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Facebook's New Layout (Click to Enlarge)

Pictured above is a screenshot of Facebook’s new layout, with private information blocked out in red and numbered locations for reference. Apparently, not all users have been transitioned to the new layout just yet. Those who have are almost unanimously disappointed with the changes. Here is a brief rundown of the reasons I dislike this new layout. Each number below corresponds to a circled number in the graphic above, where applicable.

1. The “Top News” section is selected by default, instead of “Most Recent.” As far as I’m aware, this is unchangeable. “Most Recent” would allow me to see posts in the order they were made, similar to a news feed. This is the Facebook experience I am used to, and having “Top News” as a default changes the site experience in a way I do not like.
2. Bookmarks have been removed from the bar at the bottom. Most of the time I spend on Facebook is spent playing Mobsters 2, World War, or Medical Mayhem. Having quick access to these applications, especially in the case of emergency events that arise in the game, is vital. The new layout forces me to take an extra step to access these applications.
3. The search bar is hideous. It looks disproportionately long compared to other elements in the page, and despite the fact that the page is divided into a (sort of) three column layout, it still appears to be placed in a haphazard fashion. It looked much better in the right column of the page and with a shorter width.
4. Links at the top are inconsistent. Some are graphics, some are links. . .and it’s generally confusing. Additionally, AJAX code at the top apparently isn’t functioning properly. When I receive a friend request, a badge will appear on the appropriate icon with a number “1.” After accepting the request, the number doesn’t go away until I click the menu again, click accept again, and receive an error message saying that I’m already friends with the person in question.

   The placement of the links at the top is unintuitive. I feel like “Home Profile Account” should be on the very left as they seem like important administrative functions. Ideally, these would also be made into graphics and grouped with the other three buttons.

5. There is no directly accessible logout link! Instead, I have to click into a menu and log out from there. This is annoying and, in my opinion, constitutes poor interface design.
6. The new layout doesn’t always load, for whatever reason. Sometimes I get a blank page with just the template and have to refresh.

I believe there were more, but I can’t think of the rest at this time. Even besides the specific points I’ve outlined, I think the aesthetic is just generally unappealing. Perhaps Facebook should consider an advanced option in which users can upload their own CSS stylesheets and customize the layout for themselves. This could even open up a market for companies or individuals to sell custom stylesheets to Facebook users (or provide them for free and profit from advertising revenue).

What do you think of the new layout?

The new iPhone 3G S was released on Friday, and I was there near the front of the line to be among the first (several thousands of) people to get one. Prior to this, I had a really cheap Samsung flip-phone, and before that I had an LG version of the RAZR, on which I really loved the rotating camera — a feature that I haven’t seen since, unfortunately. That is to say, I have never had a particularly nice phone before, and because I’m going back to school for Computer Science in the fall, I figured a smartphone was just what I needed to help me stay on top of my game.
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