steveh wrote: ...I have never visited FB, Twitter, Linkedin etc. and cannot envisage a scenario when I would be likely to do so ...
Steve,
I use both FB and Linkedin, but for totally different reasons. Here are the scenarios that work for me:
FB links me back to people I grew up with but I happen to be separated by a 1000 miles and 30 years of life away from that area. I'm far from being an active user, but I'll occasionally (once a week) post a comment on my "wall" or a note on someone else's. I have posted pictures in my early FB days of a few trips we took abroad, but not in the past year or so. Also, my grown children are users, so I can see their latest pics, send a comment or have a quick chat session.
LinkedIn has been my link to people in my former companies, but, more importantly, has connected me to people who searched the profiles which resulted in my last two contract positions, one of which I'm presently working. I've sent resumes (thousands!) and used Monster, etc., to search and be visible, but many of the "jobs" sites are contaminated by scam artists. I haven't had that problem with LinkedIn, but I'm sure it's out there.
From that, I would probably participate in a SN network in the same way I keep up with Excel, VBA and other technical forums here and other places - to learn and help when I can.