Keep in mind that this is the list new users would see and possibly start following first before anyone else - so who would be good to follow if you are new to the service? I personally would like to see groups (based on the user's entered interests) recommended to the new user instead of other users. But if I had to pick just one of the 'popular' users then Louis would be my man. He's popular, sure, but more importantly he's here and thus using the service! - Kol Tregaskes

I certainly think core users should be on that list. It would make seeing FF for the first time a much better experience. - Eric - Too Hot

Johnny Worthington, Josh Haley, Kol Tregaskes, Stephen Perez, Rochelle, pea, Jandy, RAPatton... - Spidra Webster

In the picture, only Chris Pirillo, Leo, mashable and Veronica - if she actually shows up here. and if the new user cares about tech. Otherwise it should be real ffers, based on a person's actual interests. - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Mary, I would actually recommend none of the users in the picture. They are not regular users of the service. I'd like to have users who use the service like it 'should' be used on that list, i.e. users that post natively. Even Robert is on FF rarely nowadays. Oh I have a test to try out now, back in a tick... :-) - Kol Tregaskes

Veronica does actually respond here; she doesn't post native content, really, but if people are conversing here in her feed, she's good about showing up and responding, and she's quite good-natured and fun about it. So of all the "celebrity" FFers, she's a good one to keep on the list. Louis Gray, obviously, would be another and much better suited to the SUL than anybody else on there. - Jandy

If I was pushed then Veronica would be my pick from the list too but I think there is plenty of others users that could be on the SUL. - Kol Tregaskes

I like Spidra's list, and Kol, I like your idea of groups based on interests. Like you, I would add Louis - and I would also add *Alex* Scoble, Glen C, Anika, Derrick, Paul - for his posts, not his position - Ben Golub, Rachel Lea Fox almost more than Kevin, . . . - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Kol, to your point, that was why I left Robert off my list - but you'll see I put Alex on. ;-) - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Alex would be a great choice on the SUL. - Kol Tregaskes

I'm also thinking some librarians, but it would be hard to pick a few. - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Well there are so many. :-) - Kol Tregaskes

I'm also pretty sure I've seen Chris Pirillo on here live lately, and I know Leo's been around a bit. - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Yeah, Louis Grey was a big oversight on my part. As was WorldofHiglet. This is why I hate making lists. I always forget folks. - Spidra Webster

twitter, whats twitter on ff? - chaz2b

Mary Carmen and Archangel maybe? - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Mary, sure. - Kol Tregaskes

LB, holly, and Ayse to add to the librarians - John (bird whisperer)

Why not just have a "most active FF users" list and do it programmatically? - Jesse Stay

Spidra, it's one reason why I would prefer group recommendations. - Kol Tregaskes

Most active: http://ffholic.com/Users... - John (bird whisperer)

I also like Spidra's and MaryB's suggestions. - John (bird whisperer)

Most active is a bit randomly. For example, I shouldn't be as high as I am on that list as I import a lot of stuff and I think it counts that. I see others do similar things or are big 'likers'. I'm not keen on the most active being the suggested list - though Steven Robert, Laura and others would be good on the SUL. - Kol Tregaskes

Jesse, how would you programmatic it? :-) - Kol Tregaskes

And of course Jesse! And Tad and Lindsay. - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Jesse would be good too, yes. Popular and most definitely here. :-) - Kol Tregaskes

Joe, exactly. What should other countries be left out of the suggested list. Again I still like groups. - Kol Tregaskes

Judy Jones :) - Jemm

OK, I've created a friends list with the 12 users but I cannot get search to work still. Once search does work I can tell you how much they comment and post. :-) - Kol Tregaskes

Kol, I'd suggest that is not the best list to get newbies engaged and joining into actual conversations within streams that talk back ---- it's almost ALL one-way broadcasters. Need a mix of real peeps, true bloggers and a LOT less Americans ;> - Thom Kennon

