March 2009

Facebook filled a niche for me that nothing else had. I try to explain to people who aren’t on facebook why I liked it so much. I tell them, its not like email because you don’t have to reply back to someone so there isn’t a sense of obligation. Also, you aren’t creating an obligation for someone else to reply back to you. Yet, you can communicate. You can just post your pictures and someone, who you like but would never have sent your pictures to, sees them and comments on them.

What its really like is a block party. You see people who you like and want to see but who you wouldn’t go out to a cafe alone and talk for an hour with. You get to see friends you haven’t seen in a while and catch up. You get to be connected in a much more satisfying and relaxed way with friends that you email. Its awesome! Its relaxed, casual, social- its a lot of fun.

SIGH.

The new facebook is not a block party. Its not relaxed and social. Its frenetic. I left a message in my status that I wouldn’t be on fb – my friends should contact me by email. Is it so that facebook staff will notice I and other users aren’t on? ( a little) Am I willing to give up fb just to make a point? NO. Its because it actually, literally HURTS MY EYES. 

I know some people complain about change just because something is different, and I know the facebook staff has seen that before when they  have made changes. This is not the case here. I love technology and gadgets, and I actually like change FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE. But in this case, it really is badly designed. 

Visually it is overwhelming. I thought I could get used to that, but FUNCTIONALLY it doesn’t work the same. It doesn’t work as well. It doesn’t fill the unique niche it used to fill anymore. That is a shame.

The old home page worked well. I got to see what people were doing with a quick perusal. I got to see the block party kind of information. Information that people wanted to share with the group. The new home page shows every single activity people make on facebook. This is more like eavesdropping on a really uninteresting party telephone line. Its boring AND Its embarrassing.

I don’t want to see all of other people’s activities, and I felt like I was spamming everyone when I saw that everything I had done was on the home page. My profile page is just a mess. I can’t delete anything and it looks awful. Instead of being able to tidy up my place before people drop by for a visit, its like my crap is everywhere.

The new facebook changes what worked so well in creating an online space to interact with people. Facebook staff, if you are listening, please, please, please bring the old facebook back. I really valued it. I told lots of people about it who joined just because of me. Now I would not recommend it to anyone.

Bottom line: This morning I’m working at home and wanted a little social time. I looked on my email- unsatisfying as usual. I called someone. Hmmm… what is it that I want??? Oh yeah, facebook. I wish it still existed.

SIGH.

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