>I’m the last holdout in my family – the last one without a Facebook page. I just feel like I don’t need it. Of course, I don’t need Twitter or Plurk, either, and I’m still on both of those.

What’s the difference? And why, you might ask, am I on these sites to begin with?

Conversation. I keep up with friends, both virtual and real-life, on both sites. Some provide interesting and informative (and fun) links to news articles and blogs. I’ve posted my own links on Twitter now and then to bring in a few more interested readers.

Twitter reminds me of the old chat rooms. There are several lines of conversation going on at once. Following a single topic isn’t always easy. Twitter posters respond to a single question: What are you doing? Well, that’s the intent.

Plurk’s timeline is rather nice. I like knowing how recent a particular post might be, and I really like seeing all the responses to any one post all together. It’s so much easier to feel like a part of a true conversation when the chatter is organized in one section.

I’m not a major collector on either site. I’ve blocked as many Twitter followers as I’ve followed in return. Sorry, marketer-folk, I’m just not that into you. To me, Twitter is social. Period.

Plurk has Karma. Plurk Karma ratings grow as followers and friends increase in number, but most of all Karma goes up as Plurkers Plurk more and more and other Plurkers respond. The eventual reward with higher Karma is Plurk Nirvana, which comes with a whole new set of emoticons. Emoticons! They’re part of the fun of conversing on Plurk. Silly little smileys that convey a thought or feeling, bananas that dance – well, you have to be there.

But Karma, like lengthy lists of Tweet followers, is largely irrelevant. Both sites for me are all about interaction and relaxation. Conversation, chats, back & forth and give & take. Purely frivolous; pure fun. Well, I should consider the PLN, the professional learning teacher network and the discussions we have about teaching and technology…nah. Still fun.

I don’t need Facebook. Not yet.