To make some new friends and get my anxious face out there a little bit more, I (it’s me, Fran) looked into setting up pages on both MySpace and Facebook. I did a little research, asked a few friends I already had, and decided to put myself on both social networks that help this computer generation stay in touch. I put up some of my favorite pictures, wrote down some of my interests, and decided the whole process was pretty easy. But then something hit me: Which one is better? Am I a MySpace gal or a Facebook gal? I decided to compare the two.

Obviously, there are many differences between MySpace and Facebook. In the interest of time and space, I’ve decided to compare the two in eight different categories.

• Layout: Facebook seems a bit cleaner to me. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of MySpace, but it’s pretty easy on the eyes. MySpace pages typically have a smorgasbord of colors, designs, and videos. It can be a bit much, but creativity counts for a lot. Edge: MySpace.
• Sounds: MySpace lets you pick songs from your favorite artists and put them up on your page. It helps show your personality and gives your page a little bit of extra spice. Facebook is music-free. Edge: MySpace.
• Comments: Facebook has an area called “The Wall,” where friends can say hello, invite you to a party this weekend, or just write something goofy. MySpace has a similar area, but just calls it “Comments.” While they are pretty similar, “The Wall” is a much more interesting name. Edge: Facebook.
• Pictures: MySpace lets you do all sorts of neat things with slide shows and such. But Facebook has tagging (where you can point out who’s who in a picture) and allows you to fit many more pictures on a page. For that, Facebook gets the point. Edge: Facebook.
• Searching: Obviously, we all want to find our friends (or new friends) when we set these pages up. Facebook lets you search by someone’s name and immediately shows you a picture and, if available, some college information. You can’t, however, see anyone’s profile. MySpace gives you full access to profiles–unless a person makes it private–and allows you to easily search by name or e-mail address. Edge: MySpace.
• Friends: On MySpace, your friends (and their pictures) are shown on your profile. You also get to pick which of your buddies make the “top friends.” Facebook shows you six friends on your profile and then breaks it down into various networks. I absolutely love the network idea. Edge: Facebook.
• Blogging: Both have this function, but Facebook calls it “Notes” for some reason. I keep telling myself I need to start blogging more and I will. I promise! Anyway, there’s not much difference here, but blogging should be called blogging. Edge: MySpace.
• Groups: Both sites allow you to join groups. Facebook allows each group to have a photo, discussion boards, and even a wall, like on someone’s profile. Check out the group I started, called Stressed Out Nurses. Fitting, wouldn’t you say? MySpace groups aren’t quite as user friendly. Plus, they are just hard to find. Edge: Facebook

The winner? Well, no one. The score is 4-4. No, that doesn’t mean I’m too much of a chicken to make a real pick. It just means I think both Facebook and MySpace are both fun and useful.

What do you think? Which one is better? Let me know at mbriddon@hcpro.com.
Oh, and I almost forgot: If you want to visit me on MySpace, click here, and if you want to visit me on Facebook, click here. Don’t forget to join my group!