I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I’m a traditionalist. I simply don’t like change and particularly when it’s not out of choice. So as the time for all Facebook users to make the change from the traditional profile layout to the shiny new ‘Timeline’ looms on the horizon, it’s understandable that this isn’t something that I’m entirely in favour of.
A short excerpt from Roberto Baldwin’s article on Gadget Lab, describes the new format as:
“…a true timeline of a person’s life, the dates of photos and events can be adjusted to appear in line with when the moment actually occurred in a person’s life. Users are prompted to add photos to major life events starting with their date of birth. Visitors to a user’s Timeline page can quickly navigate to a year to see those embarrassing prom photos from high school.”
If you ask me, I’d rather not make it that easy for my friends to access snapshots from my awkward teenage years! Besides, it takes too long to load (although that might have something to do with my dodgy internet connection), and with so much going on at one time, can be a little distracting.
However, the new Timeline does have its benefits – if not for individual users’ personal pages, then definitely for businesses. It’s just as well that it has already become mandatory default for all brand pages. Providing a more aesthetically-pleasing platform for companies to showcase their products, services and events, the Timeline lets you stay up to date with current activities and allows fans to access a brand’s entire history with the touch of a button.
How do you feel about the new Timeline?