The Facebook timeline and you

Timeline is the new facebook layout for the individual profile.  Here are some facebook help section links that give info about the timeline profile:

Introducing Timeline

What is a timeline?

What happens when I upgrade to timeline?

How can I see what my timeline looks like to other people?

How do I hide a story on my timeline?

What is a cover? How do I add a cover to my timeline?

How do I add things to my timeline?

Now a lot of people don't like the new timeline profile, and are avoiding changing over as long as possible.  In fact, I used to be one of those people.  I put off changing to the new timeline profile until the word came out that facebook was going to be switching everyone over to the timeline.  So I went ahead and did mine, to get experience, so I could help my husband with his.

Changing over was very easy.  But when I first got my timeline profile, I hated it  and couldn't find anything.  But as time has passed, I have gotten used to it and am doing much better at finding things too.  One thing that I have always loved about it is the cover photo part.  I adore that.  I still am not wild about the 2 column layout, and think a one column layout might have been less confusing to people.  But as I have said, with time I have gotten used to it; and am beginning to even like it.  Check out a post I made about how I originally felt about it:

Facebook's new timeline profile stinks!

But like it or not folks, elements of this new timeline profile are spreading across all of facebook.  On facebook groups, they still have the one column of posts, but groups now have the option to add a cover photo.  Check out one of my groups to see the new look of facebook groups:

GnomeTown players group

The picture you see across the top is one I took myself, and I really like the new look of facebook groups.  But it isn't just your profile and facebook groups that is getting a new look.  It is facebook pages too.  This is the message that greeted me recently at the top of one of my facebook pages:

"Coming Soon: New Facebook Pages
On March 30, 2012, all Facebook Pages will get a new design. Preview your page now to see what it looks like and try out the new features."

Here is a picture of the old version of one of my pages:

And here is a link to one of my pages that has been changed over to the new look:

Recipes, cooking, and food

With all the strong hostility to the new timeline profile, I wasn't sure how my fans would like the new page look.  But so far the reactions have been good.  As for me personally, I really like the new pages.  But this all goes beyond just looks.

This major change to significant parts of facebook is more than just cosmetic.  Check out the following article for some more info:

Facebook outlines history, infrastructure behind Timeline

The software behind the new look also involves new ways to interact online:

Apps bring your timeline to life

So while you may not like timeline, it's possible you may be enjoying some of the new apps that come with timeline.

Another subject that I run across a lot is people who want to remove timeline.  My advice to people about timeline:

Change over to it and accept it, and work on learning about it and getting used to it.  It is a new part of facebook that is here to stay, and if you will give it a chance, you might find that you too will grow to like it.

BUT  BEWARE  OF  ANYTHING  THAT  PROMISES  TO  REMOVE  TIMELINE!


Check out the following links about removing timeline:

Scams target anti-Timeline Facebook users

Beware of 'Remove Timeline' Facebook Scams

So if you download or add anything that promises to change your profile back to the old style, be aware that you may be endangering the security of your facebook account and/or your computer.  You do so at your own risk!  And I advise against using anything that promises to get rid of timeline!


People - change is part of society, and is especially part of computers.  I am 51 years old now, and have seen a lot of change during my lifetime.  When I was a kid, there were no cell phones or ipads or ipods or tablets or kindles or any of that stuff.  Back then, someone who had a color t.v. was something.  My mom walked to school at a one room schoolhouse.

Computers especially have changed a lot over the past 30 years.  When I first started using computers, something like this was what greeted you when you first turned on your computer:

And your floppy disks were the size of some tablets today.  They were large appx. 6 x 6 disks that were actually floppy.  Ran across some of my old ones just recently, and will have to post some pictures for you one day.

So if someone like me can adapt and adjust to the new timeline, you can too.
-- jd --

About the subscribe repost and share that is going around

The following status is being passed around facebook:

"Please do me a favor: hover over my name right here; in a few seconds you will see a box that says 'subscribed. Hover over that and then go to "comments and likes" and uncheck it. That will stop my posts and yours to me from showing up on the scrolling sidebar for everyone to see. If you re-post this I will do the same for you. Thanks a bunch"

If you run across it, 


DO NOT DO WHAT IT SAYS!


DO NOT REPOST OR SHARE IT!


This has nothing to do with eliminating stuff from the sidebar or eliminating the sidebar.  As far as I know, there is no way to eliminate the sidebar.

What it does have to do with is:


Every profile has a subscribe button on it.  You can even subscribe to posts from people you aren't friends with.  This subscribe button lets you subscribe or unsubscribe from their posts.  It also allows you to choose what posts of theirs show up in your newsfeed.

