Why I Stopped Using MBL

From VentureBeat, Feb 29: "The problem with adding a feature like an activity stream well into a product’s lifespan is that it can drastically alter how that service is being used."

The feature they are talking about is MyBlogLog's "New with Me" feature. Here's MBL: "We just refreshed our profiles, re-arranging house in order to make room for the previously announced New with Me feature which now runs down the center of the page. Profiles in the past were pretty static but now they become a dynamic representation of your current activity."

*sigh*

I was really happy with MyBlogLog. But this... this doesn't work for me.

What struck me (slapped me?) first was the amount of screen space they gave the new feature; easily 70%, pushing the features I liked into small sidebar boxes. Yeah, this is a definite change in service.

MBL used to be plain and clear, but now it's crowded and messy. The information I value isn't readily visually accessible. It doesn't put me (i.e. "about me") and my blogs front and center. It doesn't give me a quick view of my messages. It doesn't even give me "a dynamic representation of" my "current activity."

What does it do? It gives me a Facebook-imitation newsfeed that talks about the "current activity of all my contacts.


Yahoo, who killed off Y!360 in hopes of floating their Facebook-clone Mash, has Facebook-ized MBL as well. Yes, yes, I know. Several MBL insiders are saying they've been working on this for awhile. Maybe so. Though, it should be noted, key members of the original development team moved on after the Yahoo buy-out. Anyway, whatever the case it just really feels like that other Yahoo fiasco.

You know, not everything needs to be Facebook. For that matter, not every service needs to be a social networking service. I already use several social networking services - including Facebook - and don't want another. I want (wanted?) that other thing MBL was.

I could probably tweak the setting and get the site a little bit under control. But I shouldn't have to... don't want to bother. After all, if MBL isn't focused on doing those things that brought me there is the first place - if it's not providing a service I want - there isn't much point in me providing them with content.

See ya.


P.s., also from the developer's closet of Really Bad and Invasive Ideas, multiply.com wanted to know if I would pay for "a tool that will periodically upload photos and videos from designated folders on your computer -- automatically, without you having to lift a finger." Specifically, they wanted to know if the idea of their company having a periodic, automatic data uploader would "impact your decision to pay for the service?" Duh. We used to call that sort of thing a "virus".

;)