Pseudo web 3.0 updates fail to get my vote
No matter where I turn, the website updates keep coming. A few days back, it was my iGoogle page. With left hand navigation to all your widgets, it was an unwelcome change to my homepage. I like my iGoogle the way it was–not fancy, unassuming and utilitarian. The expanding modules also seem to be a feature that I could go without as the actual use is limited. The only thing that is somewhat interesting is the option to gChat from iGoogle, but I don’t gChat all that often anyway [and if you have Adium, this is pretty useless]. Something that I do like is the growing selection of artist themes. My current choice is “Puppies” (how cute is that)!
Then, I checked out my new Facebook page thanks to a post on Mashable. I know the Facebook folks are still working on it, but my first impression was not a great one.
First off, everything seems to be a mirror image of my preexisting Facebook page. I have become accustomed to my picture on the right, links below, and even the mini-feed (which has grown on me) being the first thing I see. It seems that tabs rule the new Facebook page, with wall, info, photos,boxes and an option to add more tabs. This makes it more organized, but can increase the time spent navigating through a friends page. Also, the boxes tab may be the end of Facebook apps as we know it. Who would really be curious as to what apps someone has, unless they are smack dab in the middle of your page?
I understand why Facebook is taking this route. With some people adding an app a day, it can be hard to see what’s going on with your FB bud. I have a lot of apps going on, and can absolutely rationalize the need to divide (via tabs) and conquer a webpage with a lot of content. I can’t help but think that this new format reminds me a lot of Friendster, the dodo bird of social networking. Not to be too presumptuous, but could that me some sort of indicator for the fate of Facebook?
Perhaps it will take some getting used to, but I do hope that the folks at Facebook make sure the general users are kosher with the updated interface. Will customizable themes be next? HTML freedom? Personally, I’m on the line.
I am skeptical about the new Facebook… I just wrote about it on my own blog.
I like it more with the pic on the right, and the tabs, but I feel like users are gonna complain because they want the old layout back.
I’m actually really happy with the new Facebook profiles! I get way too many friend requests from people I don’t know, who have over 100 applications on their pages… which crashes my iPhone-based Safari. Then, after they’ve thoroughly resulted in pissing me off, I remove their app-loving asses :P
This new layout will help a lot… it will also decrease the amount of data being downloaded, so it makes SO much sense for Facebook’s continual scaling.
I agree on iGoogle. The whole point is that it’s supposed to be MY page. Leave it the frick alone! The Shar-Pei puppy was a nice touch though. How can you be annoyed around all those wrinkles…
Facebook, can pretty much do whatever. I tend to only log on through my phone anyway.
I had such high hopes for the new FaceBook design. But that Beta is terrible. I’m pretty shocked that with that many people at FaceBook working on it, it turned out like that…
That’s just… A really awful design. It’s like Web 2.0 vomited on the page and FaceBook tried cleaning it up, but didn’t use the big sponge. Okay, I’m done with gross metaphors, but I expected a better beta from a company that big.
I can see how it’s better for iPhone/mobile reasons, but perhaps there should be a “mobile option” which is catered to those users. I like my old Facebook page, and hope that some elements stick. Also, what’s with the no Networks thing? I liked that feature!
That looks like a fairly recent Friendster log-in screen, Neha! Confounding many people (including me), it’s still inexplicably the most popular social-networking site in the Asia Pacific, including Malaysia (where I’m from by the way). Which is the only reason I’m still using it, because that’s where all my friends are.
Will.. will you be my Friendster too? Flashbacks to 2002!