Minecraft Forums

Facebbok is a social networking website, of which I have absolutely no need for. I understand that it's wildly popular and that a lot of folks utilize it, some quite compulsively, but many many people do not want or need to create a Facebbok account. In fact, I don't have many friends who do use it. Globally, 1 in 13 people are registered to Facebook. In the US, 48% of people betwen 18 and 34 are registered, so I guess it's just the sort of company that I keep (I'm 25). And yes, those are some staggering numbers but they do also indicate that 52% of the people in my brackett, do not partake in this trend. That's a lot of people. So why is this social networking site, something that plenty of people decline to use (unlike, let's say, a phone), being forced down our throats at every turn, through other services both online and in other compacities? I've been able to avoid this little irritation without much discomfort or concern for the past few years, but this is the final straw here. Why in the hell do I have to have Facebook just to use the screenshot function in the XBOX 360 version of Minecraft? It would be so simple for the screenshots to save to the hard drive. I could then use my handy little flash drive to transfer them to my computer, completely eliminating the need for an internet connection all together. I've also started to notice that I now need a Facebook account to join various sweepstakes and to sign up for different promotional offers. Now I know that I could just create a junk account to use for these purposes but something about that just seems wrong. Why not provide other options that adhere to the tools that people like myself, actually use (such as home address and email accounts)?

@McGizmo, I love a good conspiracy theory, so feel free. The logic behind a "herd theory" sort of explination sounds more reasonable, but it's a lot more boring . Thanks for the reply. I get what you are saying about the Facebook option being, perhaps, a bit easier on 4J's end, but that is pretty shortsighted of them. It wouldn't take to much to offer more options, such as hard drive storage of screen captures. This game is largely about creativity and the desire for screenshots and video is something that would interest most people who use Minecraft for artistic purposes. I've only been playing for a few months and I play on 360. I have made some really nice things and I'd like an easy way to display them to others.

Facebook is a virus.

I've had a FB account for a while, but never used it. Kept getting emails saying someone posted a pic or something on their account, someone I've never heard of added me as their friend, etc. Changed my settings, still getting emails. Then discovered that even if I did use FB to post xbox pics, all those people I don't know (and those I do that don't want to see those xbox pic) still would and I couldn't stop it.
To heck with it. Never used it- don't need it- ain't that important. I keep contact with real friends via email.

I'm "in the process" of getting my FB account canceled. I say that because even though I've told them to cancel my account, it takes them 14 days to actually do it!

Maybe, in the future, if I want to post any pictures here, I'll make a junk FB account. (I tried to make a junk account, but you can't have 2 accounts with the same email).

Edit: Yes, I have a Gold membership card... that I've never redeemed simply because I never play online with other people.

"Why would 4J Studios have to spend little money by using Facebook as an image hosting site when almost half of all Americans already have it?"

You answered your own question.

Same here O/P, I don't have facebook, had it for a while but never used it. Next thing you know I have people I don't talk to passing me in stores and saying "Hey man, looks like you had a blast at so and so's party." And I ask how they knew about it and the response is " Oh someone tagged your name in a photo.?? Aside from the privacy issues that plague Facebook, it also boils down to Facebook being a company, a business, and in a business there are buyers, sellers, and product. If you are not buying, and not selling anything on facebook, guess what that makes you

If I want a screen shot I just rely on my trusty iPhone, it does good enough to get the point across.

Quote from Shmeckle

. . . Why in the hell do I have to have Facebook just to use the screenshot function in the XBOX 360 version of Minecraft? . . .

I sympathize completely. I am with you. I am quite a bit older than you, and I too have lived my whole life just fine without Facebook. I intend to keep it that way. You can always point a digital camera at a decent hi-res screen and get good pictures of your MC world. That's what I'll be doing if I ever get a strong enough urge to post pix.

I agree with the OP 100%. Definitely not a fan of Facebook.

1. Completely agree. I don't have a Facebook account and even if I did I would be very hesitant to connect it to my Xbox Live account.

2. Regarding saving screenshots to the hard drive . . . Isn't IE coming to Xbox in the fall as part of the whole Smart Glass thing? You wouldn't even have to do the whole flash drive transfer at that point.

Quote from wolfeuk

nobodys forcing you to use facebook, if you dont like it dont use it !!

Dude, I never said that I didn't like it. The problem is that I'm being forced to use it. I have nothing against it and I do ralized that it has some value to some people. Just not for me. That may change some day. I will have to create a junk account for some things, and that sort of bothers me. Facebook shouldn't be able to expand as a company by backing people who do not want to use it into a corner.

