A few minutes ago, Facebook started testing out a new structure for their website and offered users a chance to switch between the new and the old profiles. Whereas I was able to switch between structures, a contact in London was not given the option, so I assume FB must be testing in batches.
My first impressions were not very favourable, but that could just be due to my not being familiar with the layout. The new design is definitely more roomy and makes better use of the free space in the previous design, but it seems to have lost its sharpness, and clean cut lines.
The bar on the left that held short cuts to your applications is gone, and that seems to be a disadvantage. That bar was like your tool bar in photoshop, giving you quick access to all you need. At present that seems to be the biggest loss. The application bar just becomes a tab at the top of your screen.
On your profile, its just your feed, wall and friends. The applications and everything else gets relegated to tabs along the top of your profile.
The advantage is that it makes the blessed profile easier to download, which is much appreciated on some junk filled profiles, but i still miss the side bar.
I wonder what their other changes will be, but I do hope it doesn’t involve us having to do major reorganizing of our own profiles.
