Behind the scenes of Facebook...

...AKA "the college addiction."

I knew I had a problem when I realized I couldn't log onto the Internet without checking my Facebook page. I logged on at the library, at the rec, before my shower, after my shower, when I got up in the morning, before I went to sleep. Before class. During class.

But I don't just go on there to see the latest updates in my friends' worlds, but I also like to see the changes to the site. I prefer Facebook over MySpace just because, in my opinion, the layout is so much easier to navigate. Giving people the option to personalize their page (like MySpace does) seems to be a good idea in theory, but whenever I go on there I can't stand the busy backgrounds on the majority of the pages. I don't mind the music playing, because if you don't like the song, you can simply pause it. There needs to be an option where you can "turn off" a user's background. That's where Facebook wins. Sure, everyone's profile looks the same, but that's okay.

Design issues aside, Facebook is nice because its developers are continually upgrading its site and tweaking it to fit the needs of its users. I regularly read the Facebook blog and I love how they describe the thought process that went into making changes to the site.

Maybe I'm just a nerd, but I like it. I love knowing how those decisions are made, because it affects my experience on the site. And considering how much time I spend on Facebook, having a good experience is crucial.