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Internet Facebook Forces Users to Adopt New Interface
Jason Mick (Blog) - September 10, 2008 1:36 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 48 comment(s) - last by colorfultech.. on Sep 15 at 7:09 PM
After weeks of giving its users freedom, Facebook is finally forcing them to use its news page design

Facebook, currently the second largest social network, built itself into a multi-billion dollar business through a user friendly interface.  However, with the addition of applications and many other new features, Facebook's engineers felt there needed to be an overhaul of the site.

In May it was announced that the layout would be changed.  Along with an updated graphical user interface, the new version of the site would separate user information and pictures into a separate area of the site that made them easy to share.  The changes were finally completed and unveiled in July.

Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg, wary of a repeat of the advertising debacle in which Facebook accidentally revealed users private shopping habits via newsfeed, opted to try to give users a chance to familiarize themselves with the new system.  Since July, users have had the option to use the "new look" or click a button to revert to the old look.  Now, however, Facebook is forcing the revised page onto all its users whether they like it or not.

Mr. Zuckerberg acknowledges he is worried about the shift, stating, "Any change can be a big deal to our users because this is how they connect with their family and friends.  So when you move things around, it can be perceived as being not a positive thing even when it's a positive change."

Some members are already mad about the changes.  Numerous petitions have appeared protesting the shift on Facebook.  The originator of one of these protests, Austin Peay University student  Scott Sanders, describes his concerns stating, "It's not that we don't want change, period, it's that we don't like these particular changes.  You have to navigate more and you have to click more to get to personal profiles. It's too much effort to get to basic information."

One major concern of users is that the new look shuffles items on page, creating noticeably more white space.  Mr. Zuckerberg promised users he's not going to add more advertising to their pages, but some users aren't convinced.

Still, even some of the most vocal critics will stick with Facebook, even if they oppose the shift.  Mr. Sanders states, "I definitely won't stop using Facebook because it's still the best social network out there.  People will probably protest the changes in the beginning, but then they will just get used to them."

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I vote nay!
By bldckstark on 9/10/2008 1:43:01 PM , Rating: 5
I have used the new and the old layouts, and the old one is much better in my opinion. The old layout had most all of the information I am interested in on one page, now I have to click all over to see the same stuff.

I wonder if their bandwidth usage is going to suffer?




RE: I vote nay!
By Warren21 on 9/10/2008 1:49:00 PM , Rating: 5
I agree. The new interface is less intuitive than the old one, and requires more navigation to find basic information.

One quick example:

When I click the new interface's "Friends" tab to search for one of my friend's profiles, the large search box centred in the middle of the page is for your own status -- not to search for friends. That search bar is a smaller one on the top right.

I can't remember how many times I had changed my status to a friend's name before I got used to it.

Less intuitive for sure.


RE: I vote nay!
By MScrip on 9/10/2008 3:53:14 PM , Rating: 3
The first thing you see is the Wall tab, which now combines both the Wall and Mini-Feed. In the old layout, the Mini-Feed was at the top, and their Wall was buried beneath a mile of useless apps.

The Wall tab is what I look at the most anyway. It shows your friends' recent activities, wall posts and new friends they have found. The next tab I look at is the Photos tab. And both of those are right at the top. I'd rather make one click to get to another tab, than have to scroll past the "Which Disney Character Am I" apps to find their phone number. Finding a small piece of information buried in a pile of useless apps is ridiculous.

But like I said before, the Wall tab gets the most action, which is why I'm glad I see it first. And photos is the next tab I look at. Besides, how often to people update their favorite books and movies? But, it's just one click away if you must see them.

Seriously, I don't see the problem! The old layout had everything on one page... ONE page. Now there is a tab for Wall and News, a tab for Info, a tab for Photos, and a tab for Other. What's wrong with that?


RE: I vote nay!
By blaster5k on 9/10/2008 4:43:49 PM , Rating: 3
The new interface definitely has advantages. I like how it hides the silly apps, which were starting to get in the way and turn it into another MySpace. Combining the pictures from you vs. others was a good move too, though the browsing of those seems to be a little slower and back doesn't take you to the page you were last on.

The status message placement is also weird and the text size is too big. There's also a GUI design blooper where the tabs shift location when you switch to the pictures view. I can see why they wanted the extra space for them, but it's still a bad idea for any interface to have shifting tabs.

It still needs some refinement, but I think they're moving in a better direction.


