Posts by Andy Lount

Social networkers lack loyalty: report

Unsurprising

I find it hard to believe that anyone would be surprised by those findings for the very fact that they are called 'Social' networks. Why would someone who is social by nature stick to a single site when they can easily keep several updated and widen their social networks a lot more by utilising some or all of the available offerings.

A lot of business people who are on Facebook for example will probably still have a LinkedIn account. Add to that someone who has a specific interest such as music might also have an account with Last.fm. Single people may belong to a dating community but not want to have that associated with their Facebook/MySpace profile.

If a new social network site appears and all your friends start to use it - then you will probably use it too just to keep in touch with them all. However you will probably still keep any old network accounts to keep all those friends that haven't switched.

Videogaming not addictive... for now, doctors say

MMO Addiction

A lot of studies have already been done on MMOGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games) such as Everquest (nicknamed Evercrack for it's addictive properties) and World of Warcaft. If someone's real life is rather dull due to a boring job or personal circumstance it can be very easy to become addicted to the constant feeling of achievement within a virtual environment. If you can become a noted and respected player online this can substitute a feeling of unimportance in the real world and be a way to connect with other people.

I am not sure if gaming as a whole can be considered addictive but in the realm of online games I would say the relative inexspensiveness compared to other forms of addiction (single low cost monthly fee) makes it very difficult once addicted, to stop; as users find it increasingly more difficult to think of alternative ways to use up the massive amounts of time spent in the online game world.

I am left wondering what else they need to do over this 5 year period to prove this addiction. People have already been killed for their online game accounts, what has to be next?