And look what I'm greeted with:
Yeah, I look forward to clicking each and every radio button on that page. Where is the "Check All" or "Check None" option?
Of course, as soon as I write a rant about this, Facebook will change the design of the site and prove me wrong. Oh well, I have proof in the form of a screenshot!
So yeah, I've tried to disable as many ways for people to annoy me or distract me as possible. Facebook is meant to help you connect with others, not send them meaningless pokes or whatever methods people are using these days.
You see, geeks a long time ago used the web to escape from having to interact with people in real life because it was awkward. Then social networking hit. Now everyone and his/her mother is on a social network.
Which reminds me, I think MySpace is interesting in the fact that it is helping musicians find an audience. Other than that, I've always hated MySpace. Why? Because it allows its users to have the worst website designs ever to hit the web. And if you just read that sentence and have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to ask me and I will find a polite way to explain it to you.
While I'm discussing the annoyances of social networking, allow me to mention Cyworld. Cyworld is a social network service popular in South Korea. Why am I mentioning it? Because I often times am directed to these horrible sites from Korean acquaintances. These Cyworld pages are known as "mini homepages" to Koreans, and it shows.
When you go to someone's page, the first thing you will notice is a notice from your web browser that it has blocked a pop up. Yes, it is the year 2009 and we still have mainstream websites in Korea that use pop ups.Anyway, once I allow the pop ups, I get this mini window with a mini page. How unique! For about 2 seconds, perhaps. I mean, the window is so small! Way to be accessible to everyone!
There is nothing more frustrating than viewing someone's pictures or whatever they are showing you through Cyworld. Because you're constantly scrolling through a small window. Cyworld is now available in the US. I wonder if the US branch changed the web design a bit. If anyone cares to find that out, be sure and let me know.
Anyway, MySpace is heaven compared to Cyworld. At least I'm not trapped in a little box. How difficult is it for Cyworld to change it's code to at least just have the Cyworld pages be a flat page rather than require a pop up? This just sends me to no end. In Korea, everyone uses Windows and Internet Explorer. It's one big happy monoculture. Even when I visited a Cyworld page in Internet Explorer, it still bugs you to allow popups. So why wouldn't Cyworld stop allowing the pages to be pop up boxes and save everyone in Korea (And myself) from having to unnecessarily click?
Now on the innovative side, I like what Cyworld has done in terms of virtual worlds or avatars.
Disclaimer: I absolutely understand the positive aspects of social networking. I'm only nit picking. I do not hate Korea or Koreans, I love them. I'm only pointing out frustrations from a usability perspective.
