If you miss a friend request because you didn't see the new mail notice and if you don't check your e-mail, you will appear to be a jerk to the one who sent the friend request. The bad feelings produced by this and when you discover what happened months down the road negates any value derived from having a friend postage stamp gallery.

It is possible to make friends without the Face Book system.

Certain manic depressive types send out a flurry of friend requests when in a manic state. These requests will be accepted by most since it is cruel to reject any friend request. When the manic turns depressive, he or she will shun Renderosity, but not before dropping the friends gained in the shotgun approach to network building. This leaves the rejects wondering what they said or did to be dropped in this manner.

I think the public friend gallery is a throwback to high school, making a show of popularity and faction. I know it won't change. Most people here probably like it.

Speaking of Face Book, it appears that Face Book is running a script on Renderosity. Since Face Book is even more evil than Google when it comes to privacy, I wonder what the script is doing.

If you're able to see the icons at the bottoms of this page, there are icons for Twitter, Facebook and Myspace, I guess so that one can "share" the topics with one's other fwiends on Twitter, Facebook and Myspace...LOL. I would assume that's what's running. Not entirely certain, but it's my best guess.

Laurie

It doesn't really matter, the friends feature has little application other than another way to "game" the site.  I don't have any interest in all that vanity web page junk anyway, it has no real use other than to fluff one's ego.

The friends module is just that; a module, a part of the site that is no more mandatory than it is to visit the freestuff, or forums that you have no interest in.  If you do not wish to use it, you don't have to.  
That said, I can understand where your concern lies.  But, the thing to remember is, there will always be someone who will take offense to an action taken or not.  If we hadn't added the friend module, there would be other reasons that people would feel like they were being slighted.  Not commenting back in response to a comment, not adding them as a favorite after adding a comment, not responding to sitemail in less than an hour, and I could list more, but there is no reason to.
My point is, the  Friends module is there for fun.  We all need to remember, no matter what side of the coin we are on, that the people we are responding to in the community are people just like we are.  Life happens, and sometimes we need to practice patience when waiting for a response from people.  

As for this:

Quote -

Speaking of Face Book, it appears that Face Book is running a script on Renderosity. Since Face Book is even more evil than Google when it comes to privacy, I wonder what the script is doing.

Can you tell me what you mean?  Facebook isn't running any scripts, but our dev team has added a "Like" button to many items on the site, such as MP products, to make it easier for members who have a facebook page to share the link with their facebook friends.

Dear-oh-dear.

Facebook is such a lovely way to share pictures of weddings or friends at a party or the latest on the new baby and it's fantastic for venting about a boss you absolutely hate because she won't give you the hours you want on the roster, which venting can get you fired.

Any networking tool can be used for good, but in the hands of those with less than pristine motives can be used to do untold damage. It's the world we live in, I suppose.

My approach? steer clear. Have a profile, but keep it bland. If you want to network, be aware that all sorts of things about you will be revealed by the unsubtle, well-meaning privacy-naive around you. Those that love you can do more damage than those who wish you harm, using this social networking thingie. It's one of the reasons I'm sort-of backing away from being notified about new art on a favourite artist's gallery: what can you say fresh and new that you haven't said before? But if you *don't say something, don't you like him anymore? And no one "pokes" or "prods" or "writes on my wall" on Facebook anymore: I'm too boring. HAHAHAHHAAHHAHHHHAAAAA little do they KNOW!!! :lol:

The OP's illustration of a person's psychological disabilities playing a role in the use of things like making "Friends" etc is only the tip of the iceberg... what other issues cound be uncovered here in the forums, what frailties, what insecurities, what intense phobias and disenchantments with sects or creeds or orientations?

I love the forums... you're in, you're out, you learn, you find, you share, you enrich and feel good, you are enriched and feel empowered, you're a friend without an avatar on someone's page, people trust you without knowing your dog's name.
Do we really need the rest? I don't. I respect privacy - it's a frail, delicate, much-trampled-on right.

"Can you tell me what you mean?  Facebook isn't running any scripts, but our dev team has added a "Like" button to many items on the site, such as MP products, to make it easier for members who have a facebook page to share the link with their facebook friends."