RE: I vote nay!
By TheHarvester on 9/11/2008 2:52:28 AM , Rating: 3
The "pile of useless apps" that everybody's talking about really isn't that relevant. In the old Facebook, you can click the little arrow on the left side to collapse ANY application. Once you collapse an application, that application stays collapsed no matter whose page you go to. If you don't want to see the Disney Character, collapse it. I've personally collapsed just about every application I've come across, and the the majority of my friends' pages are almost like the original Facebook in terms of not being very cluttered and containing the essentials--the photos and the wall. Every once in a while somebody adds a new application that clutters things, you can take a half a second and collapse it and see it no more.

I'm not saying this because I have an aversion to change, I just honestly prefer the old Facebook, and it seems to me entirely reasonable (and not harmful to Facebook) to allow users the choice of whether or not to move to the --alternative-- layout.


RE: I vote nay!
By Cygni on 9/10/2008 2:36:29 PM , Rating: 2
Essentially everyone hates it. They will capitulate.


RE: I vote nay!
By therealnickdanger on 9/10/2008 2:56:08 PM , Rating: 2
"They" being everyone or "they" being FB? I don't think FB will back down, honestly.

I admit that I only tried the new interface for about 20 seconds, but that was long enough to realize I would have to click tons more just to see the information I normally get just by loading the page. The new interface is a FAIL in my book.


RE: I vote nay!
By daftrok on 9/10/2008 5:12:11 PM , Rating: 1
Wrong. They did back down. You have the option to use the old interface if you like.


RE: I vote nay!
By twhittet on 9/10/2008 6:33:41 PM , Rating: 2
Did I miss something? I thought the whole point of the article is that they ARE forcing everyone to use it - like it or not.


RE: I vote nay!
By therealnickdanger on 9/10/2008 8:25:43 PM , Rating: 2
What? Yeah, it WAS optional. But soon they will force EVERYONE to use it.


RE: I vote nay!
By quiksilvr on 9/11/2008 2:25:28 AM , Rating: 2
It's back and forth. Earlier today it showed the NEW interface and has an option at the top to return to the OLD one and now it shows the OLD interface and has an option at the top to return to the NEW one. That'd be weird if it just stayed like that, 10% like the new and 90% like the old.


RE: I vote nay!
By Locutus465 on 9/10/2008 3:15:10 PM , Rating: 2
Personally I think FB is going down the tubes fast... Many (3rd party) FB apps try to get you to subscribe to pay services as quietly as they possibly can, or will not so subtly redirect you to 3rd party sites, such as the errr, "dating" site I got redirected to while going through some stupid compare your friends quiz.

Honestly, FB has gone from "alright" to suck.


RE: I vote nay!
By MScrip on 9/10/2008 4:24:55 PM , Rating: 2
Block all apps = proceed as normal.

Facebook is all about sharing photos, sending messages and writing on walls. That's the core of Facebook. Why do people insist on trying to compare everyone to a Disney character and grow a garden?


RE: I vote nay!
By BruceLeet on 9/10/2008 4:26:19 PM , Rating: 2
Or something you're just not used to yet.

Just like Vista


RE: I vote nay!
By icanhascpu on 9/10/2008 9:15:05 PM , Rating: 1
I dont think people will ever "get used to" lack of driver support for over a year.

I don't think ill "get used to" going out buying new hardware because the old stuff wont work.


RE: I vote nay!
By Spivonious on 9/11/2008 8:19:43 AM , Rating: 3
How old is your hardware? Because I have many 4-5 year-old devices that not only have Vista drivers, but have 64-bit Vista drivers.


RE: I vote nay!
By KingstonU on 9/10/2008 5:39:29 PM , Rating: 2
I for one am suspicious this was a move to bring in more advertising, the more blank spaces and the fact that they are forcing users to switch is fishy.

Could advertisers say that they will not give Facebook money unless all users are to have the new layout which displays it better?


RE: I vote nay!
By Reclaimer77 on 9/10/2008 6:19:27 PM , Rating: 2
Everyone always says the old thing they were used to is " better ". Nostalgia puts a rose colored tint on things.

I don't see how this is news. Plenty of websites change their look and interface all the time. So ? Since when did users start thinking they have the right to change things ? Its not like Facebook is charging money, so basically suck it up or don't use it.


RE: I vote nay!
By twhittet on 9/10/2008 6:39:47 PM , Rating: 2
If they want to keep making money on advertising and stay on top, they will listen to what user's like. Friendster anyone?

I look at the old and new format like a resume in a way. A neat, single page, easy to read, simple but well laid out resume is outstanding. A 5 page resume that makes a person frustrated for having to turn the page (or click) is the work of an inexperienced writer trying way to hard to impress. In many ways Facebook became popular for that reason, and I'm not sure if I'll ever like the new better than the old.