Definitely. The list needs to be brought up to par with what FriendFeed actually is. I'd supplement the Most Active User's List with a FOAF Active Users List as well, I wouldn't want to subscribe to people who just comment/like A LOT, but those I may have an interest in as well. - sofarsoShawn

The list is programmatically generated. Also if you have even 1 friend already by the time you reach this page the list will look different; tailored towards recommendations based on your friends (I believe with a simple naive bayes algorithm) - Benjamin Golub

Why am I being suggested? - Ⓒⓗⓡⓘⓢ Ⓟⓘⓡⓘⓛⓛⓞ

I very much like such a page for old users too... based on my network, come up with a list of suggested people I should follow... - Egon Willighagen

I'd like to see a suggested user list for existing users too. I thought there was one but I've had a look and cannot find it. - Kol Tregaskes

weren't you the one that coordinated all of us last year? (with the suggested follower list?) - chaz2b

@golub stil a very dficient algorithm ad it stands from what FF actually is and what it ho pes/prays to be. The cuurrent suggested subscriber list should most definitely replace the cuurent firrm - sofarsoShawn from iPhone

Kol: the bottom of http://friendfeed.com/friends... are recommendations based on your existing subscriptions. You get there by clicking on the word "Friends" on the box to the right and then "Find / invite friends". Mine looks very different from the photo you posted. There isn't just one "cluster" of connections on the FriendFeed social graph. People from different countries, speaking different languages, and with different interests will have radically different suggestions based on their network. - Benjamin Golub

I've always been confused by that list. Very few of those users even USE FriendFeed. Why would we want newbies to add (and presumably follow the examples of) users who don't ever log in, comment, or interact with the service and other users at all? - Rochelle

Benjamin, that's the page where I thought the recommendations were but there is noting but the Find your friends box and the buttons for Twitter, Facebook, etc. There is nothing under this. - Kol Tregaskes

And I know the suggestions would be different once you are following users. Are you saying that the suggestion list for a new user not following anyone differ depending on the country they are from? - Kol Tregaskes

i think it should be people who interact on friendfeed, not people with just a lot of subscribers - Iphigenie

Joelle, exactly. - Rochelle

Kol: I'm not 100% positive (it's been a while since I looked at that code) but yes I believe the default list when you have no subscriptions is different depending on what language your browser says you speak (via the Accept-Language header) - Benjamin Golub

Joelle and Rochelle, exactly. Kol, yes, for new comers- group lists. I found it good, when I came here. I am from Sofia,Bulgaria. Yes, there are language barriers. :-)And Girls and Boys, I found FF as a fresh air for me. I am more than 3 years, full time on line. Furious of my reality, previously out of here, out of EU included :-) Yes, human interaction,interests.Happy Easter! For humans values,first :-) - Slavomira

And I suspect the reason you see no recommendations at http://friendfeed.com/friends... is because you already have 9000+ subscriptions :) - Benjamin Golub

As a person from the UK when I registered all I saw were the users above. I would have preferred to have a list of top users in my country. Is it down to location or language and does it distinguish between English (American) and other forms of English? So we need someone from another non-English speaking country to sign up. Anyone know of anyone who'd like to test this? :-) - Kol Tregaskes

Benjamin, maybe but I'm not following every single FF user so there must be someone FF can recommend to me. :-) Note that I subscribe to a LOT of groups too. :-) - Kol Tregaskes

i see no recommendations either :) 788/799 subs as of today - Iphigenie

Does anyone see any friends recommendations here?: http://friendfeed.com/friends... - Kol Tregaskes

Kol: yes. - Mark H

Thanks, Mark. So is it that if you have 500+ subscriptions, say, you do not get any recommendations? - Kol Tregaskes

and yet, if you have 500+ subs, you also need help discovering new people :) - Iphigenie

LOL, yeah but you know what I mean. ;-) - Kol Tregaskes