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Actually I'd like a discussion on this. Are you kidding? I personally think fb usability is terrible as well. The thing is, I can see how thats likely intention

by apsurd 16y ago

Actually I'd like a discussion on this. Are you kidding? I personally think fb usability is terrible as well. The thing is, I can see how thats likely intentional. It is obvious fb wants you to do certain things like share all your crap with friends all the time everywhere and anywhere. So everything that has to do with updates, pics, and the wall, well thats beautifully and easily within reach. But anything else....good luck. To be clear, I don't use fb, but I opened an account so that I can learn the api and make some page apps. The documentation is old, sporadic, a pain to find, and ...broken. Locating simple things like where my pages are seems to take me forever!! I just have a hard time finding anything on fb that doesn't have to do with status updates and "the wall". Course I am hardly an "average user" and half a billion people seem to think its good, right? right? Any thoughts on this?

mortenjorck 16y ago
The funny thing is, Facebook had great usability compared to what it replaced for many people—Myspace—when its functionality was only comparable to what Myspace offered. As Facebook attempted to integrate itself into more of its users' lifestyles, though, its UI became unfit for the depth of social functionality it had to control.
- chopsueyar 16y ago
  Most interestingly, from my personal observations, US users under the age of 18 prefer the "uncontrolled" nature of Myspace versus the structured "social institution" feel of Facebook. Also, as Facebook's users become more familiar with its workings (social, not technical), it becomes quite apparent that there are limitations to having all relationships equal. This is truly where Facebook fails. I have friends, I have a best friend, I have acquaintances (both business and social), and I have people I don't like, I may have some enemies, too. But in the realm of Facebook, all these people are my friends, and I have no way to differentiate that within the Facebook platform. I do not believe it is the UI that is the problem, but the underlying architecture of it's "social functionality".

by apsurd 16y ago

mortenjorck 16y ago

The funny thing is, Facebook had great usability compared to what it replaced for many people—Myspace—when its functionality was only comparable to what Myspace offered. As Facebook attempted to integrate itself into more of its users' lifestyles, though, its UI became unfit for the depth of social functionality it had to control.

chopsueyar 16y ago
Most interestingly, from my personal observations, US users under the age of 18 prefer the "uncontrolled" nature of Myspace versus the structured "social institution" feel of Facebook. Also, as Facebook's users become more familiar with its workings (social, not technical), it becomes quite apparent that there are limitations to having all relationships equal. This is truly where Facebook fails. I have friends, I have a best friend, I have acquaintances (both business and social), and I have people I don't like, I may have some enemies, too. But in the realm of Facebook, all these people are my friends, and I have no way to differentiate that within the Facebook platform. I do not believe it is the UI that is the problem, but the underlying architecture of it's "social functionality".