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Ask HN: Why do social networks always move toward unusable UIs?

1 points by war1025 ↗ HN
I remember back in the mid 2000s, Digg was all the rage.

Then they botched a redesign and became unusable.

A couple years ago, Reddit decided to do a complete redesign and became similarly unusable.

Recently, Facebook pushed a redesign that seems similarly hostile to users.

I ditched Digg for Reddit when they wrecked their UI.

I stopped using Reddit when they did their redesign.

I've been a pretty consistent Facebook user for nearly 15 years now. I really feel like this redesign might be it for me.

Thoughts?

5 comments

[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 30.5 ms ] thread
byoung2
It is the same reason most cars are automatic now, although car enthusiasts would prefer a manual. They are optimizing the UI for the broadest group of people, even if it alienates you specifically.
Grakel
I think this is wrong. The UI is definitely getting dumber, but I don't think it's easier for more people. It's more confusing, as elements get larger and more equal in size, as details fade, the experience for everyone just becomes blurry.
war1025
I get a strong feeling that the new Facebook UI was designed by people with large monitors and retina displays.

This is similar to the issue we run into with people developing software on top of the line hardware. Just because it works great on your souped up development environment doesn't mean it's going to work decently on budget hardware.

For something like a game, it's reasonable to expect people to have good hardware. Social networks should be targeting the bottom end of the market. But it becomes increasingly clear that they aren't.

082349872349872
The usable UI is the one their customers use: for ordering and monitoring ad campaigns.
RemingtonLak
Feature overcrowding, used to be desktop, now everything must fit into mobile. I believe they all feel need to change with the times. Have you seen any fast food joint looking the same and thriving? For that matter, most retailers as well? Cars? I think you're insight into change is not with them but you.

Their goals is to entice new users and making it exciting for existing users.

You on the other hand like your comfort zone. We all do.

However, you may want to notice that you've changed too. you wear the same clothing fashion as you did 5yrs ago? If you're selling something and your product doesn't change with the times, you're antiquated and will die a slow death.

A bit of irony about needing to change is there is ONE company who haven't "changed" but yet they are now worth $2T... Apple. Their new shiny shiny looks the same every year but people buy sight unseen. They however are an anomaly.

One change I HATE: deprecated usable API's and changing functionality from version to version sucks.