This has been batted around before, but I don’t really get the purpose of Plurk fans. In fact, the entire concept of fans has always seemed more that a little pompous to me. I neither need nor want fans; I’m a four-inch-tall amphibian, not a rock star. What I would vastly prefer is that anyone who is currently my fan click on the friendship button. I promise to add you back. I don’t want you to follow me; I want to sit down at the table of Plurk as your equal.

Oh, on the issue of friends, I still have a friendship request blowing in the wind on my alerts page. I made it, at the request of another friend, about ten days ago. The new Plurker in question has been a friend of mine for a very long time on StumbleUpon. I am sure he was brought on by his sponsor in all good faith, and then decided that Plurk was not for him, and just never managed to close out the circle.

So, if you bring someone to Plurk, and hype them to your friends, please make sure that they understand the dynamics of what you are doing. Because they like you, some of your friends will send a friend request. If your new mentee never does the right thing and accepts, two things happen. Withdrawing the friendship request seems like a sleazy thing to do and we are loath to do it. Something in this unclosed loop also costs somebody Karma.

So if you bring somebody in and introduce them, explain the rules first. They are not complicated. Accept the friendships being requested. Even if you just decide to campaign for friends for somebody you like from Plurk, make sure they know what’s going on. Leaving people twisting in the wind because they trusted you is not at all cool.

I’m KDFrawg on Plurk. If you’re my fan, stop it! Be my friend instead.