Quote from jenyulo

1. Completely agree. I don't have a Facebook account and even if I did I would be very hesitant to connect it to my Xbox Live account.

2. Regarding saving screenshots to the hard drive . . . Isn't IE coming to Xbox in the fall as part of the whole Smart Glass thing? You wouldn't even have to do the whole flash drive transfer at that point.

Yeah, That would be cool. It would be nice to have a simple way to take screencaptures and video on xbox. This is something that should have been done a long time ago. And this type of thing certainly shouldn't use Facebook.

Quote from MrSpaM

Facebook are paying either microsoft or 4J for the feature, they are doing it to make money.

I completely agree with the original poster, but money makes the world go round, things like this were always going to happen.

Yeah, that makes sense. I really wouldn't have any problem with that, if they did offer other options. Facebook is fre to pay whoever they like, for whatever service they desire. This Minecraft thing is just one small example. I've seen a ton of stuff lately that's pushing Facebook as the only option. Maybe this is just a desperate reaction to their weakening stocks.

Quote from Cobra951

I sympathize completely. I am with you. I am quite a bit older than you, and I too have lived my whole life just fine without Facebook. I intend to keep it that way. You can always point a digital camera at a decent hi-res screen and get good pictures of your MC world. That's what I'll be doing if I ever get a strong enough urge to post pix.

Thanks for the reply. That is an option, but their really should be a better way. I don't have a great camera or a great phone for that matter. Hopefully one of these days their will just be an xbox live feature that allows you to take pictures and make videos in a very simple manner. I know there's not a huge demmand for this, but it would serve to enrich the community aspect of certain games.

Quote from JDawgMillenium

"Why would 4J Studios have to spend little money by using Facebook as an image hosting site when almost half of all Americans already have it?"

You answered your own question.

Fair point. You shouldn't have to use an immage hosting site though. Really this isn't on 4J imo. This is on XBOX. A screencap and recording feature, that stores directly on your hard drive, should've been available a long time ago.

Quote from McGizmo

Missed what he just wrote ? Or how would you call a functionality (lets say make a screenshot in a computer game) that requires to use a totally unrelated service that is known for some problems (facebook), freedom of choice? :> Just curious..

Exactly.

Quote from Alchemilla

i can assure u the #1 most visited website in the world has no issue with making money or its stocks.

It's true. Google is doing fine.

Quote from Alchemilla

There is. spending 5 minutes to create a facebook junk acc.

Thanks, this never occurred to me.

Quote from wolfeuk

ive being on FB for nearly 8 years with no problems what-so-ever, and it is freedom of choice, there not forcing you to use it in order to play the game, if you want to upload a pic take it with your phone

The camera on my phone sucks **** and I don't care to pay a premium for a phone just so I can take screen shots of Minecraft. The real point here, is that Facebook is a lame way to handle scrrenshots, or to handle any sort of image hosting. There are far better options that do not corner anyone into creating an account for a service that they do not want. I'm glad you love Facebook and I never said that it should cause anyone any problems. I'm going to ignore you now because you seem to be a little slow.

Quote from wolfeuk

ive being on FB for nearly 8 years with no problems what-so-ever, and it is freedom of choice, there not forcing you to use it in order to play the game, if you want to upload a pic take it with your phone

Yeah, same here. People complain about proivacy, then it must be a lack of their understanding. I set everything to friends only or friends of friends, made a junk account and what do you know, I couldn't see my real pages info at all. If your accounts privacy is failing, it's your fault. People are so paranoid that the "man" are Facebook are going to stalk and steal your personal information. Small hint, don't put any real information on it.

The only other option 4J is considering is making it so you can post screenshots to Twitter. But I'm sure that wouldn't be ok either because it's another social networking site. It will still require Gold and you'll still need a Twitter account.

Quote from Alchemilla

Facebook is the #1 Visited site. Save your ignorance if you're going to post.

http://www.alexa.com/topsites

Oh, relax. It was just a little joke. I was going by this article which I read a while back, which doesn't contain the numbers

http://www.theatlant...country/258252/

Even if Facebook were #2, it wouldn't really change your point. Although, obviously, the stock is not doing fine. And advertisers are pulling out because it's not an effective ad tool. And they'll soon have to start finding more "creative" ways to use your personal infotrmation, since that where the value of the company is.

EDIT: Also, just FYI, if you click on the analytics in the link you provided:

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/facebook.com#

"Facebook is the second most popular site in the world according to the three-month Alexa traffic rankings."

Again, it really doesn't matter.