networking closet, and embrace what you truly enjoy doing? :guitar:

[t0p]

I boycott social networking sites with all my being.

Damn right! Ubuntu users who use Facebook and don't know about these forums don't deserve our help. Heck, why would we want all those Facebook lusers using our beloved Ubuntu? I hate those bi-curious ambivalent-about-operating-systems fiends! </sarcasm>

I have a Facebook account. I don't use it much at all, but it's there. So I think using the damn thing to point other Ubuntu users towards these forums is kind of an obvious thing to do. I bet there are a bunch of folk here who have Facebook accounts. Why not use them constructively?

Do the antis in this thread hate Facebook or Facebook users? Hating Facebook is a pretty reasonable thing to do, but hating the people who use the thing is just mean. Hate the sin, not the sinner. What would JC do? Other than turn rivers into wine and moon-walk across them.