Is Timeline a mistake Facebook is making?
By Bard of Ely
What is Timeline?
If you use the popular social networking site Facebook you will probably already have Timeline, which is a new development there. Timeline was announced a week ago with the option of trying it ahead of its launch on 25 December.
Timeline gives a totally new look to your page. Seeing as it appeared that soon I would have no choice in the matter anyway, I went ahead and accepted it. I wish we could go back to the old-style Facebook though. Once again this is progress and development I could certainly do without!
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A Timeline by Charles Minard
What does Timeline do?
Timeline is intended to make it easy for viewers to scroll through recent events and posts by a Facebook user. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said that it offers a more comprehensive portrait of anyone using the social networking site.
It allows you to choose a main photo that is displayed across your page like a banner.
All the posts you make and links you choose to share are displayed in two columns below. Or at least they are supposed to be. There are problems!
Some YouTube videos no longer show up but get posted as a blank white box which isn't anywhere near as encouraging for anyone to watch the video. And photos that are too big get trimmed at the sides losing some of the image. This spoils their appeal too.
Many features such as 'Pokes' no longer show up on your main Facebook wall. I had to find out where they had gone.
I had the same problem with 'Notes' that had also disappeared.
I am currently experiencing another annoying problem of not being able to delete links I have shared from elsewhere, and as yet have not found out what is causing this trouble.
I am not alone in being a Facebook user who objects to not having any choice in the matter too. If I could go back to the old layout I would.
Introducing Timeline -- a New Kind of Profile
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What Facebook users think about Timeline
I posted on my Facebook wall asking if friends and users thought Facebook was following Myspace downhill. Myspace has lost many of its former users over the past few years after big changes were made there too.
I used to spend a lot of time at Myspace but hardly go there now and just use it to keep in touch with a few friends who only have sites there, and to share links. I have friends who were so disgusted with the new look Myspace they deleted their sites. Will this happen at Facebook with its new compulsory Timeline?
Anyway, it seems I am not alone in objecting to Timeline. Here are some comments from Facebook friends:
Scott Smith posted "well steve i think its just anothe way of controling the flow of info, when facebook first came out you could keep a list of your links i loved it i could quickly referance them to help me explane something i was talking about,,,, thats gone, and on and on, now most all i get is the same peoples posts because fb has selected who i want to see posts from,,,,, its all about controling the flow of info."
And Paul Nery commented: "The "timeline" thing is not optional. It is for everybody since 24 december.I did not like it also, looks like a clone of MySpace..."
Cindy Shanks isn't happy with Timeline either and she left the following comment: "And just like MySpace, we'll all start bailing for the next place to go. I don't like Google either. Anybody have other suggestions?"
Whilst Lynda Nash thinks we should set up a brand new social networking site. One we can easily use and understand. Lynda posted: "let's start our own, uncomplicated networking place without all the 'background noise' that FB have added."
So far I haven't heard from anyone who really likes Timeline but I suppose it is early days! We are stuck with it! Will it grow on us in time, I wonder?
Copyright © 2011 Steve Andrews. All Rights Reserved.
Facebook Timeline: Tips For Setting Up Your New Profile link
- Facebook Timeline: Tips For Setting Up Your New Profile
NEW YORK -- I've often joked that if something's not on Facebook, it didn't happen. Facebook's new Timeline feature makes that adage even more apparent.
Comments
Well you are very lucky in many ways. For me it has been a major source of communication for the past few years and I am very disappointed with its new look. Thanks for posting!
I could never figure how google + could get the drop on facebook looks like I was wrong. Google must of been doing their homework.
i'm not sure what kind of "mistake" FB would have to make for it to be terminal,... every one complains about the changes, but every one stays and aclimates,.... like when the dealer tells the junkie they have to make the deal on a new street corner thats farther away,... the deal gets made.
i'm not a big fan of this new look, but i'm not a big fan of stale staus quo iether,.... it the great cycle of E-life,... it'll pass,.... and so will FB in time,... and the next big thing will take its place.
good read, i enjoy your writing style,... well done
Thanks for your feedback, stugod and stclairjack! Not everyone stayed at Myspace!
I'm just anti-facebook in general. Maybe I'm just jealous of all the success Mark has had; anyhow, I'm ready for another social platform that will bury facebook, causing the migration of all family members to a newer social platform, leaving fewer excuses to stay on facebook.
