I was truly horrified to read the above post, not because security failed on Facebook mind you but instead of the flippancy of the El Reg writer in suggesting that productivity will increase as a result. I can assure your sarcastic opinionated writers that no such increase in productivity will be forthcoming!

I am also offended that you could associate Facebook with reduced productivity. I can tell you with 100% certainty that i was unproductive long before Facebook turned up! Facebook merely allows me to see how (un)productive my friends are at a moment in time and therefore gauge my (un)productivity accordingly so to avoid pitching to high or too low of mean (un)productivity threshold average. Facebook, if looked at in this way, can therefore be said to be a means by which i can optimise my (un)productivity in a brave new Web 2.0 efficient manner! Previously i would have to direct substantial effort in gauging my (un)productivity which itself was an inefficient waste of time and probably contributed to greater (un)productivity in its own right. Facebook, ergo, allows me to more efficient and productive by virtue of simply making it easier for me to establish the correct level of (un)productivity required at any given time.

Of course if anyone wants a rise in productivity to say French levels then they can just dam well pay me more and work me less!

NB:

Don't think i don't realise that this is an attack on Apple either, your post was clearly directed at persons like me who use Apple's at work to access Facebook as opposed to the legions of PC users who lack the social skills or friends for such a platform as Facebook! I personally have 4 friends and 47 applications on Facebook, i doubt many PC users could claim that!

When are you just going to stop with the constant Apple bashing!?!

James Wray

as of 6.05pm UK time tonight..

"We're upgrading. We'll be back soon."

Fantastic.. privacy breach? Good timing, as there's a very sensitive conversation happening between me and someone else on there. Bet they're pleased their life is now leaking out through the sieve of FB's security..

Now the world can see my clumsy passes at random hotties.

-- Alex

James Wray - Fanboy. 'Nuff said!

I've never used Facebook, so I don't know. Wouldn't having access to a person's in box reveal the contact information of everybody that sent them a message? So the only person NOT affected would be the exposed person. Were I to go trolling for addresses, many is always better than one.

Of course, this might not be the case. I'm just not a fan of Web 2.0. I'm waiting for Web 2.1. Never use the dot zero release of anything.

Nope - looks like these Facebook saddos are going to have to re-learn how to use the office water-cooler again.

Just got home and the bloody thing is still down!

How will I contact my lifelong fiends and work colleagues now!

Stop reading this and work!

That I read on an article about a week ago. Got some chuckles out of it too.

What is this Facebook you guys are talking about? I thought they changed their name to Netlog some months ago, didn't it? Anyway, it seems like I did right in not putting any real personal details on some of those networks ;)

I haven't checked facebook in the last hour - I almost got some work done!! Whew, that was close...

I hereby nominate Mr. Wray's post for Flame of the Week (Satire Division).

Well done, Sir!

Nah, I don't think the productivity in offices will raise. The Facebook users will just sit in front of their screens pressing F5 to refresh the page to see when it will be up again.

I would be a fanboy but i think its not Politically correct to voluntarily associate oneself with an trend that so openly discriminates towards women.

I hereby declare a new speak and acceptable inclusive term of reference of fanpersonage.

I would just need to find something to be a fan off first. Try as i might my cynical and sarcastic temprament just cant seem to motivate me for some reason.

James Wray

SOME people did not increase their productivity with this Facebook issue !

I all makes sense now! Loads of analysts with nothing to do, actually doing some research and realising everything is overpriced!

Daniel - no, Facebook never became Netlog. It was Facebox that did - probably over the confusion with the name Facebook. :D

fanboys tend to be, well, boys.

Who cares? Facebook is an awful website, with poor layout and so it's not surprising there's security glitches.

It's not awful, and the layout is fine.

It follows all the "taught rules" of web design... it's not in your face really... it doesn't let people do annoying backgrounds like myspace...

I'm not a fanboy, infact I only added my profile about 2 weeks ago... I just hate it when opinionated idiots post comment's that just are basically wrong and insult the developers of a pretty well-designed website. You will never get a website everybody likes, but to claim it has a poor layout, and then suggest that as a reason for a security glitch is just idiotic.

The website never served up other peoples inbox's before, so it's either a code update gone wrong, or somebody malliciously attacked the site...

It would be nice if they added the following to their Ad algorithm:

Read profile, if status = married, then (singles ads) = NO!

It would also be really nice if they knew how to remove an offending ad, instead of just sending you a form letter taken from their FAQ.