2. A Need for Change

Facebook hasn’t been resting on its laurels, and its executive team is not in the habit of gloating over its success. Facebook has just announced projects for the months to come and unveiled the brand-new subscriber Profile that you can use starting now.

Facebook has an ambitious roadmap of developments, centered on active participation by Internet users and with ongoing collaboration with developers. There are four major development areas: the new Profile; Facebook Connect; the development of a worldwide mutual-help community and a program for promoting the best applications.

Promoting Really Useful Applications

The new Profile interface includes a change in the page layout and the arrangement of all your options and applications. The pages have been “cleaned up” and made less cluttered. The new Profile already loads by default for most Facebook users.

Facebook Connect is a whole new way to get the most out of Facebook applications, going beyond social networking — you’ll be able to use your account to connect to other services/platforms, too. Another project Facebook is working on will pool the expertise of all Internet users to develop a new platform, accessible to everyone, in as many languages as possible. The effort will involve a worldwide help community that should soon result in new practical applications that will be available to anybody.

Finally, Facebook wants to help application developers and see that they’re rewarded for their efforts with a promotion program. The goal is to make applications more stable, and also a bit less frivolous. The author of the best application stands to win a $250,000 prize. Now we’ll break down all the changes for you.