Reflections on Facebook #2

I remember the first time I saw a Mac laptop breathing. You know how when you shut the lid the light surges gently on and off - it gives the sense that the machine is sleeping, as opposed to off (or dead, to extend the metaphor).

The Facebook interface makes me feel the same way as that breathing Mac. In some sense it is alive in a way that MySpace or LinkedIn is not. Updates from friends show up on the interface - pictures they may have uploaded, status updates (somewhat akin to tweets on Twitter), and favorites they have added to del.icio.us. It's quite compelling!

I would love to keep Facebook open on my desktop all day and be able to check in on what's going on. It has an immediate, companionable quality - as if I were collaborating in realtime with a group of friends.

Tag: facebook