Mark Zuckerberg unveiled Facebook’s latest brainchild on Nov. 15, a platform that he hopes will help users rethink how people connect and communicate. Facebook Messages allows you to set up your own email address (yourname@facebook.com) and integrate instant message features into one area. The whole idea intrigued me when I started reading because I love when companies come up with ways to simplify what we already have.
However, within moments of Zuckerberg’s announcement, the negative comments started flying. Everything from “if you apply for a job with a @Facebook.com email address, you won’t be considered,” to “Facebook Messages: The Worst Thing That Ever Happened.”
What is the deal with all the hate about it? I know there are naysayers about everything, but for a product most haven’t even had a chance to try? C’mon, folks.
I’ll be up front and say I haven’t tried it, but have read some of the reviews and they are mixed. Of course, there are some kinks that will be worked out and the new platform is on an invite-only basis at the moment. So how can someone honestly say they don’t like it?
Take Google Wave. I tried it for a bit, but wasn’t really impressed with the platform after a while. Where is it? Gone. The same could happen to Facebook Messages. The point is: Do you want a platform that does not evolve or do you want something that is always pushing the envelope?
In business, we are always trying to stay on top of the competition. It’s how we keep and expand our client list.
Remember the days of AOL and Prodigy? You had to dial in and risk getting bumped off or you’d get a busy signal and couldn’t log in at all. Prodigy is, of course, gone now and AOL has evolved into more web-based content. AOL changed with a ton of bumps along the way. The Facebooks and Twitters of the world can thank AOL and Prodigy for helping make the path a little smoother.
If you want to survive, you’ll evolve. If you want to watch your product and business stay flat, don’t change. I’d rather be part of a place that is always pushing the envelope, instead of just gliding by.
I can’t see how you can hate that.
What are your initial thoughts? Leave them in the comments section and let’s talk!
One Guy's Journey 
Jason, I’m with you. I saw all the “hate” before the press conference was even over! I see where some people may be leery of change, and I have to say that I’m skeptical of the privacy issues with anything Facebook-related; however, I’m sure I’ll give it a try in the near future. Thanks for calling out the hate mongers! 😉
Thanks Tressa. One of the things that always gets me is the auto-hate. Give things a chance!
I have nothing but love towards Facebook. I think this new platform may be a major miscalculation, but I’m eager to see how it functions.
We can debate screenshots and statements, but until I actually get the feature, I’ll reserve final judgment.
That being said, citing a chat with teenagers as a major reason your company is making a change is a bit tenuous. Especially with that IPO looming in the months ahead. I think it may be difficult to get shareholders to sign off on a plan like this, so now may be the best time to push it through and test it out.
Thanks for stopping by Mike! The fact Zuckerberg is taking a risk shows they want to up the ante. But I agree, if you are basing this on research on what teens want, that could be somewhat of a mistake.