Back when a certain CG university was excessively assertive with its recruitment efforts via a popup at the button of the screen that appeared every time you refreshed or loaded a page, I installed a Firefox add on called “No Script.” This provided a list of all of the scripts that were running on the sites visited. At Renderosity, Google and Face Book were shown as third parties running “scripts” on the Renderosity site. I’ve since removed No Script and I’m pressed for time so I can’t check to see if anything is running currently or what the so-called scripts are actually named.    

@Paloth, i was wondering why you didn't accept my friend requests, I sent like 50, but it's because you didn't check right? Right???!!

Lol, ok just kidding, couldn't help myself. please ignore my momentary burst of manic stupidity ;-)
I do understand the Op's point and basically agree with it. Friends or aquaintences made in life or online should not need to be trophies to display how great & popular you must be. I would/have accept friend requests for the very reason stated,that you would seem standoffish not to. but it does puzzle me that someone I don't know, have not spoken to, or have any idea who they are would list me as "a friend". anyone I do come to know or converse with online or in RL should know simply by my actions or words that I think well or ill of them without needing the confirmation of a friend tag. but there are 100's of millions of people who would seem to love the social networking setup, so what do I know.

 Well, facebook can't do anything to invade your privacy unless you actively join and post things that you don't want public.  So, the fact that our devteam has made it easier to share links throughout the site with your facebook "friends" won't invade your privacy at all.  They simply don't have access to anything that you don't place on their site yourself.  :)

As for google, we've had google ads on the site for years, via AdSense.   

If there are changes you'd like to see on the site, please post them on the Suggestion Box forum, so that those in charge of changes can read your input :)

"Well, facebook can't do anything to invade your privacy unless you actively join and post things that you don't want public."
I was pressured to join Facebook by well-meaning, loving members of my family. It was then that I discovered, to my horror, that friends or family or whoever can display pictures on their site tagged with your name. They may not have captured your good side, either.
And usually it's not the evil-minded who do these things, but well-meaning, loving members of family who want to show off what a wonderful person you really are. :scared: There's something diabolical about it.

I don't get what this friends request thing is here. What is it.

Is this the reason I have had a couple of Facebook friends request emails because I use this site? I thought they were just spam that got past my junk mail. Not impressed if that is the reason. I don't do the facebook twittering thing so I should not be getting that kind of stuff.

I don't think it does anything at all, except show a list that other people can see and offer you another "high score" opportunity.

Quote - Certain manic depressive types send out a flurry of friend requests when in a manic state. These requests will be accepted by most since it is cruel to reject any friend request. When the manic turns depressive, he or she will shun Renderosity, but not before dropping the friends gained in the shotgun approach to network building. This leaves the rejects wondering what they said or did to be dropped in this manner.

Find better friends then.

there ***is*** a script from Facebook running on the pages. i also use NoScript, as i just got fed up with all the crap that had access to my computer. i also run AdBlock plus. all these bells and whistles are well and good, but they make it easier for hackers to access peoples details or drop a drive by nasty onto peoples computers.

Quote - "Well, facebook can't do anything to invade your privacy unless you actively join and post things that you don't want public."
I was pressured to join Facebook by well-meaning, loving members of my family. It was then that I discovered, to my horror, that friends or family or whoever can display pictures on their site tagged with your name. They may not have captured your good side, either.
And usually it's not the evil-minded who do these things, but well-meaning, loving members of family who want to show off what a wonderful person you really are. :scared: There's something diabolical about it.

 
If I were  you, I'd explain to my family that I didn't want to be tagged, and then go through and untag myself.  My older sister, who is an attorney, has done so on many occasions.  
I wouldn't call it diabolical, more naive.  Especially if they don't know you don't want to be tagged.  
Plus, it's a GREAT reason not to do drunk, stupid things near anyone with a camera ;)

Quote - I don't get what this friends request thing is here. What is it.

