The "New" Facebook: Is this redesign a sequel like Terminator 2? Or an update like New Coke?

Just logged on to Facebook a few minutes ago, and, let me tell you, I was looking forward to beginning my midday routine of Creeping 2.0, hoping to outdo my creeptasticness from the day before.

CreepLog 7.23.08: Have I ever hung out with Ashley Wells? Nope. But I did make out with one of her friends at a college party two years ago. So I felt okay about leaving a comment on one of Ashley's recently uploaded pictures from her vacation to Cozumel, showing her in a barely-there two-piece. "Did somebody get a Brazilian?!" The answer's obvious from looking at the picture, but I'm still waiting on a "yes" in my Inbox.

But before I could get to any Creepbooking (or Facecreeping?) for today, I noticed a message in the upper left corner. "The new Facebook is here Try it now." Double take, what!? A new Facebook? Didn't get the memo for that one. Even so, despite any foreknowledge of this scheme, you better believe I clicked and tried it then. Take a look at what appeared before my eyes.

My home page.


My profile page.


Well, it's certainly wider. Which, unlike what that daily dose of Dunkin' Donuts has done to your significant other's ass, should be a welcome development. I always felt the previous design was too skinny. Is there such a thing? Yes. Just take a look at the movie poster for Wanted of Angelina Jolie's arm.

An article I found through a good friend (Mr. Google Search), written by Sarah Perez at the Web technology blog ReadWriteWeb, points out some other less obvious changes.

According to Perez, Facebook cleaned up its act in an effort to stay relevant with Gen Y-ers who have graduated from college and entered the workforce. Although, she points out, without further privacy controls, the site still isn't "safe for work." The clean up effort really pertains to the applications; specifically, as Perez describes it, their "misbehavior." If, like me, you were greeted with a spam-load of requests from apps like Send HOTNESS ("Let your friends know that they're hot! Spread the love!"), then you know what she's talking about. Some of these delinquent apps have been banned, like Rock You's Super Wall. The ones that remain for this Brave New Facebook, conforming to the new anti-spamming standards, have been moved to a dedicated tab, further un-cluttering the profile page.

Perez wonders if younger users, who are still there for shenanigans like Send HOTNESS, will take to this "step to prevent the Myspace-ification of Facebook." However, she concludes that, for the cubicled set, who are perhaps now just as interested in networking as hanging out, the new design "makes sense."

Does it makes sense to me? After some brief research (shall I say creepsearch?), I discovered Ashley's freshly posted follow-up album, "Cozumel Part Deux." It's more pictures of her and her bikini-clad and margarita-sipping friends, seemingly trying to relive those Spring Break memories. I guess you can take the co-eds out of college, but you can't take the college out of the co-eds' pictures. Not even the New Facebook with its new settings and controls. Makes sense to me!

Excuse me, but I've got new creepin' to do...