The Myspace Lowdown

Who ever would have thought the day would finally come when email became a thing of the past? Well watch out, it's almost here. Today more and more people are turning to MySpace as their primary means of online communication. MySpace serves the same function as email, but takes it several steps further. Here, users have the option of not only sending messages to one another, but they can also choose to post comments for public display on another user's homepage. Myspace still uses email as a backup to notify you about any new messages, comments, or friend requests however, this information can be accessed by just logging in.

The basic premise is simple: create a profile page for yourself, listing anything and everything you want others to know about you. Categories start off simple, cataloging age, sex, location, hometown, and reason for joining (networking, friends, relationships, etc.) Myspace users can search under these categories to find new friends, be it old high school buddies or local singles in the area.

From there, you can get a little more creative with your profile page, posting personal interests like favorite films, music, and books, or just providing a simple "About Me" caption. Thomas' Myspace Editor is even available if you'd like to go all out. This program provides options for extra images, color, music, and enhanced backgrounds. This tool is extremely simple and easy to use, perfect if you looking to give your page a more stylized, personal touch.

If that's not enough, you can even post a personal blog for friends to view and leave comments or kudos on. The days of mass group emails are definitely over. Now, if people are interested in your newest adventures, or just your latest rants and raves, they only have to subscribe to your blog and take a look. Every time you post a new blog, an email will go out to notify subscribers. If you are only aiming to send a quick announcement to your friends, you can post a bulletin that will automatically show up in your friends' bulletin box.

Once you are all set up, the next step is to find yourself some friends. There are several ways to go about this. You can start by searching a specific name or email address to find people you already know. Otherwise, you can simply browse Myspace users under more general searches such as name, sex, or location. Nearly everyone displays a photo or image of him or herself as well. When you find a potential friend, all you have to do is click on the "Add to Friends" button. This will send that person an alert allowing him/her to view your profile, and either accept or deny your friend request.

After you have officially collected a friend or two, you are free to browse their profiles, their friends' profiles, their friends' friends' profiles, and so on. Myspace is a fantastic way to get to know someone before actually having to get to know someone. It is increasingly used as an avenue for promoting bands, artists, clubs, and events, as well. Most popular bands already have their own Myspace profiles posted where their fans can check out the band's blog, find out more about the musicians, or even attempt to make contact. There is a separate section of Myspace dedicated entirely to music which posts show dates, band reviews, and song clips.

A word to the wise: If you are thinking about using Myspace to secretly stalk your ex and his new girlfriend, think again. A new program called the Myspace Profile Tracker has just surfaced in the last week allowing you to track anyone that views your profile. So just remember, tread softly.