Is this the reason I have had a couple of Facebook friends request emails because I use this site? I thought they were just spam that got past my junk mail. Not impressed if that is the reason. I don't do the facebook twittering thing so I should not be getting that kind of stuff.

the friends request thing here, which has been here FOR 2 YEARS +, is a glorified "Favorite Artists" feature.  
I don't know  why your facebook friends are asking for your email address, you may want to check with them.  I doubt Renderosity, or our "friend" feature, has anything to do with it.

> Quote - If you miss a friend request because you didn't see the *new mail* notice and if you don't check your e-mail, you will appear to be a jerk to the one who sent the friend request. The bad feelings produced by this and when you discover what happened months down the road negates any value derived from having a friend postage stamp gallery. > > It is possible to make friends without the Face Book system. > > Certain manic depressive types send out a flurry of friend requests when in a manic state. These requests will be accepted by most since it is cruel to reject any friend request. When the manic turns depressive, he or she will shun Renderosity, but not before dropping the friends gained in the shotgun approach to network building. This leaves the rejects wondering what they said or did to be dropped in this manner. > > I think the public friend gallery is a throwback to high school, making a show of popularity and faction. I know it won't change. Most people here probably like it. > > Speaking of Face Book, it appears that Face Book is running a script on Renderosity. Since Face Book is even more evil than Google when it comes to privacy, I wonder what the script is doing.

.

Quote - there is a script from Facebook running on the pages.

This has been established.  If you look at the bottom of this page, the "script" is a link to Renderosity's Facebook Fan Page.

Quote -
i also use NoScript, as i just got fed up with all the crap that had access to my computer.

Quote -
i also run AdBlock plus. all these bells and whistles are well and good, but they make it easier for hackers to access peoples details or drop a drive by nasty onto peoples computers.

Um, not exactly.  Sometimes, hack attempts present themselves as popups and other nasties, but they almost never enter your computer that way.  Our site programmers do their best to test out every new piece of software before implementing them.  
(Our Marketing guy is new and didn't know better yet.  Please don't strap him to the bonfire just yet.  He learned from the "Full Sail  University" ad.)

Friend features in social sites becomes what you want it to be. If you understand how social sites are overwhelmed  by spam, you may start using it with responsability.

If one wants to become "popular" in these sites most people try to add EVERYONE in the world to their friend list. We all must educate people on this: there will always be a spammer that has more "friends" than you. So you must only add those who you really like and know.

For example, in my Twitter account I only add those who I respect, like and have a relationship. These are the factors: if I really know them, or if I truly like what they do. If not, I let them follow but not follow them. If I think they are adding everybody in the world, I report them for spam with no mercy.

The result: I don't have milllions on Facebook or Twitter as friends, but I have the best people there.

It is not a problem of Renderosity if people don't use its features the right way. Also, you should not feel guilty if you don't add someone. He/she will learn, at the medium term, how to behave.
You don't invite to a beer everyone in the street, aren't you?

 

Quote -
For example, in my Twitter account I only add those who I respect, like and have a relationship. These are the factors: if I really know them, or if I truly like what they do. If not, I let them follow but not follow them. If I think they are adding everybody in the world, I report them for spam with no mercy.

Passing on a tip that was passed on to me...I use Topify to help with that.  It alerts me when I get new followers, and gives me their last 5 tweets, their demographics posted on their twitter page, and the option to block them straight from my email.  Plus, it keeps my email address private.

Wow thanks JenX, I will try that for sure!

I also tend to report for spam people with this profile: a smiling vendor face, or something sexual, and that says something like:
Following: 70,000
Followers:2

These people are obviously following everyone in the world in the hope that they add them too and their smiling face appears everywhere = more links

 Oh, exactly.
Oh, and if I post something random, and all of the sudden, their business has something to do with it, I'm 99% sure it's a spambot.  Like, yesterday, I was explaining to someone that I can't knit, and my next 3 "followers" were spambots regarding knitting...which made me laugh before I reported them for spam, LOL.