Links from facebook help about this:


What are subscriptions?
http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=279614732052951

How can I manage the types of updates I’m subscribed to?
http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=188147907920585

So if you do as the post says, you . . . 
only end up eliminating that friend's comments and likes from your newsfeed.

**  Closing Note ** 
Please, before you repost and share something you find shared by another on facebook, take a moment to find out if it is true or not.  So much of the stuff reposted and shared are just so much incorrect junk that someone started just for the mischief of it.

--jd--

How to create your own game posts page for your games

Well, if you haven't read my previous blog post, then this one will make no sense.  So, if you haven't read it, please do so now.

Links for game feed pages

So to recap - all this started yesterday with a line that Zynga had at the top of my farmville game when it was loading.  It was a link to a page where you could view just farmville posts.  Here was the link that they shared:

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=app_102452128776

Now from looking at the link, I knew that the key was the app id number at the end.  But I couldn't figure out where to find the app id number at.  I tried some numbers from some links, but none of them worked.  But now I have figured out where to find the app id number so you can create links like this for all your games.

Here is how to create your own game post page links for all your games:

- Step 1 - You start out with this base:

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=app_

Then next you will need to find the game app id number to put at the end of the link.  There are two ways that you can find the game app id number.

- Step 2 - Finding the game app id number:

Go to your game that you want to create a link for, then go to the bottom of the page.

picture A

If you right-click on the name of the game, number 1 in picture A, that will open up the game page in a new browser tab.  You may be able to find the app id number in the status line.

picture B

If so, just copy and paste the number and add it to the link given in Step 1.  And you have your game post page link.

- But if that doesn't give you your game app id number, then look at picture A above.  Right-click on number 2, the 'Report/Contact this app' phrase.  You will get the following:

picture C

Select 'copy link address' from the menu.  Then paste the link into a text file.  It will look something like this:

http://apps.facebook.com/ajax/report_app.php?app_id=213518941553

You only need the number from the end.  Put the number with the link given in Step 1 above, and you have your link for a page that will show your friend's posts for that game; and only that game's posts.

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=app_213518941553

In this example, we have created a game posts page link for the game Fantasy Kingdoms.  If you go to your page and no posts are showing, you will want to click 'edit options' and unhide that game's posts.  I had to do that with a couple of the pages I created, as I had hidden that games posts in my feed; and had forgotten about it.

You can do this for any game you play.  Be sure to save the links you create in your browser favorites or in a text file.  I created a folder for them all in my browser favorites.

Have fun, and happy gaming.
-- jd --

Links for game feed pages

Since facebook changed up this year, I know a lot of you have been having trouble finding your friends posts for a specific game.  Well, we may have a solution to that now.

The other day, when my farmville game was loading, I noticed a message from them at the top of the page.  It gave a link, and it said to click on the link if you wanted to see all your friends farmville posts on one page.  And it worked great!  The link gave me a facebook page that just shows my friends farmville posts.  Here is the link for that:

Farmville game posts link:
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=app_102452128776

This same link will work for anyone.  It will show, on that page, just the farmville posts of your friends.  I have already made good use of that page already to collect some much need items.

I also posted a comment about this link on the  . . .

Castaway Fan Page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Castaway-Fan-Page/216756028385819

And they responded with a link for a The Island:  Castaway game posts page.  Here is that link:

The Island:  Castaway game posts link:
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=app_123606007722020

Also, this fan page has a website too.

The Island Castaway fan page website
http://castaway.whyandhow.com/

And on their website is a page that gives links like these for other games too:

Facebook game feeds
http://castaway.whyandhow.com/?page_id=314#.ToixLNfn-jk.facebook

And if there is a game you play that isn't listed there, just leave a comment on the page, and they say they will add it.

So go forth and click on game posts once again!

Happy gaming!
-- jd --

Regarding the rumor that facebook will start charging to use the website -- The truth

ALL RIGHT PEOPLE - PAY ATTENTION PLEASE --

BEFORE YOU POST THAT RUMOR ABOUT FACEBOOK STARTING TO CHARGE FOR THE WEBSITE, READ THE FOLLOWING.  IT IS THE TRUTH:

From facebook's own help page:

"Facebook is a free site and will never require that you pay to continue using the site. You do, however, have the option of purchasing Facebook credits, which can be used to send gifts or to purchase items on applications or games. In addition, if you choose to use Facebook from your mobile device, please note that you will be responsible for any fees associated with internet usage and/or text messaging as determined by your mobile service provider."

-- link --

http://www.facebook.com/help/?topic=signup

--- If you want to copy and share something, share this.  It is the truth and not nonsense!  I provide the link from Facebook's very own help section so that you can go to the page and read it for yourself.

And if you don't believe this, but still believe that stupid old rumor, then you are an absolute ninny!  And just the kind of person that those rumor starters love to find on facebook, because you make the perfect victim for their lies.

