Facebook Me!: A Guide to Having Fun with Your Friends and Promoting Your Projects on Facebook

by Dave Awl

Book Overview

With more than 500 million active users around the world and still growing steadily, Facebook is more than just another social media site. In the words of author Dave Awl, Facebook is "the new town... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 032159195X
• ISBN13: 9780321591951
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Peachpit Press
• Length: 205 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.4" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Great for Facebook newbies and veterans!

We all know that Facebook is the hottest thing since maybe Friendster (anyone remember that?) or MySpace (does anyone go there anymore?), and unfortunately, Facebook constantly reinvents itself. Whether you are logging on to Facebook for the first time, or are a pro, "Facebook Me!" will teach you some valuable tips and tricks on how to maximize your usage. The author takes the novice user through ever aspect of Facebook including a heavy emphasis on privacy and security. In particular, Awl's book will survive most Facebook interface changes because he focuses on the core values of why you are on Facebook and what you hope to accomplish. He handles such tricky issues as friending your boss and coworkers as well as to how to deal with friends who send you invites to every application known to man. Awl gives great advice to new users on how to follow proper social mores on Facebook as well as how to prevent getting viruses on it. Experienced users will benefit from Awl's suggestions on topics such as how often and what to say in status updates and most important, how to check Facebook from work. Business owners in particular will benefit from this book's excellent explanation of pages, groups, and advertising on Facebook. The book is extremely well organized so more experienced users can focus on the subject that interest them the most. A detailed table of contents helps readers hone in on their particular topics of interest and excellent use of color screen shots helps everyone visualize his descriptions. Although Facebook will surely redesign it's interface and the pictures will then look different, the concepts of keeping up with friends and acquaintances are at the core of Facebook. Awl's book is about how to use Facebook effectively, not merely a "how to" guide. Pros: Well organized, detailed, perfect for novices and experienced users Cons: Still doesn't tell me whether I should friend my Mom or not Five out of Five Dogcows

Everything you need to know about using Facebook

In its own way, this is a remarkable little book. It is a guide to the everyday use of Facebook. It is neither too broadly focused nor too narrowly. It doesn't delve into areas that the typical Facebook user will never use. It doesn't, as some book on Facebook do, spend endless and needless time on privacy settings. They're covered, but not obsessed over. And "Fscebook Me!" has some surprises: information that you're not likely to see elsewhere. I've read a bunch of book about Facebook lately in a kind of crash course of my own making and was truly surprised to learn things in "Facebook Me!" that I hadn't seen elsewhere. Chapter 5, entitled "Wall, Status and News Feeds" is an eye-opener and, frankly, worth the price of the book. David Awl has done a fine job of ferreting out the "secrets", if you will, of Facebook. There are a lot of tips and tricks to be found, nearly all of them useful. This is far mote than a basic introduction to Facebook: it is truly a user's manual and a reference. (By the way, the book is so new that it covers the recently revamped Facebook interface. Nice.) I should add that the book is very well illustrated. I can't overstress how thoroughly Awl has covered the use of Facebook. It is a very impressive effort - and extremely useful if you want to get the most out of Facebook. I learned a lot from this book that isn't apparent from the Facebook interface. Definitely a keeper. Jerry

Excellent primer for Facebook

The Facebook social activity site has become a global phenomenon and continues to grow and add new members. It appeals to millions of users attracted to the idea of connecting with friends, neighbors, affinity groups, and even strangers using the myriad tools the Facebook web application provides. The Facebook interface, however, is a bit clunky and confusing, and the configuration settings complicated enough (especially in the privacy set settings) that a manual like Facebook Me! is needed and helpful. Author, Dave Awl, has created a nice primer on Facebook that will help make it easy for anyone to set up and use an account, configure it to their needs, learn the tools, and make the best use of Facebook for their social purposes. The book is an easy read and well laid out . It has plenty of easy-to-follow illustrations and instructions. It is geared for beginners and the casual computer user. It is loaded with Tips, Notes and Warnings about Facebook settings and use. Awl includes a large handful of special sections on Facebook norms - etiquette, the politics of "friending," discretion with privacy settings, using photo and video promotions, and more - which help new users especially, from getting into trouble with their friends, families, employers, and Facebook administrators. There are 13 chapters comprehensively covering nearly everything one would want to know about Facebook. The early chapters cover the basics of setting up an account and a profile. The middle chapters detail how to make "friends, set up or join groups and networks, and how to use Facebook in promoting a business or an organization. There are sections on publishing text, photos, and videos and adding on third-party applications of all types-for communication, purchasing gifts and other items on the site, and just plain silliness. A whole chapter is devoted to important privacy and security settings and behaviors. Facebook facilitates the disclosure of personal information which can have both good and bad consequences. Awl helps the reader understand how to deal with each. Some Facebook fans who are shut out of Facebook at work by overzealous employers will learn a handful of workarounds to maintain their Facebook presence, regardless. The final chapter shows how to integrate Facebook with mobile communication devices so as to never be away from interacting with Facebook friends. All this personal information sharing may not sound worthwhile for some people, but the author describes how he overcame his own skepticism to become an advocate for the program, while carefully learning how to set limits on his personal disclosures.

Excellent introduction to facebook!!!

In a word, this book is outstanding. This is not a book about facebook, it is a book about how to get personal value out of facebook -- an important distinction. Dave Awl begins by explaining that he is a very unlikely author for such a volume -- having been dragged into the facebook world by some old friends. He soon discovered that facebook enabled him to connect with old friends, express his creativity, and participate in a vibrant online community. The book is written for the novice and expert alike. Writing is informative, engaging, and unexpectedly funny throughout. Graphics are abundant -- those who prefer to skim could probably learn alot just by reviewing the screenshots and captions. Of particular interest is that Dave helps navigate not only the pages of facebook, but the culture of facebook, including how to handle unwanted friend requests, how to guard your privacy, and how to manage the flow of information you get in your friend's newfeeds. This is one of the rare technology books that I believe will be enjoyed equally by those who thrive on the online experience as well as those who have some fear of it. Great job, Mr. Awl! Now if you can just write a book about some of the other sites I use...

Good discussion about FB Applications

Facebook Me! discusses the basics of setting up a profile, adding friends, joining groups, and privacy issues. It's particularly strong in how to share photos & videos, how to use FB's calendar, setting up Pages, and setting up Events. Facebook Me! offers a 5-page essay on the Politics of Friending and a 3-page essay on The Fine Art of Not Being Obnoxious. Author Dave Awl goes deep into FB Applications and discusses authorizing apps, blocking them, managing them, book marking them, how to find them. He's particularly enthusiastic about using photos and videos to promote your interests. For example, a theater company with a show about to open might post shots of rehearsals in progress. Or if you make handcrafted jewelry or furniture, post some samples of your work. I really like the book's attractive page layout with color screen shots and illustrations.