Anyone notice it says followers instead of fans now ?

1. 88

   mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years ago

   It does feel a bit "cultish" I have to say. What was wrong with the term "Fans" anyway??

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      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Agreed.

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      camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree with you, fellow follower.

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   Bovine Currencyposted 14 years ago

   I am following you....

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      Sue Adamsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Following mah meanin? Areya?

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   mel22posted 14 years ago

   TAKE ME TO YOUR READER!

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   Cagsilposted 14 years ago

   My personal opinion is that the safest word would be readers.
   
   Readers are what support the traffic.
   
   Followers, puts a focus on religion and is creepy.
   
   Fans, was fine. But fans don't act like normal fans, so it does not suit.
   
   Admirer: subjective and could cause relationship issues.
   Devotee: isn't any better than followers
   Enthusiast: this could work.
   Supporter: this sound needy and give off too many subjective ideas.
   Buff: this doesn't fit regardless.
   Addict: this would make appearance even worse than already are.
   Fanatic: this one as well with above 'addict'.
   Groupie: this could work, if only because it's funny sounding.
   
   It would be nice if HubPages took advice from members.

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   1. 79

      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Good analysis.  Followers is creepy, and fans works just fine.

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   mel22posted 14 years ago

   how about Subscriber , although Reader would be just Fine !

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   mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years ago

   Readers sounds pretty good I agree, a kind of "Happy Medium", (and no, I don't mean a jolly lady who talks to spirits on the other side LOL)

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      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Who knows what the Team was intending?  They haven't said.  If there's a "happy medium" needed, then why?  "Readers" implies criticism, as in readers being those who edit.  Confusing...confusing...confusing....but fun to talk about.

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      Nelle Hoxieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      There's another thread about this is the Report a Problem Forum and I just decided as well over there, that I read Hubs. That's all I do. Anything else is really an overexageration of my relationship with that Hubber. Usually I'm not a fan and I'm not a friend, I'm just a reader of their hub.
      
      I've decided that in my mind I'm a reader, don't care what HubPages calls me.
      
      And I could live with subscriber. Yes I like that even better.

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7. 84

   camloposted 14 years ago

   Fan is fun, and HubPages are fun.
   
   I never, ever go on Twitter, because I don't like people following me. I had a follower there, and deleted him. Okay, I didn't understand the concept then, but the word is creepy.

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8. 85

   Marisa Wrightposted 14 years ago

   I vote for Follower.  Thanks to Twitter, everyone understands what it means.  People seemed to misunderstand Fans.

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      camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I seemed to misunderstand 'Follower'

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      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You have a good point, Marisa.  But here at HP, we are encouraged to write more than 140 characters per Hub.  So if we are followed, then what's the attention span of the follower?

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      1. 85

         Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I don't see why that's relevant. Your followers on Twitter get sent your Tweets. Your followers on HubPages get sent your Hubs.

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   Jane@CMposted 14 years ago

   Am I being followed? Who is behind me, its dark and I can't see

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      Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      

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10. 60

    Bovine Currencyposted 14 years ago

    i like 'your brood'

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    mel22posted 14 years ago

    We're all basically Scribing here so y not Subscriber!
    Fan= Hey i just FANNED ya
    Reader= Hey i just READ ya
    Subscribed= Hey i just subscribed
    Although probably too generic and no fun!

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    1. 85

       Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Subscriber already has a meaning - someone who has signed up for your RSS feed. 
       
       Reader - doesn't imply an ongoing relationship.

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          Sue Adamsposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Isn't that a myth anyway? Hard copy published authors write for their readers. Our readers are our bread and butter.

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          1. 85

             Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Not sure what you mean, Sue?  Our fans/followers are other Hubbers who receive an email, notifying them when we write a new Hub.  We earn no money from our fans, because Hubbers almost never click on ads.
             
             Our "bread and butter" readers are people from outside HubPages and they can't join our fan club.

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                Stimpposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                I've got about 5 "fans" that are from outside of Hubpages.  I believe they have to register...maybe that makes them hubbers in reality....not sure.  At any rate, I do have friends and family that don't write or participate in the forums but who are my fans.
                
                And you are absolutely correct,  Money?  What Money?

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12. 88

    mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years ago

    Why not call them  whole new name associated with Hubpages only, e.g. Hubfriends or Hubangels, Hubpackers, Hubreaders or Hubshadows etc??

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       mel22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       How about HUBnubs!

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       1. 88

          mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          LOL or Hobnobs (like the biscuits)

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             camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Hubchums like bumchums

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                mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                I really like you Camlo, but not sure I want to be your "bumchum"
                
                

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             mel22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Actually fits the definition a bit too... we're honnobbing with each other - you just received hobnob mail... although sounds like everyones liking the going back to fan and is much easier

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                mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                sounds kind of kinky us all "hobnobbing" together LOL

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             Benson Yeungposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             How about Hub-nuts? Many of us are.

