Filed under: Computers, MySpace
Facebook’s status updates are fun and interesting, but the inclusion of the word ‘is’ rubs some people the wrong way. Trying to form proper English sentences with the phrase “so-and-so is” is limiting and sometimes difficult. Regardless, some have simply chosen to ignore it, leading to clunkers like “Devika is what me worry” that make us shudder…
Others have taken a more proactive approach, forming a very popular group on Facebook whose sole purpose is to convince the developers to pull the offending “is.” Facebook has heard your calls and is banishing “is” from the status updates. The code is in place and application developers (like Twitter) can already choose to remove “is” from the status update, and will be removing it completely for all users in the near future. This means you’ll be able to use the verb of your choice when drafting your status update.
Other updates coming down the pipe to please the Facebook faithful include e-mail opt-outs for applications. Not everyone wants to get an e-mail every time some jack ass “bites” you with the Vampire application, so banish this acceptable form of what is essentially spam from your in-box by simply unchecking a box.
All of this said, some of us might actually miss that “is” from our status updates. Constrictions in terms of word count or word choice force us to come up with innovative solutions when writing. That “is” led to some pretty amusing and clever updates, but using our own verbs will probably achieve the same outcome.
What do you think? Will you miss the “is” in Facebook status updates?
From Read/Write Web and Venture Beat
Related Links:
- MySpace to Get a Face Lift
- Losing Face on Facebook - Five True Stories
- Best Facebook Apps for the Office
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