Ah yes - LinkedIn.  You love it, but does it love you?

Like a jealous boy/girlfriend, yes - as long as you are loyal, including not doing things that look like you're getting ready to cheat.

What? Well, LinkedIn just removed your ability to automatically export your contacts - you know, the ones you originally uploaded, then started simply using LinkedIn as your rolodex for future connections.

GOTCHA!  More from PC World:

"LinkedIn users now have to wait up to three days if they want a list of their contacts on the service.

Previously, the social networking site provided a way for users to instantly export their contacts. It was a useful feature for people looking to manage their contacts elsewhere. Under a change made Thursday, users now must make a request to download their account data. In a page describing the new process, LinkedIn says users will receive an email within 72 hours with a link to download the archive when it is ready.

A link to the instructions for the process appears in very small type on the LinkedIn export settings page. The change was reported earlier by VentureBeat."

On a related note, LinkedIn still stands ready to suck ALL the contacts out of your outlook, gmail or other contact manager.  That can happen immediately.  (Italics notes word spoken with snark/irony)

LinkedIn is growing up - and it doesn't need to care about what you think anymore.  Critical mass has been reached.  

Like you, I use it everyday.  Like you, I thought LinkedIn and us were in this together.  Sorry to say, that's incorrect, and this move is a small example of that reality.