RE: I vote nay!
By MScrip on 9/10/2008 7:36:54 PM , Rating: 2
But, what if that single page resume is 27 feet long, and full of irrelevant stuff?

The old Facebook had stuff on one page, a painful amount of stuff. The News Feed was at the top, the Wall was usually buried at the bottom. Photos were hidden somewhere on the page, as was other info. It was a mess.

Now, the Wall/News Feed is the first thing you see... current events. Photos get their own tab, and Info gets its own tab too. It's just a click, instead of scrolling and searching.

The Wall is the tab were stuff changes constantly... that's why it's first. And it loads fast too! You can go to photos with just a click. How often to people update their favorite movies, favorite books, activities, interests and favorite quotations? I don't need to see that stuff on a regular basis. But, I will check their Wall/Feed and see if they have new photos. Then I'm gone.

I don't understand the problem with clicking to go directly to the part you need. There's only 4 tabs... Wall, Info, Photos, Boxes. You know the web is all about clicking... Home, About, Products, Contact... are you suggesting websites have one giant page instead of separate pages?

Facebook got cluttered when they added all the Apps. So, they shoved them off onto their own tab, and decided to organize things a little more.


RE: I vote nay!
By Quiescent on 9/10/2008 11:16:43 PM , Rating: 2
Yeah. It sucks. And the thing is, is all of the javascript for the new facebook is BORKED in Google Chrome. I foresee a future of chaos including people who will no longer use facebook and use an alternative site because of this false move that Facebook will make.


RE: I vote nay!
By Polynikes on 9/11/2008 8:46:48 AM , Rating: 2
Wow, the new layout is a mess. The organization is weird. People expect things to be at the top or left of the page usually (in general for web sites) but now things are scattered everywhere. Ugh.


RE: I vote nay!
By derwin on 9/11/2008 10:14:11 PM , Rating: 2
Thats exactly the point I was going to make. Just becuase I don't sign up for myspace and dump my facebook account doesn't mean facebook's ad content will not receive less views from me if I don't like their product.

P.S. cudos to anyone who can understand the twelve double negatives I used in that sentence.


Whole late of hate on Dailytech
By MADAOO7 on 9/10/2008 3:35:53 PM , Rating: 2
"Hate hate hate hate hate" - Silky Johnson

Facebook is free, if you don't like the changes, stop using it! All I hear on dailytech is moaning. Windows is better. Apple is better. The iPhone is crap. The Wii is crap. Seriously, what happened to the constructive comments about say, "How facebook did extensive research on the new design and 95% of users thought it was better?" , or "How the new Google execs that jumped ship have shaped the new Facebook?", or "How will this affect advertising and the possible event of Facebook's IPO?"

Even the title has bias. Using the word, "force", already has negative connotation and bias the reader. What if you titled it, "Facebook Transitions User Interface to New Design"? It's like we've turned into Fox News....




RE: Whole late of hate on Dailytech
By MADAOO7 on 9/10/2008 3:36:26 PM , Rating: 2
Clearly I meant, "lot", not "late" for the title.


RE: Whole late of hate on Dailytech
By BadAcid on 9/10/2008 4:05:42 PM , Rating: 3
I love how this sort of thing is what organizes people into protest mode, making facebook groups to show their unity in their opposition to the new interface.

Meanwhile warlords are stealing food and starving their people in parts of the world. :( I would know why they were stealing food and what parts of the world this was happening in, but screw it. It's my lunch break and I'm on facebook.


By Aarnando on 9/11/2008 9:19:26 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Meanwhile warlords are stealing food and starving their people in parts of the world.


This reminds me of an SNL sketch where Phil Hartman plays Bill Clinton at a McDonald's explaining to the customers how warlords are intercepting food in foreign countries. To demonstrate, he takes and eats peoples' McMuffins and other breakfast items while exclaiming, "Warlords!".

As for Facebook, I'm with you. Is it really that distressing?


RE: Whole late of hate on Dailytech
By JustTom on 9/13/2008 1:54:13 PM , Rating: 2
What shall we do cheer?

People are much more likely to complain about something they do not like than praise something they like. And people also resist change. I don't use facebook or any similar site so I can't make a real determination of whether these changes are good however there is nothing wrong with people stating their opinions on how they view the change. Especially if they are facebook users.

I don't know where you got the 95% number -I am going to assume you did not make it up- but product research is a tricky matter. Products survey well and fail all the time.

Now if you made the 95% number up stop that.


Crap
By kayronjm on 9/10/2008 7:31:04 PM , Rating: 2
The new interface is indeed crap!
I just don't like it at all, it's an information overload and everything's everywhere!!




