Everything Facebook - Pros, Cons, Changes, Advice, Help Needed...It's All Here, Folks

[KikiSashaFan]

The new timelines will be "given" to everyone on January 14th.

 

[Karina1974]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technol...tory-rollout-7-days-scour-past-185456598.html

Facebook is the virtual home to more than 800 million active users, so any change to how the network operates is a big deal. And nothing could be bigger for the social hotspot than completely revamping everyone's front-facing profile page, and that is exactly what is happening today. Starting this morning, the new Timeline feature — that up until now has been an optional switch — is now mandatory.

The Timeline differs from the default profile pages we know and love in several ways. Now, rather than showcasing only your most recent posts, your personal front page can be scrolled back months or years at a time. Most importantly, this change can offer visitors a glimpse at your entire social networking past, all the way back to the day that you joined up. The revamp can be both a blessing and a curse for seasoned social networkers, as it can produce a bit of pleasant nostalgia, but also drag up some of your less proud public moments.

Left untouched, your Timeline may remind of you of breakups, job troubles, or even a few unfortunate party photos that you have long since buried. Depending on your settings, these black marks on your digital past could allow new followers — including friends or business associates — to see a side of you that was better kept tucked away.

Epic. Fail. I don't like it simply because the page under Timeline has such a messy, cluttered feel to it that navigating a profile that is set in Timeline is a nightmare. I, for one, much prefer the old, vertical scrolling, style. It's a lot simpler and easier to read.

The only +1 I can give to Timeline is the "cover" photo feature. Other than that, it's a mess.

 

[Wyliefan]

Oh, crap. I hate Timeline.

 

[Skittl1321]

When does this happen. It says "starting this morning" but I still have my old facebook page.

 

[Beefcake]

I despise the "timeline" arrangement, and don't even try to read it on those "friends" who've already changed over. It's MSNBC "fixing" its pages from easy to navigate to hoarder's heaven all over again.

Is there an alternative to Facebook? Because, I'm ready to boot it. Besides the change du jour's inane design, it also seems to yet another stab at removing all possible privacy alternatives.

 

[soxxy]

Timeline sucks. I don't know one person who likes it.

 

[Karina1974]

Because, I'm ready to boot it. Besides the change du jour's inane design, it also seems to yet another stab at removing all possible privacy alternatives.

I don't think so. I know of one person who already has Timeline on her page, who has her profile on complete "lock down" in regards to those people not on her Friends list.

Of course, she also has extensive computer experience going back almost 30 years, and made a name for herself as one of the pioneers in the website design business, so I would expect her to be able to figure these things out.

 

[Skittl1321]

Is there an alternative to Facebook?

Google+ ?

 

[Karina1974]

When does this happen. It says "starting this morning" but I still have my old facebook page.

I just changed my profile over. You have 7 days to tweak your profile (remove stuff you don't want people to read again ) before your profile goes "live" under Timeline. My posts are really generic (I save my ranting and raving for my private blog), so I went right ahead and "published" my profile.

 

[cruisin]

My FB page is still the same. but, I did notice that FB was very slow to load today.

 

[Vagabond]

Is there an alternative to Facebook?

Personal visits, letters, phone calls, and e-mail.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I don't mind timeline, but I wish the cover photo wasn't landscape. I have exactly one picture that looks good on there.

 

[Vash01]

I finally got on facebook, and immediately sent friend requests to many of the people I know, and got some friend requests. I found the option to hide my DOB and gender. I have made my information accessible only to friends. So I don't think I will get ads, but I am really interested in looking for some people I went to school with. I found at least one of them on facebook.

 

[genevieve]

everyone gets ads.

 

[PeterG]

I don't mind timeline, but I wish the cover photo wasn't landscape. I have exactly one picture that looks good on there.

As if all of your pictures aren't completely gorgeous!

 

[Vash01]

I just changed my profile over. You have 7 days to tweak your profile (remove stuff you don't want people to read again ) before your profile goes "live" under Timeline. My posts are really generic (I save my ranting and raving for my private blog), so I went right ahead and "published" my profile.

I am a newcomer to facebook and very ignorant, so please don't mind my question.

Does this mean after 7 days your profile is frozen and you can never change it, or are you talking about a profile yet to be saved? If it's the former, I better make changes to mine very soon. I was thinking that I could go on adding information about my interests, education, etc. for a long time.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

As if all of your pictures aren't completely gorgeous!

But what I meant was I only have one that's landscapey-ish.

 

[Beefcake]

Personal visits, letters, phone calls, and e-mail.

Ah, yes, old school.

 

[Beefcake]

But what I meant was I only have one that's landscapey-ish.

