Thursday, February 2, 2012

TECH Thursday: Facebook Timeline Is Coming

by Shinazy


Yes, it’s coming.  


We may not like it, but over the next few weeks it will arrive.   


It is Facebook Timeline and when you decide you like it, it will function as your personal ‘website’.  


To get a head start, I changed to Timeline and went through the Help Center, step-by-step. Below are my notes:


Our ‘TIMELINE’ is just to the LEFT of the listing of our friends


  • Hover over – this is an important action.  In order to do many things in Facebook’s Timeline, I needed  to Hover over something to see what I was looking for.  So, remember, when frustrated, Hover over items.
  • To Hide A Story
o   Hover over the story and click ‘Hide from Timeline’.  The story will stay in your ‘Activity Log’ which only you can see, or
o   Click ‘Delete Post’ and it is gone forever !
  • To Add A Story
o   On the left side of the screen, you will see this
  
o   Click the type of thing you want to add:  a Status, Photo, Place, Life Event
o   Write what you want to say
o   Using the 3 tiny icons at the bottom left, you can Tag a Friend, Pick a Date for the story, and/or Add a Location
o   Decide who can see your story
§   IMPORTANT !!  Life Events are Public until you change the ‘Audience’

  • To Change the Privacy Setting on this story
o   Click the upside down triangle to the left of the word Post, a drop down menu will appear.  Now you can select Public, or Friends, or Only Me
  • To Change the Privacy Setting on ALL your post
o   I recommend you go to the Help Center.  (You cannot undo your change and I’d rather you hear it from / hold Facebook accountable if something goes amiss.)
  • To see what your Timeline looks like to others
o   Find this     it is to the left of your Timeline
o   Click on the upside down triangle and click on ‘View As’
o   You can also type in the name of a friend
  • Cover Photo
o   I had no trouble loading my new picture from my computer
o   I can change it any time I want.
  • Privacy
o   Go to “Home” (upper right corner), click on the upside down triangle, --> Privacy Settings
§  See “How Tags Work”, click on “Edit Settings” --> change “Maximum Timeline Visibility” from “Public” to “Friends” --> Done
§  To change all past posts from “Public” to “Friends only”:  Go to “Limit the Audience for Past Posts,” click “Manage Past Post Visibility”
      --> Read ALL the words, then decide what you really want to do.

My opinion of the Facebook Timeline: 
  • Yes, it looks different and it will take me awhile to know automatically where to look.
  • It’s easier to jump to the past via the Timeline slide bar. 
  • I like that I am able to ‘Edit Thumbnail’ and ‘Scale it [to] fit’.
  • Via the ‘Activity Log”, I like that I can control what’s on my page and in my Timeline.  And of course, I starred all the Bitchin’ Ol’ Boomer Babe postings.
  • I need to remember to HOVER.
  • I’m still unsure about how the post from my friends will look in Timeline and how easy it will be for me to comment.
  • It’s great that the Facebook Timeline lets me post stuff to the past.
  • The Help Center is helpful.

Let me know if you are having difficulty with any of the Facebook Timeline changes and I’ll help you and post the answer here in BOBB, so we can all learn.
Good Luck to us all !

   photo by Danja

8 comments:

  1. Thank you, Shinazy! I have been hesitant to switch over to Facebook Timeline because it looked messy and complex. Your 'cheat sheet' will help me with the transition. Perhaps, I will do it in honor of Facebook's IPO today :-)

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    1. Jeanne, Go Girl ! and remember BOBB is here to help should you get stuck. HOVER, there's all kinda hidden menus.

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  2. Thanks! I printed this out for future reference.

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    Replies
    1. You are most welcome. If you find more tips, please come here to share. The most important thing for me was to HOVER. I wish we had x-ray vision to see the hidden menus

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  3. Malati Marlene ShinazyFebruary 2, 2012 at 3:57 PM

    OK. After the Super Bowl, I'll Hover! -- ms

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  4. I havn't switched yet and I am terrified to do so. I hate the timelines I see on over people profiles. It was so much better before.

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    Replies
    1. Ludmila, When Facebook forces you to use the Timeline, call me and I'll guide you through the basics. With your creativity, you can have a fabulous Timeline.

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