RE: Crap
By jondevelops on 9/10/2008 9:26:05 PM , Rating: 2
The author's title is incorrect. Facebook did not force users to use the layout. Everyone has the choice to go back to the old layout by simply click the option on the top-right corner of the page. Its that easy. So Chill out.


RE: Crap
By Dreifort on 9/12/2008 10:16:05 AM , Rating: 2
apparently you didn't read past the title of the article? am I right? yes... because it is clearly stated in the article that Facebook WILL be "forcing" their users to use ONLY the newer interface in the future. Did the article say they are implementing it right this sec? nooooo...

but I guess you read the first 3 words of this comment and are getting mad and didn't even bother to see the answer again - for a 2nd time.


RE: Crap
By JustTom on 9/13/2008 2:07:59 PM , Rating: 2
It is still a misleading headline. It should have said "Will Force" or "To Force". It really is not that difficult to craft informative headlines.


Yep!!
By TechGuyCalifornia on 9/10/2008 2:07:47 PM , Rating: 2
I used the interface and said "Whut the heck is this!!". I absolutely hated it. Talk about LAG, it was slow, sluggish and irritating. They haven't reverted(forced) me back to the new system yet.




RE: Yep!!
By secretanchitman on 9/10/2008 2:19:21 PM , Rating: 2
i actually love the new interface...i really hate the old one. honestly, the only problem i have with the new interface (been using it even since it became a public beta a long time ago) is that scrolling through pictures is kind of sluggish...otherwise its great!


RE: Yep!!
By LorKha on 9/10/2008 2:38:29 PM , Rating: 2
I certainly like the new one too. Especially when it is well organized vs the old one where someone's wall is under 1 374937413498719 applications that are useless.


change on facebook
By joeld on 9/10/2008 3:12:18 PM , Rating: 2
Facebook has made some pretty good changes since opening up to lots of schools. If you're like me, you can't even remember what Facebook was like before news feeds!




RE: change on facebook
By blaster5k on 9/10/2008 3:29:38 PM , Rating: 2
People hated the news feeds when they came out too. It was considered stalker central. Now we've just come to terms with stalking.


am i missing something here?
By plinkplonk on 9/10/2008 7:08:32 PM , Rating: 2
my facebook still lets me choose the old interface...




RE: am i missing something here?
By kayronjm on 9/10/2008 7:31:40 PM , Rating: 2
Just wait a while. They've announced they will force the new interface very soon!


Step away from the computer a bit more.
By ggordonliddy on 9/10/2008 9:24:07 PM , Rating: 2
What kind of nut uses Facebook or MySpace. What a waste of time.




By SiliconAddict on 9/11/2008 1:47:20 AM , Rating: 2
I consider it a point of pride I've never been to either site. :-)


if they only charged $$$ for Facebook
By Dreifort on 9/12/2008 9:57:24 AM , Rating: 2
If they only charged $$$ for Facebook then there would be hardly any complaints. Ppl only complain (and setup petitions and spend countless hours protesting) when it's free.

Offering something/anything for free means you can count on complaints.

They get Facebook for free and when the one who gives you something for, yes..free, and decides he wants to change it - oh no! no you can't change it! because I pai..errr..I...er...




By ant69 on 9/12/2008 11:33:02 AM , Rating: 2
very true!!

people expect too much of free software/applications these days.


Just use IE6
By abitofgo on 9/10/2008 5:05:01 PM , Rating: 3
That way you get the old interface :)




Hate the new look for numerous reason
By goku on 9/10/2008 1:59:53 PM , Rating: 2
First of all it's cumbersome and secondly while I do appreciate the extra space it utilizes on my larger monitor, this is going to suck on the smaller monitors I use to browse the web. Why can't they let the user choose their own interface?




There's too much negativity
By astrodemoniac on 9/10/2008 5:46:13 PM , Rating: 2
...about the change. I for one really like it.

Those who like it join the group:

http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gi...

Would be good to exchange experiences and discuss about the new layout.




By jay401 on 9/12/2008 9:57:12 AM , Rating: 2
horrid new interface means people will spend less time on facebook and FB will lose 'customers' (and revenue via ads).

it looks less clean, less professional, and wastes a lot of space and time. now would be a great time for some other new social app to attract people away from facebook.




Not so fast?
By colorfultech on 9/15/2008 7:09:48 PM , Rating: 2
The new approach seems to allow for more overall flexibility, while cutting down on bandwidth use in some cases. It also allows for finer-grained tracking of user activities.

I doubt the push was purely cosmetic, and it may have been required by the people who have to answer to facebook shareholders ... for the next big facebook steps.




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