Commentary
Beating the system
- by David , September 16, 2008
A friend's Facebook status message states the following right now:
SAYS EVERYONE NEEDS TO ADD HIS RECENTLY ADDED GROUP. IT TAKES YOU BACK TO THE OLD FACEBOOK!!! HAHAHAHA BTICHES!!!! I BEAT THE SYSTEM!!!Neglect the fact he can't properly spell a swear word, and let's dig deeper.
The group he raves about offers users to the opportunity to win back "old Facebook," using a loophole with the Facebook Developers network and opt-out Web address.
Behold, the group:
How to change back to old facebook! Boooyaaa!A tech-savvy Facebooker points out the following in a message board post for the group:Type: Just for Fun - Facebook Classics
Description:
AT LEAST HAVE IT AS AN OPTION RIGHT!??????
YOUR CHOICE! GET BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS!EVERYONE THIS IS HOW U GO BACK:
http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=2345053339
then click 'add application'
then click
http://apps.new.facebook.com/?fbnew_opt_out=1
then log out and log back in and u should be fine
INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS PLEASE!!
IF YOU ENCOUNTER ANY PROBS:
just click on the second link in this group
The application you add is only the development centre for Application developers... Facebook are giving developers an additional couple of weeks or so to adjust their applications to suit the new facebook. This will also be removed in short time so don't get your hopes up people!The group lists more than 24,000 users.
For being the "Creation Generation," we're certainly picky about innovative changes. Why? It's our personal space. It's not redesigning a Web site, it's like redesigning our favorite non-Seattle-based local coffee shop. You're tweaking the common speak, the playground of our social existence.
Then again ... the masses didn't like News Feed, either. Try taking that away now.
I've been multitasking, so about 10 minutes has elapsed since the last group figure given (24,000 users.) The group's up to 25,000 now.
Luckily for Facebook, our generation is all about passive revolt!
I find the violently negative reaction of the Facebook crowd, especially its 18-and-under membership, to be a full-on Lewis Carroll-esque ironic farce. Is it the Internet, or Golden Girls? These are, truly, a bunch of transparent cosmetic changes aimed primarily at maximizing ad space and moving up to, say, 2002-level tabbing over 1998-era forever-scrolling. But the reaction to bringing the interface up to 2002 standards? "OMGZ i am quiting bcuz my lolcats aren't seven scroll pages down now!!!" If not a direct quote, you know it's pretty close to the truth. Maybe my generation is a little more flexible than the current youth?