Quote -
If I were  you, I'd explain to my family that I didn't want to be tagged, and then go through and untag myself.  My older sister, who is an attorney, has done so on many occasions.  
I wouldn't call it diabolical, more naive.  Especially if they don't know you don't want to be tagged.  
Plus, it's a GREAT reason not to do drunk, stupid things near anyone with a camera ;)

Naive is a good word to describe me... I had no idea I could do that, Jen... thanks SO much!

And LOL on that last bit of advice... :lol:

Quote -  Oh, exactly.
Oh, and if I post something random, and all of the sudden, their business has something to do with it, I'm 99% sure it's a spambot.  Like, yesterday, I was explaining to someone that I can't knit, and my next 3 "followers" were spambots regarding knitting...which made me laugh before I reported them for spam, LOL.

LOL! yes, and I also saw some of them change their topic per week. I use to get tons of them when they get the 3d or virtual worlds topic, but if you look weeks before they may be posting to everyone about burguers or fried eggs!

 Yup, if you've been tagged in an image, it will show up in your photos, and you can remove the tag by clicking the "Remove Tag" link.

Quote - > Quote - I don't get what this friends request thing is here. What is it.

Is this the reason I have had a couple of Facebook friends request emails because I use this site? I thought they were just spam that got past my junk mail. Not impressed if that is the reason. I don't do the facebook twittering thing so I should not be getting that kind of stuff.

the friends request thing here, which has been here FOR 2 YEARS +, is a glorified "Favorite Artists" feature.  
I don't know  why your facebook friends are asking for your email address, you may want to check with them.  I doubt Renderosity, or our "friend" feature, has anything to do with it.

I don't use or ever have used facebook. So why would I ask non- existent facebook friends.

 Your quote:

Quote - Is this the reason I have had a couple of Facebook friends request emails...

I assumed you had a facebook because of this.  The only other thing I can think of is that friends of yours who have your email address are inviting you to Facebook.  Either way, that has NOTHING to do with Renderosity.  

Your reading that wrong but what ever. Sorry, don't have friend that use that stuff either. my question was if I'm getting that spam from using this site.

 If you're getting facebook "friend requests" in your email, it is not coming from renderosity.

Don't click on any friend requests in your email.  Always go directly to the site and login and verify any friend requests there.

Otherwise, you're just asking for identity theft.

jen, see above for facebook connexion attempt when loading forums page (as detected by OS X).

p.s. maybe if that guy in the red bellhop uniform sent out a few more friend requests, they would
have a whip-round and buy him a new toupée.

Attached Link: http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=api.facebook.com&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 Nancy, I get it.  What you guys aren't getting is that the connection that everyone is fearing is the link at the bottom of the page.   It doesn't do anything.  It loads.  It is not connecting to your computer.  It is running a script on the site that makes it easy for integration with facebook.

And, before the litany of complaints, YES, this was a user-requested feature.  It was requested by many, and I see it used on a daily basis.

Quote -
This leaves the rejects wondering what they said or did to be dropped in this manner.

A few years ago when this whole friend feature was introduced I initiated a few friend requests.  All were accepted with the exception of 1 request, which was declined. 

I think other people were more upset about it than I was though.

I don't have any problems with anyone here so I've accepted all friend invites!!

:biggrin: > Quote - > jen, see above for facebook connexion attempt when loading forums page (as detected by OS X). > > p.s. maybe if that guy in the red bellhop uniform sent out a few more friend requests, they would > have a whip-round and buy him a new toupée.

I get spam requests from Facebook all the time, nothing to do with here.  I don't do the Facebook thing, but have family that does.  That alone is reason enough for me to stay away from any of the "social" specific sites.  I love my mother, but I really don't want my entire family all up in my business. 

As for the friends thing on here, I only ever accept those requests if they are someone I know already, or have at least had -some- kind of interaction with here.  I have no qualms whatsoever hitting the decline box, have done so on several occasions, and will continue to do so no matter how many times some random person tried to "be my friend".  If you enjoy someone's art, watch them or fav them whatever.  At the very least, send them a note initiating contact that way.  It's like playing my MMO's and having random group or guild invites from someone who hasn't even sent you a tell.  If someone has problems being declined when they've made no true initiative to truly become someone's friend, well they probably have bigger issues than I'd wanna deal with anyway.  Just my opinion anyway.

