Facebook page for DCM

[kusunoki]

I was wondering what the admins (and community) might think of putting up a facebook page dedicated to this site. It seems to me that this is one way to potentially reach a wider audience and build the membership. I don't think it's very tricky to do, and I would be willing to take a stab at it if it is judges a good idea.

[John C]

Don't consider this definitive, since I haven't spoken to any of the other people behind the scenes, but it's not really an idea that thrills me, personally.

For one thing, Facebook shows a lot of signs of driving users away, no matter what they claim about the benefits of advertising.  I know you're not talking about advertising, per se, but it's still something of an issue.

For another, my feeling is that the relative smallness (and steady growth just by word of mouth) of the community here is its strength.  It's very much a "small town" atmosphere, rather than Wikipedia, 4chan, or any of the other large online communities.  This is one of the very few areas where we don't have people bickering over what artist is better or how modern books are SOOO much better (or worse) than older books.

Along similar lines, I would also worry about the level of support required.  I don't really like the idea of waking up to another twenty people who can't be bothered to read to find out how to open the files, feel the need to complain about scans from microfiche, or that we dare to contradict what "everybody knows" about copyrights.

Again, don't consider that official, because we haven't discussed it.  And there might be perfectly valid reasons to tell me I'm full of crap.  But for the most part, I don't see a real benefit to loitering on Facebook.

[JVJ (RIP)]

I guess no one ever explained to you the simple rationale behind "bigger is better", did they John?

Simply because THERE ISN'T ONE! I'm with you. Let the site grow naturally and organically. Big just means more, and more is unlikely to include more scans but rather more downloads, more headaches, more glitches, more support needs.

I've never understood the modern desire to be "popular". Frankly, I'd much rather be rich, but that ain't likely to happen, either.

Consider this my entry in the "discussion."

(|:{>

[Yoc]

Hi guys,
I've never understood the attraction of Facebook or Twitter and don't plan on joining either.
If we don't have one of the admin on FB to keep an eye on it I don't feel comfortable with using it to advertise DCM.
And we are doing just fine as is.  Checking the stats at the bottom of the forum I see we are getting 7 new members a day on average.  Not bad for doing zero advertising.

Thanks for thinking of us though K,
-Yoc

[kusunoki]

Noted and understood. Thanks for the feedback, guys.

[aussie500]

I also am not that fond of facebook and its marketing strategies, sorry I also would have nothing to do with it.

[OtherEric]

Just wanted to chime in; even if we don't like the specific idea I for one DO appreciate you thinking of ways to help out the site.  Thank you!

[brentp256]

Although, a Twitter feed of new scans would be very nice!

[John C]

I suggested RSS, but this isn't a terrible stopgap:

http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/stats2.php

[JonTheScanner]

Although, a Twitter feed of new scans would be very nice!

Well I'm not on Twitter and never will be I doubt, but I don't see the need to be instantly informed when another scan appears.  How hard is it to check the last 300 uploads once a day or so.

[GeneYas]

I suggested RSS, but this isn't a terrible stopgap:

http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/stats2.php

Twitter has a lot of stupid and pointless content, but it can also be used as an RSS feed by people who don't know what RSS is. I would subscribe to an RSS feed or an RSS feed through Twitter if it were created. The advantage is that RSS (whether posted via Twitter or not) allows me to have the updates delivered like an email through Thunderbird. I do follow a few Twitter feeds, but I prefer to read them through Thunderbird which has the Thunderbrowse plugin. Twitter generates and RSS feed from people's posts. For me, I can't stand logging in to the Twitter site and I never post anything, so I prefer getting the meaningful content by RSS .

I just consider myself a casual passer by here, but I agree that promoting through Facebook would attract the wrong type of user. I think sites like Facebook will eventually implode as the people who are on it everyday get tired of it. On the other hand, the Mafia Wars and gaming aspect of Facebook is starting to put some gaming companies out of business so it may be around for awhile if they deliver content that really entertains people.

Gene

[kusunoki]

Looks like the position on facebook has been reconsidered. I'd be interested to hear from the administrators about what effects this ends up having on the site.

[Yoc]

Hi K,
Rangerhouse was very enthusiastic on running a Facebook page for us as none of the staff are users. 
Last Sept we had a Massive influx of new members and I guess we didn't have as big a reservation against the idea.  RH took the ball and ran with it.  I helped him with some graphics and RH looks to be doing a nice job there.  I'm sure he'd welcome any help or suggestions if you had any for him there.

So far I can't see any direct effect on the main site or this forum other than likely spreading the word about us to a demographic that might have overlooked us otherwise.  It's hard to know exactly where the bulk of our new members find us first.

Again, we appreciated your first offer.  I guess it was mainly a timing thing and no slight was meant against you of course.  I hope your life in Japan has returned back to normal as much as is possible.

Take care,
-Yoc

[paw broon]

I don't use Facebook or twitter, nor do I have any great inclination to do so.  I can't even text.  My phone does this strange thing of being able to make and take calls, how odd.  So, If DCM is on these thingies, that's fine but there are many people who aren't.  As long as this site can be accessed and used without recourse to Facebook etc., I'll be relieved. Mind, there was a time I thought I wouldn't have a computer or read comics on a screen.
I think I dislike the idea of artificial friends and I don't find it difficult to keep in touch with my relatively small circle of friends and acquaintances. 
I feel the better for having said that.

[John C]

I have an account (and was actually surprised I did--I don't remember signing up), but don't use it beyond it being a signpost for people who might be looking for me.  So it does serve a use, in that people can find me when they look and they're effectively isolated unless I decide to let them contact me directly.

I mostly don't like it because it's basically a..."branded Internet."  They let you make a webpage, give you a webmail account, and let you play games.  Whee!  Well, "whee" except if they die or decide they don't like you, in which case you lose access to all your stuff.  And they take everything you do (I know this from an ex-programmer there) on the site and store it to get a better sense of how to sell things to you and what companies to sell you to.  Add in their privacy screwups, and I certainly won't trust them with anything that's important.

(I did "Like" the DCM page, of course, and I have to admit that, when I have to head over to Facebook, it's nice to see thumbnails of the day's books staring me in the face.)