Topic: MySpace
For awhile now, I've been noticing a pretty bright blue link on my "Edit Profile" section entitled "Profile 2.0". Up until this morning, I have been able to resist its chipper teasing (mostly, because I figured there was some sort of fee involved and I... I am cheap *hangs head in shame*).
But, today I noticed something more, something that seemed more enticing somehow; "Profile 2.0: The new profile is here! One-click themes and drag-and-drop modules makes decorating your profile easier than ever. Try it out, you can always go back!". Exclamation marks and bold face type? How by the Gods and Goddesses will a bed ridden Theraflu junkie with a thermometer shoved in her mouth ever be able to resist these obvious charms?
So I clicked... just to have a little peek.
(I hear you now... the one, maybe two readers I have; "No, Jade! Don't click! Clicking will only make you want to push the button more!")
But, alas it is too late, as I have already *gulp* clicked...
And there it is.... the page (http://profileedit.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=profile.upgradeprofile) with a bright yellow button full of sunshine that says "Upgrade to Profile 2.0" embraced with pretty words like "We'll save a copy of your 1.0 profile for 90 days so you can play around with 2.0 without worrying about messing up your old profile" and "Profile 2.0 loads faster and has a sleeker, more modern look" and... and... *scrolls the page down and back up again* No fees! *Giggles in delight and moves her pointer to the yellow button*
*insert a long dramatic pause*
But wait... *scans through the page one more time*. What about harmless work and family related links on our profile pages that don't begin with "www" and are immediately blocked by the MySpace servers as phishing and spam websites? *smile weakens ever so slightly* Hmmm... no, nothing about that.
Hey, still a very pretty button! *pointer hovers over the yellow button once more ... as perusing of the page continues* Anything about widgets? Like scripted media players other than the 10 song one that MySpace always hypes? Will Playlist.com players ever be allowed on the new Profile 2.0? *smile fades entirely* Hmm... no nothing about that either.
*Moves the pointer away from the once promising yellow button and lets out a long drawn out sigh with dramatic fashion*
I guess the answer from me for now is "Nooo push button." I mean, sure, it probably looks fantastic and is probably more efficient as well. But, honestly? With all the quiet and subtle changes they've made in their user's 1.0 profiles without warning and in some cases without explaination; That ugly blue and white page that reads "This link is broken!!!" where your family's website or work related website used to be is a bit insulting and all because the address did not begin with "www"? This eliminates nearly all personal websites, whether they are pornographic or simply just pages of photos of the user's family tree. I think a page with a warning and the choice of continuing to the link would be preferable to just out right blocking it entirely. To be honest, I wouldn't have even known about their new 'blocking' method had I not tried to link my own personal website. I recieved no announcement about the change by any MySpace staff member. I guess they figure we just like surprises *shrugs* I dunno.
Then there is the Project Playlist thing where if you add the script to your page and MySpace catches it, they delete the widget and send you this nice form letter that basically says "We have deleted the Playlist.com widget from your profile page... blahdity blah... lawsuit ... blahdity blah... until the matter is resolved." Nowhere in the letter do they give any indication of exactly when it will be allowable, if ever, to once again add the Playlist.com widget to your profile.
Now before I get a reaction of "Hurumph! Pirated music! Grumble!" let me give you all the information about the lawsuit that MySpace is referring to;
The Recording Industry Association Of America (R.I.A.A.) has filed suit on behalf of nine (unnamed) record labels claiming that Project Playlist makes unauthorized reproductions of their music without paying any compensations. The latter of this statement being more the bottom line than the former.
However, Sony BMG Music Entertainment nor any of it's labels are part of this lawsuit. In fact, they have actually teamed up with Project Playlist which I suspect is about more than just business.
Here's the rub folks, Project Playlist does not host any music on its website. Not a one. What their website does is allow its users to create music playlists and provides a search engine that points to third party websites that host the music files, most of which are legitimate material. Project Playlist adheres to the copyright laws as it is written and also how it is intended. Yet, they are being punished by MySpace before the verdict is even in, and why? Because MySpace got threatened by the same record labels that are currently trying to sue Project Playlist. So did Facebook and Gaia, but apparently they've stood their ground and refused to budge thus far. *Blinks and grins widely* I did my research today!
All jokes aside though, I have been seriously debating editing this profile page to bare bone and switching to Facebook and making it my primary profile page. It's not like I don't have the HTML skills to simulate this page over there, afterall I did design this profile page myself and have designed several websites on top of that. All I really have to do is transfer all the images and eventually my blog and wham bam problem solved. I've grown tired of reading my own bellyaching about MySpace :P