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       camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Or just go back to Fans. I enjoyed having Fans, and being one

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          Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I agree, whatever we do, let's not start creating new names.  People misunderstand the fanning system enough as it is.

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          Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Me too.

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    mel22posted 14 years ago

    How about Lemmings or Sheeple like camlo and DOHN suggested

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    Sally's Troveposted 14 years ago

    So you can "follow" somebody from their profile page, but when you do that, you get:  "you can post fan mail to ****'s profile."  Should that now read, "you can post follow mail...."?

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    sannyasinmanposted 14 years ago

    . .or "hublings" or "hubettes" . .
    This is all very amusing, but honestly, what was wrong with "fan"?

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       mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Actually I agree totally. I would rather the hub team did something like allowed us to link to our own hubs in the links capsule using a drop down list as they do in the "insert link" icon. much more useful to all of us

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          Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Agreed.
          
          This has been an amazing use of energy by the Hubbers who have participated in this forum.  I'd rather see that energy put to something more useful, as in commenting on and enhancing the suggestion you made, Misty.

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          1. 88

             mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Thanks Sally

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             sannyasinmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             I don't think that having fun is ever a waste of energy.
             Unless of course you were taking it all seriously?

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                mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                It was good fun too, just thought the other idea was also worth mentioning

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                   sannyasinmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   fairy nuff!

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             mel22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

             I put in the Hubbers Hangout for just that reason to goof off, so if ya got some good ideas you should put them in the Ideas Suggestions forum... but yes I do think the Web"meister"s could give us better tools than woorying about changing the names around

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                mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                It was already suggested in the ideas forum....and ignored!!!

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                   mel22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   What exactly was your idea anyway i'd be interested to hear.!

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                   1. 88

                      mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                      Hi Mel, KCC posted the idea originally, but I had also thought of it only not acted on it. The link to the forum topic is: http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/28170

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                         mel22posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                         That is an awesome idea.. Wonder why they ignored It?

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                         1. 88

                            mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years agoin reply to this

                            No idea as the feedback was all positive!

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    cosetteposted 14 years ago

    groupies
    (that's for BadCompany

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    1. 66

       Ivorwenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       He is the only one I know of that has followers.  Course, Golden Toad did too. 

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17. 83

    Draxposted 14 years ago

    Fans, Romans and Followers
    
    once upon a fan
    there I am
    wondering who I was
    what I would become
    a fan fanning
    a friend friending
    or a sort of jesus groupie
    a follower following
    The Followers of Drax
    has a certain ring to it
    I'm going to carve it
    on a government tree
    spray paint it on a bank wall
    write it on my sig
    tell it tell it to them all
    and dance them at a Hubpage Ball*
    
    *not a bad idea Paul.... :-)

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18. 72

    maven101posted 14 years ago

    I vote for HubNuber...

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19. 84

    camloposted 14 years ago

    I think the idea of actually having 'Fans' was one of the things that attracted me to Hubpages.
    
    Now it's gone ...

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       Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I like your thinking, throughout this forum thread.  You are a bit newer here than some of us old "salts".  HP would do well to listen to your thoughts.

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          camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Well, thank you, Sally :-)

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    camloposted 14 years ago

    I just got a new Follower :-)

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       L. Andrew Marrposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Stalker alert

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          camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          That's really what I thought on Twitter, and ended up deleting my Fans -- I thought I was being stalked

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    mel22posted 14 years ago

    Hobnobbing like a bunch of social elites.. maybe its a bit snobbish.. I'm gonna check DOHNs thread just to see where it has evolved and gone to... be back later fellow fans followers leaders and readers!

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22. 60

    mel22posted 14 years ago

    Yeah what a crock. Now i gotta pay property insurance , car insurance and health insurance and I've never been to the doctor before. I feel like i already just got fined for being healthy alive and well. What S$%T!!

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    L. Andrew Marrposted 14 years ago

    Does anyone else feel like 'Followers' has devalued their work? Before 'Fans' meant someone probably liked your work. Now it just means they've seen you around and think you have a nice picture.
    
    SURELY THIS IS NOT WHAT THE HUB IS ABOUT!

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    1. 84

       camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I agree

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       Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with you completely.  I don't care to be "followed".  That's happened in the past, and it has left a nasty after-taste, and I'm talking about stalking.  I never felt like I was stalked here on HP, only that I had admirers for the right reasons. (Or for no reason, as in fan-spamming, but that's OK because it is harmless.  It only does the fan-spammer no service, not me.)

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          camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Exactly -- fans have somthing to do with 'liking', but following can be for any of a number of reasons -- good and bad

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24. 90

    Rochelle Frankposted 14 years ago

    I liked frogdropping's suggestions--  and thought about 'disciples' myself. There are also adherents, worshippers,  addicts or devotees.
    
    
    Still-- I think fan is ok. though a fan could also be a ventilator.

