Blogging Formula One 19/09/2007 Keith Collantine has done a brave thing over at F1 Fanatic - he has invited all his readers who use Facebook to become his friends. Well, not so much an invite but it amounts to the same thing. Don't be surprised if Facebook crashes today!Illustration courtesy of Rob IjbemaThe real point of Keith's article is to point out the number of F1 groups on Facebook in case anyone is interested in joining them. Not being a great joiner, I don't think I'll be rushing in to sign up with those wanting Danica Patrick to drive for Ferrari or the "Bring Schumi back to F1" campaign but I do admit that I am still struggling with the whole concept of Facebook. I know it's about "networking", whatever that is, but I don't really see much point in finding out what my friend Cholomondeley had for breakfast or learning what Gertrude looks like.I was introduced to Facebook a while back by someone that I barely knew but was flattered to be invited by. And, to be honest, I haven't done much with it since. It was the means of my reconnecting with a couple of old friends, I admit, but we haven't had much to say to each other since the first joyful moment of discovery. Life goes on and we get busy, I suppose.It may be that blogging is what prevents me from seeing the value of Facebook. Through my various blogs I have contact with people that I have never met but count as friends even so. And, since we meet on specifically-targeted blogs, it is inevitable that we speak the same language and understand nuances of our subjects that escape others. I have no need of Facebook, apart from the occasional reminder of friendships long forgotten; my friends are in the here and now and in blogging.Formula 1 bloggers are fairly exceptional in their community too. Although it could be said that we are all in competition for traffic, there is no shoving off at corners or barbed messages given out at press conferences; there is a feeling of community instead and we all read each other every day and participate in the conversations that develop. We might have very different views but everyone is accorded respect and their opinions are not denigrated. It's the love of the sport that unites us, I think.How different that is from the actual F1 world, revealed as it has been in the past few weeks as a cut-throat business where any possible advantage is seized upon and used to full extent. There are still moments of true sportsmanship in F1 but they become more the exception than the rule and it is rare indeed for one of the great players to put the interests of the sport before his own. I know that there will be those that disagree with me (but equally, I won't be pelted with rotten eggs for saying it!), but I believe that Ron Dennis' decision not to proceed with the appeal against the Hungary GP stewards decision was based on a concern for the image of the sport.So this post is really just a celebration of F1 blogging. For some time now I have felt strongly that, as a community, it has more honor and goodwill than the sport it supports. With Keith taking the bold step he has done today, it seemed time to express some of those thoughts. And may all F1 bloggers see their traffic constantly rising and their comments systems bulging to capacity! As they say in Australia, good on yer, Sport!
Clive
patrick Too true, Clive, although we have so much less to lose than Dennis, Todt. Alonso, Hamilton et al.I remember something from an old episode of the TV detective show 'Inspector Morse' - to the effect that one should never make the mistake of thinking great artists are necessarily good people.I've found the blogging community (at least aside from a few commenters who don't like my not entirely positive articles on one M Schumacher) to be a very friendly, well informed bunch.I'll stick my hand up and admit I'm guilty of using facebook, though in my defence, its mostly an easy means of playing internet scrabble games in my case. Date Added: 19/09/2007
Clive 'Tis true we have less to lose - yet it is still hard to find that those one has looked up to have feet of clay The human condition, I suppose - we are none of us perfect.Hey, I have Scrabble on my Facebook page too... :D Date Added: 19/09/2007
Rob Ijbema you could spend your whole life on line...if i knew you would place my painting,i would have tried i bit harder...lol Date Added: 19/09/2007
Clive Modesty is a fine thing, Rob, so I will say it for you: any of your paintings of such high quality that I am honored to have them as illustrations. And you're right - it is easy to spend a lifetime online! :D Date Added: 19/09/2007
Craig I've tried and failed to see the point of Facebook, as you say it's easy enough to get out what you want to say when you have a blog so I don't feel the need to have another forum for that as well.You never know though, I might give it another shot one of these days!The strange thing with it though, is that the general consensus is that it's an excellent tool for keeping in touch with friends or finding friends you have lost contact with - yet nearly everyone seems to actually use it just to play Scrabble! Date Added: 20/09/2007
Clive Hey, if nothing else, we should become experts at Scrabble, Craig! :D Date Added: 20/09/2007
Craig Jeezo, now you've made me go and reactivate my account Clive - I'm holding you personally responsible if I never get any more work done, and can't find the time to blog! ;) Date Added: 20/09/2007
Clive I am evil, EVIL! Hehehehe...Just be grateful I haven't told you about Travian. ;) Date Added: 20/09/2007
Alianora La Canta I'm guilty of using facebook, though in my defence, its mostly an easy means of playing internet scrabble games in my case. {patrick - first comment}I like that one - most of my friends at university use Facebook (though I don't use it), but none of them came up with such a creative use for the system (They just used it to gossip and orgnanise end-of-degree parties!).Rob, your painting is very, very good. Definitely something to be proud of there...Clive has told me about Travian, but I haven't really got into it yet - perhaps I just try to do too much online in the time I give myself.I do have to say that the Formula 1 online community is very good. I'm on four forums and comment on several blogs, and apart from the occasional scuffle and the sort of spammers that plague every social outlet on the internet, it's been a great place to discuss things relating to Formula 1. Maybe if everyone in the F1 paddock had to comment on and create their own blog for a year before being allowed to work there, we'd get better racing ;) Date Added: 20/09/2007
Clive What an excellent idea, Alianora! I'm all for more people becoming involved in the internet and seeing what possibilities it opens up. There is a sense of community here that often carries over into "real life". Date Added: 20/09/2007
patrick Alianora - I'm sure if I were at university, I'd be just as inclined to use it for end-of-degree parties etc.Thing is I graduated some years ago and unfortunately have to go and make a living these days. Limits the time for gossip. And parties. I got invited onto it by a friend I used to work for who made a 'book share/review' app which I quite like (though it bears a passing similarity to an app I wrote when I worked for his now defunct business). Date Added: 21/09/2007
Clive Hmmm, have you told the WMSC about this similarity, Patrick? ;) Date Added: 21/09/2007
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