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Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:41 pm
by nyker
I have a question for Facebook users, comparing FB to this site. My question might seem incredulous to dedicated FB users...be that as it may;

Consider the context in me asking this question in that I don't use Facebook at all- (I used to be a webmaster for a University, so I am not a technophobe)

This question could be a general FB question, but since it pertains to 14ers FB, then use that as an example-(maybe the answer is that's the way the world works now). :roll:

In using FB, nothing is categorized or organized, searchable and if you post something, it is soon lost in other posts ahead of you, so your post is way down the page and no longer current or readily visible for you or anyone else.

In FB, information is pretty much all over the place like post-it notes at an ADD convention, randomly, only sorted by time of post, uncategorized compared to here which is neatly organized into categories, you can search for posts, have your older post handy as well as replies, which don't get lost or force you or others to scroll forever or search for them and you can have readily available answers to your posts, trip reports, conditions reports whenever you want without losing them in a myriad of posts... if you step away for a a few hours or a week, all your stuff is still here and readily find-able, on FB its long gone. And because everything on FB is by default sorted as a running timeline if what you are seeking isn't on the top of the page, you need to search for it again and again. I am sure there is some "bookmark" function but I could see needing untold number of bookmarks to save the locations of things.

My main question is how is using FB more efficient than this site? and why use FB for posting things vs. posting here?

I understand people want to post things to FB so your "friends" on Facebook can then see them.
Other than that, why use FB vs. this site?

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2019 11:38 pm
by bergsteigen
It’s all about the likes.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:30 am
by BillMiddlebrook
nyker wrote: Sat Jul 20, 2019 10:41 pm My main question is how is using FB more efficient than this site? and why use FB for posting things vs. posting here?
It's certainly not efficient when it comes to the route descriptions or peak/trip/trailhead reports because certain information we expect to have consolidated, organized, etc. The casual hiker who uses Facebook is more likely to want to add some stuff to his/her FB page rather than updating the hiking community about a specific peak. FB isn't designed to be an efficient repository of data, except for the data they use internally. It doesn't work well for stuff we're interested in just like it wouldn't work well as a replacement for Wikipedia, CNBC, ESPN, fishing.com :-D ...

Also:
- Not everyone uses this site.
- Facebook is already the center of many people's lives, so they prefer to use it instead of multiple sites.
- Likes and adding content to their FB feed.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 8:30 am
by strayster2
Just dropping in to say that the Facebook group is a dumpster fire and the admins are awful.

Carry on.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 8:31 am
by tmud
The website is for gathering information on peaks.

This forum is for finding partners and to ask specific questions.

The facebook page exists purely as a medium for people to scream at each other about summit signs 4-5 times a year.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 10:26 am
by desertdog
As its grown in users the FB page has become geared more to beginners. The admins do a good job channeling all the people on it and its good for posting mountain pics. I don't think you would get much out of it though, unless you want to provide advice. It's great if you like summit signs and need daily Quandary or Sawatch conditions reports. :-D

Lets go climb a peak next time you're out!

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 10:33 am
by DeTour
Seems like one of the best things the Facebook site does is refer people to this site for accurate info. I guess a lot of casual hikers and newbies must land on that group before they know this site exists. Kinda like a gateway drug in that respect.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 12:13 pm
by BillMiddlebrook
strayster2 wrote: Sun Jul 21, 2019 8:30 am Just dropping in to say that the Facebook group is a dumpster fire and the admins are awful.

Carry on.
Lol. You can’t please everyone and... it’s Facebook.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 5:53 pm
by nyker
haha, thanks guys, that confirmed my suspicions! And Desertdog, yes! we should try and do something next time.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 6:03 pm
by MOworkCOplay
Jerks are everywhere.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 6:37 pm
by MountainHiker
FB is an easy place to share photos and comments that people can see today or tomorrow. FB is also a lot of silliness. I think the 14ers FB moderators do a good job of refereeing the group. Pre-FB 14ers.com had a persistent troll problem. FB is a much tastier environment for trolls so I've felt FB helped in attracting them away. I've never been a big trip report person. It takes real time to put together a trip report that can become a reference for future hiker/climbers. But if I want to post a few pictures where I went this weekend, FB is an easy avenue. Watching FB groups for 14ers, CO trail, up-coming out of state destinations, etc. can be a good way to see expected conditions and ask questions. The ease of posting that makes FB so dynamic is also its weakness for searchable information.

Since 14ers.com has the standard fourteener route descriptions covered I've mainly posted conditions updates. Pre-FB I was one of the more active forum posters. FB has an easier interface for a quick post and most quick posts aren't relevant a year from now anyway. FB has pulled my daily commenting away from this forum. If you look at my half dozen or so 14er.com trip reports you'll see they are mostly about providing information I wasn't able to find elsewhere. When I travel outside CO I often hike high points (some obscure) where information is lacking. For that reason I have trip reports and pages on summitpost. If the forum here is less active now in the FB and other social media world, perhaps that's a good thing. It means more bandwidth for the real info.

Re: Facebook vs 14ers.com (website or app)

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 8:28 pm
by nomad
In my humble opinion, Facebook is a scourge on society. Delete facebook and this world would be a better place. I have survived just fine utilizing 14ers.com for many years in it's current form, a great site with great people.