I don't like Timeline because I can't find anything any more! It seems like as soon as you find your way around all these sites, they then go and change everything just to frustrate you
Thank you for commenting, SocialGuy01 and CMHypno! I can't find what I am looking for there too, at least not without some help from friends or by accident!
But they should have included a way users could easily migrate to the old view after trying out the timeline. I personally don't like this new style.
They are not letting us have the old style. It is soon to be changed over for all users.
I'm so tired of FB making changes that are usually not for the good. I too long for the old layout the site is not brain damage, but slowly getting there. Voted up, marked useful and interesting.
Thank you, pmccray!
I think it's been changed because of the success facebook had in mobilising the Arab Spring. Too powerful, so it had to be got rid of. I wouldn't be surprised if governments haven't lobbied facebook to make these changes.
And maybe google were in the loop too divide and conquer. Never fails as I could never see how they would break facebook's back. Ho Hum
Thank you for your comments, Chris and stugod! We are sadly stuck with it!
:) Nice write up:) Steve where only stuck if we choose to stay:)
I think FB have got to big a head these days, they look at there user numbers and think, there untouchable lol I was supprised to see FB did the timeline thingy, and I bet a lot of users not seen such a tech, but damn its old tech, I was on a site that introduced this some years back, I not been back since lol good luck FB (time) will tell or should I say (timeline) lol
Lets hope they dont do something even more silly like put the homnepage on a timeline lol
Thanks for your comments, Jay! I choose to stay even if I don't like it because the site has become my main networking site and I have spent a lot of time building my page up.
Orkut died for not listening to users. Myspace is only good for bands. And now Facebook is making a nonsense after another. Maybe is a chance to Google+ grow.
A lot of people are on about Google+ but I can't say I like it very much! Thanks for commenting!
please start my account in my facebook
Bard - I still haven't switched over because no one that has seems to like it!
I like the "start a new network without the back ground noise" idea!
It seems they lied because they never forced everyone to have it by t5he 25th or 29th. Sadly for people like me there is no going back option!
Bah humbug to the new Timeline! I refuse to change unless they insist then I won't have a choice. Facebook needs to slow down with changes.
I totally agree and wish I hadn't accepted!
Hi Steve, I found this hub very encouraging as I don't like the new fb, but always worry that in my old age its ME not adapting to change, my mother always taught me that not adapting makes you old, "move with the times" was her motto, and she was very much a silver surfer.
I digress.
I hope we will be able to keep the old page. I doubt it. You make the point that Mark Zuckerberg said it offers a more comprehensive portrait of anyone using the social networking site. I find it does the complete opposite. Unless I'm just dumb. As for MySpace. My brother writes his own music and has always used his MySpace like I use fb. He too is very disappointed with that site. Its such a shame when these sites change. I don't get it?....If it aint broke, why fix it. It works. Leave well alone I say.
Well, Facebook Timeline now offers the option of seeing what you did and posted when you first joined the site by scrolling down the Timeline - I can see when I joined! lol It is interesting I suppose but some people won't like it.
i hate it. it's not nearly as user friendly as it used to be. Why change a good thing?
I wish I hadn't accepted it! I have no way of changing back and they never carried out their threat because plenty of people still have the old format.
It is burning my frickin swede out.(Doing my head in) If it aint broke don't fix it. Goddam
I switched to the new timeline and actually really like it. I am a little freaked out though...I am an amateur writer(just write for my own personal therapy)and I had a lot of my writing in the "Notes" section on F.B. Now that I switched, my notes section seems to have disappeard. Anyone know how I can get to those or they lost forever?
They are still there. Have a look at my site and you will see where the Notes get displayed underneath Activity Log on the right-hand of the page.
Just created my Google+ account, mainly out of frustration with the new timeline in Facebook.
I'll see how many of my friends do the same.
I already have but seldom use it because I find it of little use and more of a nuisance than anything with all the daily alerts telling me someone has added me to Circles. Good luck with it though!
Pcunix 5 months ago
I remain with Facebook only because I have family there who are unaware of the value Google+plus offers. I also play Scrabble with two people through Facebook and that's easier than other alternatives.
Other than that, if Facebook disappeared, I wouldn't be bothered at all.