Entitlement and Free Web Services

I've been watching the whinging, cringing, complaining, crying and foot-stomping over the latest changes Facebook has made to it's news feeds with a mixture of amusement, head-shaking, and disbelief. Just like the hand-wringing that happens whenever Twitter has a 'Fail Whale', the level of outrage is astounding. How dare they makers of a web service that is FREE make a change to The Way Things Are? What is wrong with these people, that they can't keep this FREE service running whenever I feel the need to blather about something?

Here's the point that a lot of people seem to not understand. If you haven't PAID for it, you've got no right to whine and complain if it doesn't fit your vision of what it should be. So you say you are relying on this service for your business? Unless you are paying for the service, it's your tough luck. Maybe you need a smarter business model. 

I'm not saying you shouldn't complain, if you really feel offended, hurt, damaged, or insulted. But expect that I will consider you to be a whiny little baby, stamping your tiny feet and holding your breath until you turn blue. 

Come on people! It's a website! It's a way for you to pretend to have relationships, without all that bothersome communication and meaningful interaction in meatspace. Facebook and Twitter are just the flavor of the month, the latest time-waster brought to us by the ADD hipsters in San Francisco. Does anyone remember Friendster? What about MySpace? 2 years ago, everyone had to have a MySpace page. Now, it's a remember-when. Facebook and Twitter will go the same way, when the technorati get bored and move on to the next shiny thing. 

I use Facebook, probably too much. I use Twitter, probably not enough. But if they go away I won't miss them. After all, I haven't paid a dime for my use of them, so they don't owe me anything.

As always, feel free to disagree. You will be wrong, but feel free anyway.