Plaxo To Launch Address Software To Annoy Us All
from the I-don't-get-it dept
I have to admit, for all the hype it’s received, I don’t understand the point of Plaxo at all. Everything I read about it makes it seem like a 1999 overhyped, overfunded, half-baked idea. It was founded by a former Napster founder, and the idea is to let people constantly “ping” everyone in their address book to make sure the information they have is current. First off, even if this is a useful feature, that’s all it is. It’s a feature. It’s not anything to build a business around. If it’s really that useful, I’m sure the next generation of email clients will just build it in. Second, I don’t even think it’s that useful. In fact, I think it sounds annoying. In the months that they’ve been beta testing, I’ve received one such Plaxo ping, and I ignored it. I don’t want to be bothered all the time from people who I haven’t spoken to in some time, having a robot ask me to update my contact info. Personally, if I realize I’ve fallen out of touch with someone I want to keep up with, I send them a personal note to see how they’re doing. An automated ping isn’t exactly the friendliest way to say hello – and I might even consider it spam in some cases.
Comments on “Plaxo To Launch Address Software To Annoy Us All”
No Subject Given
Plaxo is awesome because once every 6 months I can send a request for people to check the information I have in my address book. They simply correct it in the email message and hit reply.
When I meet someone new and only have an email address I can send them a “request to update their information” and again, simply fill in the information in the email address and hit reply.
In the meantime my contact information is attached so they can update their address book.
I recently changed my cellphone number – one click let my 200+ contacts know.
Where it REALLY shines though is if the other person has plaxo too. Then no emails are exchanged – it simply keeps our address books synced.
It will be interesting to see where the technology goes, but at the moment I thoroughly LOVE it and I would pay a nominal fee like $20 a year to use it.
Re: No Subject Given
And I’m sure you don’t work for them AT ALL.
Re: No Subject Given
Shame on you Father Dan. You should know that this church doesn’t endorse masturbation, er, self-promotion.
Re: No Subject Given
I’m not saying its a home run but I think Plaxo is useful enough be a standalone business…like, they could do a deal with cell phone hardware/carrier co’s and users could have their contacts portable when they get a new phone. Personally i HATE it when I get a new cell phone and have to re-enter ccontacts – it actually makes me reluctant to buy a new phone.
Its missing the point to say this is a feature not a business because the point is Plaxo stores contact info server-side and can sync (I assume) to multiple contact mgrs. Its data that really should be kept server-side. I’m guessing they get bought by Microsoft at some point, it might be the first honest-to-god useful .Net web service if Microsoft did buy them. Or Microsoft could just copy them I guess….its a pretty easy thing to implement. But it depends on if Plaxo gets enough users.
p.s. I do NOT work for or otherwise even KNOW the Plaxo people!
Re: No Subject Given
And what happens when Mr. Spamming B*****d, the well known spammer, gets a copy of Plaxo? Joy! His “contact list” is immediately updated for everyone who has Plaxo themselves.
What a treat! As soon as you download Plaxo. every spammer in the known universe can update your details on their database without you even knowing about it!!!
Re: Re: No Subject Given
Bingo. That is exactly the way I feel about this thing. And the reason I block all Plaxo emails to our email server and block Plaxo’s website from access from our network so no one can download the thing.
I also have garlic hung in all the windows.
Re: Re: Re: You guys are unbelievable
SPAM is a fact of life, but we shouldn’t knock Plaxo simply because it can be used for nefarious purposes. There are many things in this world that have legitimate purposes that can also be used for nefarious purposes by the wrong individual.
I think Plaxo is an awesome tool. My contacts have never be so organized and up to date.
Now enough with all the paranoia…
Regards,
Victor
Re: Re: Re:2 You guys are unbelievable
Frankly, using Plaxo to update your contact list is just plain f-ing rude. If I know you and you want to make sure I haven’t moved, etc., send me a personal e-mail or call me. Doing this impersonal “you’re one of 500 peopel I need to update contact info. for” just reminds me again why I talk to you so infrequently.
Wake me up when...
…people can send me money via paypal in return for verfication of my personal information.