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       Ghost32posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       

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    2. 62

       Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       I didn't notice - but I like it.  I think of "followers" more in terms of someone who "follows" a column in a newspaper, or something along those lines.  I've never been very comfortable with "fans".
       
       Rochelle, maybe there could be two groups - "addicts" and "devotees".  People could join either an "addict club" or a "devotee club", depending on their own preferences.  Ooh - and a "spam-worshipper" club for people who don't care about the writing a whit.   

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25. 88

    mistyhorizon2003posted 14 years ago

    Can't help thinking that "following" sounds like a group of Zombies in procession shuffling after the hubber they apparently "follow". LOL

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    mel22posted 14 years ago

    Followers sounds like a late night TV thriller. Or a future Steven King novel.

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27. 60

    mel22posted 14 years ago

    Change it weekly to mess with everyone, I say!!!

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28. 60

    mel22posted 14 years ago

    I still like SUBSCRIBERS myself!

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29. 62

    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    mel22 - me too.  I didn't think of that, but I do like it better.

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    dohn121posted 14 years ago

    What about simply MEMBERS?  And then allow Hubbers to boot off people they don't care for (this maybe a bit cruel)...In that way, if a former MEMBER comes back to ask you for a second chance, he or she could cry out,"Re-MEMBER me?"

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       agvulpesposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       One of those 'why didn't I think of that'
       Great idea, best one yet.

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       MBP42posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       That is the funniest thing, your hilarious. ok let's not get angry over the change let's just make fun of it.

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          barryrutherfordposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Or if you don't watch out I'm going to Dis-member you !

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    Cris Aposted 14 years ago

    Or maybe we're giving the word too much thought and thereby ascribing more meanings to it when we know for a fact what the term means in the context of HP's usage of it.

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    Katelyn Weelposted 14 years ago

    I liked fans a lot better! Now I feel like a Zombie leader...
    
    I wonder why the change? When I think "followers" I think of Twitter, not HubPages!

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       Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Worse the being a Zombie leader is being a Zombie-like follower of other Hubbers.   
       
       (I still say "follower" isn't such a bad thing.  I guess people have to think in terms of, "I follow his Hubs," - not "I follow him."    )  "Subscriber" is better.  "Fans", to me, makes me think of, "Can-I-have-your-autograph" groupies.  It's too much.  (IMO)

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    Ivorwenposted 14 years ago

    So what do we call it now, when someone goes on a fanning spree?  A following spree?  That just has no ring...
    
    On the whole twitter thing, I thought collecting followers was like collecting Sorority Life sisters -- the more the merrier.  And actually encouraged.  Here, I thought the purpose of fans was people who actually liked your work... Oh well.  Probably getting worked-up over something stupid, but I was already annoyed with fammers!

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34. 69

    Jeffrey Nealposted 14 years ago

    I publish hubs, not "twubs"!
    
    Please change it to subscriber, Hub Team.

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35. 0

    B.C. BOUTIQUEposted 14 years ago

    in my opinion, it doesnt bother me...it is just a word

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       Stevennix2001posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       yeah, i agree.

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    mel22posted 14 years ago

    You're right, it's just a word ! I just thought it was odd they suddenly changed it. Any words fine i just posted ' cause it seemed funny. Never thought i'd get so many people to post about it.

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    Mark Knowlesposted 14 years ago

    How about "acolytes" ?
    
    That would work - no?

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       cosetteposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       
       
       "evil minions" has a nice ring to it

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38. 67

    trish1048posted 14 years ago

    Yes!  feels like I'm being stalked now

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    Shalini Kagalposted 14 years ago

    haha Trish

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    beautyroseposted 14 years ago

    yes and i just noticed it now.So thank you to my 194 followers.I just want to apologize that i have not been active for a very long time. cheers

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    trish1048posted 14 years ago

    Readers doesn't work for me, because all of my 'followers' do not read my hubs.  In that vein, I also like the ones who say how terrific my writing is.  If I'm so great, where are all the comments? 

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    Rascal Russ Milesposted 14 years ago

    I'm happy they changed it. I'd be dreaming if I thought they (my followers)were really all fans.
    Speaking of weird dreams...http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Millionare-Dream-Introduction-Chapter-One?utm_source=fb&utm_campaign=newsfeed

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    Jason Menayanposted 14 years ago

    Thank you for all the comments.  We are reading them. We have some features that are going to be released soon that we thought it made more sense to use the term follow since there is more familiarity with the term follow on the web (with Twitter and Google Wave, for example) than fan.
    
    We wanted one term that works for topics and people.  As an example, we felt it was better to follow the topic bladder cancer than to be a fan of bladder cancer. 
    
    Thanks again for all the feedback.

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    barryrutherfordposted 14 years ago

    There is probably a technical different with twitter in that you follow what your followers post or repost and or they follow what you post or repost if you follow what I mean !

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