You're gonna need to gain a LOT of weight, pwetty, to fill that space.

 

[PeterG]

I am a newcomer to facebook and very ignorant, so please don't mind my question.

Does this mean after 7 days your profile is frozen and you can never change it, or are you talking about a profile yet to be saved? If it's the former, I better make changes to mine very soon. I was thinking that I could go on adding information about my interests, education, etc. for a long time.

I think Karina means that you only have a few days to delete all the horrid stuff from your past that you want erased from facebook's memory. However, people like us who have lived exemplary lives, need not worry as we have nothing shameful in our facebook histories to be concerned about.

As for changes in the future (meaning additions), yes, you will be able to add whatever you want. (It's just the deleting that sounds like will not be possible.)

 

[Vash01]

I think Karina means that you only have a few days to delete all the horrid stuff from your past that you want erased from facebook's memory. However, people like us who have lived exemplary lives, need not worry as we have nothing shameful in our facebook histories to be concerned about.

As for changes in the future (meaning additions), yes, you will be able to add whatever you want. (It's just the deleting that sounds like will not be possible.)

Thanks for explaining. Since I have no history on facebook (I only joined today), I have nothing to worry about, right?

 

[JILEN]

Hey guys how do we convert into this new timeline? I saw a few friends already have..

 

[PeterG]

Thanks for explaining. Since I have no history on facebook (I only joined today), I have nothing to worry about, right?

Nothing at all. It helps that people like us have lived exemplary lives from start to present.

Hey guys how do we convert into this new timeline? I saw a few friends already have..

It's interesting that this issue has come up, because I have not had any notification from facebook that this will be happening. I guess I'm going to wait until it's forced upon me. I expect I'll check facebook soon and my page will look all different...

 

[Karina1974]

I am a newcomer to facebook and very ignorant, so please don't mind my question.

Does this mean after 7 days your profile is frozen and you can never change it, or are you talking about a profile yet to be saved? If it's the former, I better make changes to mine very soon. I was thinking that I could go on adding information about my interests, education, etc. for a long time.

No, you profile won't be "frozen." It means that you have until January 31 to voluntarily make the changeover to Timeline. Also, after Timeline, it's going to be easier to pull up a person's Wall posts because you won't have to scroll back through pages and pages until you get to the oldest ones.

I don't give a rat's rear who reads my old stuff that I've posted, because my FB, like my Live Journal blog, is a debate-free zone where I am the one who calls the shots on what gets posted, commented on, saved and/or deleted. It's like my real-life air space: you're allowed in if and only if *I* give you permission to be there.

 

[Karina1974]

It's interesting that this issue has come up, because I have not had any notification from facebook that this will be happening.

I didn't know either, until I happened to be on Yahoo (my homepage on my work computer) and saw the article that I linked. Two of my FB Friends who made the changeover when that format first debuted posted (in response to my complaining about it) that they really liked it once they got used to it.

The only thing I do not like about it are the "Edit" buttons stuck on my profile and cover pictures. They don't show when other people view your profile but you can't get rid of them, which is a bummer if you have an especially nice cover photo (mine is a shot of the Mohawk River pre-Hurricane Irene).

 

[JILEN]

I'm still looking for a nice cover photo for mine.

I think the fundamental flaw with this timeline is the assumption that all users want to publish their life story. I'm one of those who just want to keep in touch with my peeps and friends but since fb is leaving us with no choice I might as well make a splash! Now back to trying to figure out how to convert mine into this new crappy timeline..any step by step instruction?

 

[BigB08822]

Mine is still old fashioned and I have heard nothing from FB about when it will change. I don't want it to change so no complaining from me.

 

[Angelskates]

I haven't done anything with my timeline. It's grouped photos by year (though there still in the albums I put them in). It's used some of the info I've given it, but that's it.

I may have asked this before, but can people see the groups I've put them in?

 

[Buzz]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but FB is set to go public and is estimated to be worth about 100 billion dollars. It's founder Mark Zukerberg would become instantly one of the world's richest men with about $20b to his name, and one of it's youngest billionaires. I still can't believe how much FB is worth and how much it rakes in. But it all sounds like a good deal if you happen to be a valued employee since some 1000 of them are set to become millionaires after the IPO.

 

[Jenny]

According to Forbes, Zuckerberg is currently #52 on the list of world's richest people, and he's by far the youngest - in fact the only person on the top 100 under 40. According to Wiki, he's been the world's youngest billionaire since 2008. Forbes estimates his fortune at $13.5 billion, so if he adds $20 to that (no idea how the taxing would work though, and the effect on his net worth), it would move him into the top 20.