It wasn’t until today that I finally got around to checking out the new feature of Plurk, where users can customize their profiles. Cool, that’s always nice, a little personal style here and there is a Good Thing.

Problem is, how we users can modify this, isn’t by being premium members (ones that pay money)– no, it’s only allowed by the Karma system. It requires 10 points to give your profile a title, 25 points to change the CSS, and something around 40 points to change your username… Karma points are granted by varying levels of activity and interaction.

This bedroom-driven world of web software design called Web 2.0 seems to have a problem with figuring out how making money. This is a prime example. Instead of having a lite version and pro version, (to which I’d happily fork over some cash), there is this false social token system, sending users down this MySpace-ian path of Top 8s and THANKS FOR THE ADD-ness. (And to answer the question of “Is Plurk the Myspace of micro-blogging?” I think the answer is obvious here.

So what started as a quick, ‘hey I’m going to check this out and make some changes’ has turned into this all-out campaign to spam the ever-loving crap out of my account, just to update style. It’s stupid, but it’s the principle of the thing.

I’ve taken the liberty to setup a custom TinyURL for my profile there. http://tinyurl.com/plurkHO. That’s right, PlurkHO, because I am blatantly begging, whoring, spamming for adds. I’ll accept anyone– Russian brides, camgirls, spammers, Obamas, McCains– hell, even cable company Comcast (I have Charter, sorry, nothing I can do). I’ll celebrate a top 8 somehow, and you’ll probably be deluged with this gripe for a day or two until I can edit that profile.

Or you know, I could pay for a premium account, to help Plurk earn revenue, but who in their right mind should make money at this? I mean, seriously!

Add me on Plurk. It’s no-holds barred. I’m http://plurk.com/user/spin http://tinyurl.com/plurkHO.

And hey, thanks for the ADD (in advance)