-p.s.- added 9-25-11 - Just had an experience with one former facebook friend who posted one of those nasty rumors about facebook going to charge, and her's even included prices.  I commented and let her know it wasn't true.  Turns out she knew it wasn't true when she posted it, but did so anyway.  Folks, people who do that are just plain mean and inconsiderate.  Nuff said.

Sincerely,
--jd--

How to create a list of your game playing friends on facebook

One thing that everyone has been talking about lately is the recent changes made to facebook.  And one thing that I have noticed, and that others have mentioned, is that it is harder now to find the posts of your game playing friends on facebook.  Used to be, on the game page of facebook - below all your requests, you could find game posts of all your friends; and your could choose to sort them to show posts of a specific game.  But facebook updates of about a month ago eliminated that.  Well here is a way to use the updated list feature to make a list of your game playing friends, and set it to just show their game posts only.  So here we go, step by step, with pictures --

First, we start out on the home page:

And we are going to hover our mouse pointer over the word 'LISTS' circled in yellow above.  Next hold down your control key, and click on the word 'LISTS'.  This will open up a new window in another browser tab.  Click on the new browser tab.  

Second, you will see this:

So click on 'Create a list'.  And next - - - 

Third, you will give your list a name, 

Click 'Create List' when you have entered your list name in the box.

Fourth, This is what you will see next.

So next you will click on 'Manage List', and this will then show a drop down menu.

Fifth - part A, You will set what kind of posts show on this list.

Click on 'Choose Update Types . . .' and next  - - -

Then you will want to leave only 'Games' selected, with a check mark beside it.

Fifth - part B,  Now you will choose what friends you want on the list.  There are 3 different ways you can do this.  One is through the 'Add/Remove Friends' on the drop down list, pictured below.

Next you will see the following pop-up window.  You can click on friend's picture icons to choose friends, or you can type a name into the search box and their picture icon will appear.  For an example of this, I have used my husband.

Two other ways of selecting friends to add to your list are - - - 

Highlighted above.  In the one with the yellow arrow, you just type in the name of a friend you want to add to the list.  The tan arrow points to a section of your list page that will offer suggestions of friends you can add.  On these, you only have to click on the 'Add' button.  And the above also gives you an example of what your finished list page will look like.  As you add other people, you may have to re-select what you want showing on the page again.

And that is how you create a list.  You can create lists like this for family, school classmates, groups, business, or whatever.  Next simply add a bookmark for your list to your browser favorites, for easy access to your group.  But you can always access a full list of your lists by clicking on the 'List' title in the right side menu on your home page, as shown in the first picture above.

Happy gaming!

--jd--

And another one bites the dust --- beware of spending real money on internet games

We all love to play games on the internet, now don't we.  No game console to buy, no game cartridges to buy; you only need your computer, and an internet connection. And there are some really great games out there to play.  I play mostly games on facebook.

But there is a hook built into almost every game, that compels you to spend your real world cash to get items in a virtual online game.  This is all well and good, as long as the game is up and running, and you don't encounter some kind of glitch that deletes your real-cash purchase.  Some games are even built so that, in order to progress in the game, you must spend real cash.

Now whether or not you spend real cash on a virtual internet game, that is your beeswax; between you and your finances.  But what can make it bad is when the developer that makes the game just up and deletes your game with little or no warning.  It has been my experience that they make no offer to reimburse you for your real cash spent on game items that are now being deleted.

And maybe you have never had a game deleted.  If you haven't, you are lucky.  I have had it happen several times to me within the past 2 years.  Here is a list of the most recent ones to hit in the past 2 weeks:

-- Google bought Slide Inc. which owned Super Poke Pets, which is being deleted in March of next year.  Devoted pet owners are trying to find a way to save it, and there is word that those who have spent real cash on the game are planning a class-action lawsuit against the game developer.

-- Just found out today that at the end of September, Gameloft is deleting its Green Farm game.

-- Zynga is apparently deleting it's Chinese Farmville game.

Game deletion happens, and it happens more and more all the time.  Maybe the developers have a new game they want to put up and running, and will ditch an old game - along with it's users - in order to make space for the new game.  And they expect everyone to just take it in stride and go play their new game until they tire of it and delete it.

These game developers give no consideration for the time you spend playing the game.  They give no consideration for the real money you spend on the game.  They have absolutely no consideration at all for the emotional attachment  you may make with the game and game characters.

But it is time we stopped letting them delete games so cavalierly, without concern or regard for those who play those games.  It is time we started replying back most loudly and most firmly, that we are sick and tired of such treatment from them, and that we demand better.

Stay tuned for more.
--jd--