Friday, September 23, 2011

An Open Letter to Facebook


Dearest Facebook, 

I have been an FB loyalist (bordering on an addict) since the last four years now. 

No, I may not have grown crops or tended the cattle but I have painstakingly taken most of the quizzes my friends asked me to even if it meant answering what my favorite color was only to know that I am supposed to be married in 2012, when I already have been at the altar way before, but never mind that.

Though I am guilty of ignoring help requests on mafia wars, I have tried to honestly reply every time I 'visited' my own profile and you asked me "What's on your mind?"
I have lol'ed and rofl'ed on PJs my connections posted, I have graciously "liked" and "commented" on crazy pics, I have controlled my rising temper at being poked unnecessarily by random strangers, I have kept my wall 'well-posted', and myself updated on all the notifications...
Over the years, I have patiently put up with all your makeovers and supposedly improvised look and feel (s); I have even indulged your eccentricities via blogger, twitter and the now extinct Orkut...

...And all that I ask in return is please STOP complicating the user experience - whatever happened to the KISS principle - Keep It Short and Simple! You introduce Friend Lists to help me control better what I share with whom and then you go ahead and come up with this totally insane idea of 'Subscriptions'. Why the hell would I want to subscribe to someone I am not even friends with - Do not give me the TWITTER example - I'd rather tweet instead! 

One reason, I haven't dated Google Chrome as yet is because it tried to do too many things for me. And that's exactly where you are headed, darling FB.
Now, I login to FB and can't figure out where my lists are amidst all the clutter. I am still struggling to find out how to see the friends in a particular list.
A 100 usability experts might come up with a 1000 reasons on why the new interface is better, and over time I will get used to it and even find it convenient, but then like someone very aptly "shared":


I realise that this is your way to use new tricks to keep the old flame alive, but my love, take this tiff in the right spirit, and always remember to pls KISS and make up!

With all my love,
A slightly jilted (us)(lov)er

9 comments:

  1. Oh.. this is my second open letter for the day! I am amused at the presentation of an FB user experience.
    It has become sad..! I agree.

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  2. FB well I hate it .. I think its waste of space .. whats wrong with picking up the phone and talking o friends rather then leaving a message .. but then I am WEIRD

    2 bucks .. but lot of difference between 2Rs - 2 dollars or 2 pounds ..

    You have a hungry fish eating so much .. maybe try something veg and turn it into a vegetarian :) wat say .. save the fish ..

    Bikram's

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  3. @Sameera: :) it is the season of open letters i guess

    @Bikram: hmmm while I have no solid arguments "against" your pov - i still feel I have been better at keeping in touch with FB around now than in the pre 2007 era...

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  4. I am not a facebooker or is it facebookie?

    All the more reason I enjoy facebook bitching.

    Loved the well articulated sarcasm in your writing.

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  5. All the users asked for was a "Dislike" button, and FB gave them everything except that. Damn!

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  6. @Towards Harmony: Thank u...facebookie sounds good ;)

    @Arjit: Second you on that completely!

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  7. Hey, I have been following your blog for quite some time. I figured it was unfair not to let you know that you are in inspiration. Every time I read your writings, I feel like writing myself. Thank you!

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  8. Ahh,the KISS principle!!!If I didn't no any better,I would say that FB is on its way to KISS-ing Google Plus' buttocks....:-P Lovely post.....Keep em coming...:-)

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  9. @Jyoti: Thank you so much for writing in! It means a lot..

    @Rahul: thank u!

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate you taking out the time to share your valuable opinions! They mean a lot!

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