Which Social Network Do Scientists Prefer for Networking?

[JohnT89]

I know there are many and I know their approximate member count, but in your opinion, is there any 'preferred' social network which scientists (preferrably physicists) tend to use more?

thanks

 

[The legend]

PF !
(if you call the general discussion as a social network)

 

[JohnT89]

PF !
(if you call the general discussion as a social network)

I am already in PF as you can see, and already enjoying it :D
By the way, no: I am not talking about Online Communities such forums, blogs, sites.

I am talking about something like Facebook or Windows Live Spaces.
I heard about ResearchGate, but there are many many others.
The problem with ResearchGate is that I personally find it too 'job and pubblications oriented' and thus 'too much' for a simple enthusiast undergraduate.

Main question:
simply choose the most crowded (most known = more chances that people will have at least one account there) or the niche ones (way, way, way less people but everyone looking for a scientific exchange purpose)?

 

[diazona]

I've heard that LinkedIn is popular among professionals (i.e. people with jobs), but that probably mostly refers to the typical office-worker types. I'm not sure if it's used by academics.

One that I happen to like is Mendeley. It's primarily an online reference manager (like "iTunes for scientific papers" they say, although I'm not sure that description does it justice), but it does have some basic social networking features. Personally I mostly just use it for the reference management, not the social networking.

 

[drizzle]

PF


​

 

[Evo]

I am already in PF as you can see, and already enjoying it :D
By the way, no: I am not talking about Online Communities such forums, blogs, sites.

I am talking about something like Facebook or Windows Live Spaces.
I heard about ResearchGate, but there are many many others.
The problem with ResearchGate is that I personally find it too 'job and pubblications oriented' and thus 'too much' for a simple enthusiast undergraduate.

Main question:
simply choose the most crowded (most known = more chances that people will have at least one account there) or the niche ones (way, way, way less people but everyone looking for a scientific exchange purpose)?

A lot of scientists belong to groups or associations in their field of study, but I wouldn't call them online social networks. Many also belong to Alumni groups, some of these do arrange social events, but the level of participation varies. "Scientists", unless they're all lying to me, don't hang out like herds at a watering hole, online or off line. :tongue2:

 

[Pinu7]

I am "friends" with Leonard Susskind over Facebook.