Quote - That alone is reason enough for me to stay away from any of the "social" specific sites.  I love my mother, but I really don't want my entire family all up in my business. 

Hmm Interesting
Facebook Has been Accused of Selling your "information"
to Marketing companies and even the U.S. Government.

My response is:
SO WHAT!!!

I use Facebook to keep in touch with my Siblings,a few cousins and some former Coworkers.
If some evil entity tied to Facebook wants to know
how many times a month I say "Luv you sis/bro"
"How is the job search going"
"Sorry I can't make our Aunts Funeral".

or "Chris!! Dude Check out this awesome game trailer From Blizzard inc",

Then so be it

as a general Rule NEVER POST  any personal info on the internet that can not already be easily obtained by any police officer running a background check
and you will be fine.

Cheers

On facebook I do not accept friends requests unless they are mutual friends of those I have as friends. Example JenX she is one of my facebook friends and unless said friend request is a friend of her's  I will not accept the request.
If people sent me a request and I do not know them I will message them asking the who they are if it's just another person wanting to be friends for games I will not accept them. And I sure as heck do not post anything private on facebook I do not want anyone to know about. I have seen some profiles in FB were the person has posted their home address, phone numbers and a slew of email address.

Quote - On facebook I do not accept friends requests unless they are mutual friends of those I have as friends. Example JenX she is one of my facebook friends and unless said friend request is a friend of her's  I will not accept the request.

I had to look it up, and yes, you are!  (I  almost never link someone's Rendo persona and Facebook persona, usually because names are different.)  
When it comes to the 3D community, I usually add people that are also friends with my other 3D friends.  High school and family friends...if I ACTUALLY knew and liked them, I'll add them right away.  People I could barely tolerate, I'll add on trial period, and if we still aren't clicking, I'll get rid of them.  And, if I didn't like them ever, I don't add them.

It's a good tool, don't get me wrong, but facebook does some really ridiculous things.
About a month ago, an old friend of mine died after dealing with complications from diabetes.  It hit me really hard, because it had been over 1 1/2 years since we'd talked, and he was always like the little brother I didn't get (I have little brothers, but they're  both 8+ years younger than I am).  Anyway, the night I got home from his funeral, Facebook kindly reminded me that it had been a while since I'd talked to him on FB...would I like to reconnect?
sigh  Yes, I would.  Stupid facebook :(

Quote - > Quote - On facebook I do not accept friends requests unless they are mutual friends of those I have as friends. Example JenX she is one of my facebook friends and unless said friend request is a friend of her's  I will not accept the request.

I had to look it up, and yes, you are!  (I  almost never link someone's Rendo persona and Facebook persona, usually because names are different.)  
When it comes to the 3D community, I usually add people that are also friends with my other 3D friends.  High school and family friends...if I ACTUALLY knew and liked them, I'll add them right away.  People I could barely tolerate, I'll add on trial period, and if we still aren't clicking, I'll get rid of them.  And, if I didn't like them ever, I don't add them.

Same here Jen there are time someone from the 3D community will send me a friends request and I have no idea who they are until I message them and ask who they are. Then I get an answer "I'm so and so from renderosity here is my rendo user name." So yeah tough sometimes to link the Big-R persona to the FB one.

When people sign up for FB and let it import their email contacts to find friends...if you are in THEIR contact list it will connect you as a friend suggestion. I believe it also sends out an invite at the same time if they let it. Explains why you can get a friend request and you don't have a FB account. To accept it you have to sign up. Creepy marketing technique, but not unexplainable. It does however show you who is not being careful with YOUR info and shares that info with FB and who knows who else just because FB "suggested" they to do it when they signed up.

Well that explains why I'm constantly getting what I thought were spam invites from actual people I know, even when my mother denied sending them LoL  Course if that's their scam, I guess I'd still consider it spam.

Youtube, Twitter and Facebook are soon to merge into one giant timewasting website called YouTwitFace. :biggrin:

I could care less if someone pisses thier pants because I failed to notice thier email requesting to be friends, Life goes on.