Earlier this month, just before the very-sold-out Jane Austen Evening, I noticed and then encouraged a very interesting trend. People were posting, on the "Wall" of the Jane Austen Evening Facebook page, notices like "I will trade my feminine virtue for a ticket to the Jane Austen Evening".

While I would not necessarily encourage that particular bargain, it does highlight a very interesting use for Facebook - a chance for participants in an event to communicate with one another without the organizers having to serve as intermediaries.

This has been an issue as long as there have been events. An event is sold out -- one person has a ticket he isn't going to use; another needs a ticket. The organizer can spend a lot of time trying to manage that communication or, as usually happens, he doesn't and the two parties never find each other.

However, now through the magic of Facebook, those who have tickets to unload and those who want tickets can meet -- those who have rides to offer and those who need them can meet; and those who have lost something and those who have found it can meet. The posters should be conscientious enough to delete posts when they no longer apply, and the Admin should monitor the "Wall" for abuse, but this has tremendous potential which is only now being realized.

Furthermore, it gives the participants a chance to offer feedback on the event in an open forum, and provided it is kept civil, this too has great potential to help guide future events.

Another reason to get on Facebook....

Cheers,
Walter