Why I Don’t MySpace…

I found out about MySpace around a year ago…it’s kinda neat…makes a “blog” accessible to just about anybody and has tons and tons of readers. I know at least a handful of people that spend most of their net surfing hours there. I’ve toyed with the idea of starting a MySpace that links back to this blog, but I think I’ve decided against it. Permanently. Oh, and you won’t find any hyperlinks from my site to MySpace either.

For context, I run an open-source web-based blog application, called WordPress, that is installed on web server space that I rent from a company in Canada. (Yep, you’re connected to Canada, folks.) I’ve also purchased several domain names that all point to this web server, providing me the ability to simultaneously run multiple websites from the same server. I used to run a web server from my home (for free) but ultimately wanted to start working with online video…thus, to save my cable modem’s bandwidth, renting server space seemed the better way to go.

Anyway…back to the point. If I wanted mass traffic, MySpace might be the way to go. It certainly doesn’t lack readership and popularity…who doesn’t know about MySpace? (And if you found my website before you heard about MySpace, there’s also some other neat-o sites you need to know about called YouTube, Google and Wikipedia)

Of more concern, I’ve learned of disreputable MySpace censoring tactics. I don’t like the idea that I don’t own my blog and can’t post whatever it is that I see fit. Even if it is about the most important presidential candidate to run for Presidency. If you don’t believe me, just watch this video:

[flv]https://old.jeffwhiteside.com/video/ronpaulmyspacecensorship.flv[/flv]

That, and I’m typically not one to do something the easy way. Heck, even my mom has a MySpace, who (certainly no offense intended…just in case you’re reading…Hi Mom!) is not a technical wizard. I guess it’s pretty easy to do. Easy enough that nearly everyone I know has a MySpace. Geez…and here I am debating whether I will or I won’t have a MySpace. I could’ve had a MySpace set up in the time it’s taken me to write this post.

Last, but not least…the layout of MySpace, frankly, sucks. It’s just ugly, poorly laid out and what…just..what…is up with all the silly/ugly comments that people leave on people’s pages? Who has the patience to read through the heaps and heaps of pointless garbage that people “tag” onto your website? Who even wants those readers anyway? (If you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about…) I haven’t found a MySpace page that I like yet…it’s almost offensive to my eyes.

So, that’s why I don’t MySpace and why, for the foreseeable future, will not be found on MySpace. Just Google me, it’s kewler that way.