Here’s something you didn’t know. There’s a fully functioning version of Facebook out there that’s stripped down to the bare bones. It’s kind of like Distract Free WordPress (if you know what I mean).
Here’s what your typical Facebook looks like on a desktop:
Obviously, I placed red stuff just to show you what each of these things are.
Top left I have my Favorites (these are generally lists, groups and pages that I visit often).
Below that we all have our Pages, our Groups, Lists Apps and so on. On the far right side I have gotten rid of the notification part of my contacts (who needs that?) but kept the Online part. Often times during the day it’s the easiest way to communicate on the fly. Facebook does a great job of listing those that I communicate with the most there.
Right side middle column is the Ads, it starts with my ads, then a section of my friends on this particular list (You DO use a list right?) and then we start showing the sidebar ads that others have paid to be there.
All in all it’s a very distracting setup – wouldn’t you say?
Did you know there is a Stripped Down Version of Facebook? One single column, no distractions?
What’s that? “Everybody knows about the mobile version! Just put a “m” at the beginning and viola! Tell us something we didn’t know…”
Ha! You thought you had me? Guess again Princess!
Facebook Mobile goes full screen. Yes, it’s one column but at full screen it’s way to wide to read on a modern screen resolution. My neck would get sore moving my head from left to right all day like watching a tennis match.
I’ve got better.
It’s called https://mbasic.facebook.com/ and when you bring it up on a desktop it looks like
It’s 600 pixels wide. Not full screen width. 600 pixels is the same width that most blog posts are written at. That makes for easier reading. No other columns, no distractions, just a simpler version.
Guess what? This isn’t new. It’s been around since 2009!
I believe it was first designed as a slimmed down version for those that were broadband challenged.
Check out https://mbasic.facebook.com/ and let me know how you might use it.
Oh, and I tried my Scoble Method on it but it doesn’t work. 🙁
Mike Mueller
He's an avid hockey fan, rides a mountain bike, a few motorcycles (he had a really fast one,bought a cool orange one, and still rides a really slow one), he loves strong beer and good red wine.
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