Facebook Changes - So??

I can't believe the number of people who are complaining about the changes to Facebook today. All I can say is that change is part of life - just relax and deal with it. All the features are still there - you just need to take a step back and find them. The new "Stalker Wall" will either be a hit or a flop, depending on who you are. And Facebook makes decisions about how to view information from your 700 friends because you don't have time to sort it out yourself. If you do, customize your filters and lists and leave the world alone.

Some people are upset because they feel that Facebook is trying to be like Google+ and Twitter. I think that Facebook has always strove to incorporate the best social features into their network because it is better to be able to perform any type of social function from one network than to have to join a number of niche networks with their own features. I always thought that status updates were a sufficient replacement for Twitter (or at least my need to "tweet." I recognize vast advantages to following other people's tweets, especially if they are only on Twitter.) And Google did have a valid point in exposing Facebook's privacy issues. I think the new privacy settings allow you to use Facebook however you see fit. I personally still keep everything public. For me, that's simpler - I assume that anything I post on the Internet, anyone can see, and I act accordingly.

I wonder if the reason why I'm not concerned about a computer interface I use regularly getting changed up overnight is because I work in software change and chaos is my life. I spend a lot of time imagining the impact of one change and how it ripples into a multitude of different systems and what it means for all of the users of these systems and consumers of backend services. In the past, Facebook has allowed you to choose whether or not to use a new layout. This can be very hard to maintain (two or more versions of systems running in production at the same time). Facebook probably has enough users now that this could be a significant feat. Sometimes, you just have to jump in and do it.

I think that Facebook's willingness to change shows that they want to stay relevant, they don't want to be complacent and their social network is not going to soon become stagnant. That is the type of attitude you need to stay on top, especially against the pressure that Google+ and Twitter are sure to provide. This is a good game to watch, and I'm having fun.