Orkut

Have you ever heard about this new Google place? It's still a beta thing, but it seems to be growing a lot and very quickly.

It works only on an invitation basis, you can't just join it. Their homepage says, if you want to join and doesn't have an invitation, don't worry, you'll soon have one....

The funny thing is, almost a half (46%) of the community is Brazilian, there was an article the other day saying that Americans (20%) are complaining about it because Portuguese language commands the site... some say it's natural that the Brazilians grew so quickly in number, because of the very nature of the site, based on invitation, being Latin the Brazilians are more likely to have more people to invite (their argument, not mine, although I completely agree...).

That article led me to get curious, I went to another forum I'm part of and someone invited me. It seems to be a fun place, safe (you have to give real private information) and yes, there are many many many threads in Portuguese, most of them actually!

So, does anyone know this Orkut place? :)

hmmm, I've never heard of it...

I'd ask to be invited, but I speak no portuguese!
(though I love the language, especially in music -- bossanova to be exact!)

They do have the English threads, too, it's supposed to be very international, and the guy who invited me is French (not Olivier, a friend of his from that site you know!).

If you want I can invite you! :)

Sent you a PM AND an email, Maria love!

Yep...

And this is why people should visit the Computer Forum more often...

*Ahem*

http://www.agelesslove.com/boards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12077

Oops, missed my weekly visit to that forum (and it's a lot compared with the Politics Forum, which I only visit when there's something reported :D) and then I have a good excuse:

The site went down right that day.... nananananana :p

The funny thing is, almost a half (46%) of the community is Brazilian, there was an article the other day saying that Americans (20%) are complaining about it because Portuguese language commands the site...
The Brazilians should be allowed to communicate in whatever language they prefer. On the other hand, considering that English is the unofficial lingua franca of the Internet, and Orkut is an American run website, there is some justification for English speakers becoming peeved about the prevalence of Portuguese on the site.

Orkut is not a forum, it's like a big square where different groups meet, a place with thousands of communities with lots of forums inside them; people can open whatever community they want, and establish the language they want as rule in that forum.

It's those who don't respect the wishes of the creator of the community and instead go there and post in other languages that are at fault.

I can go there right now and create a community named Mulheres Mais Velhas/Homens mais novos (older women/younger men) in Portuguese, there's already one in English, but not all Brazilians speak English and they have the right to discuss the subject too.

Sorry, but that site never said English is the official language! There are communities in Spanish, in French, now why would the fact that Brazilians are majority there disturb the others?

It's like saying, from now on Internet is only in English because it was created by Americans (I think it was, right?)

I think people just have to have manners, and unfortunately, impolite people exist in every country, including mine.