this pretty much sums it up

My notifications also only used to be "real" notifications, when someone responded to my status or sent me a wall post or Alpha Gam gift, etc. Now, 90% of my notifications are spam for apps. But, I guess that's helping pay for FB, so I'll deal with it.

I was having the same problem, however, I discovered that you could go in and edit your preferences for notifications. Now I am back to just getting "real" notifications.

The only thing that's really annoying me right now are all the news feed posts about every quiz my friends take, and the results. I was able to cut out the "gift" notifications, but haven't figured out how to limit those.

2 things I need to figure out

1. How to stop getting apps requests

2. How to stop getting spam e mails from people I am no longer friends with.

I think you can block messages from non-friends; I remember that being an option under privacy settings; you may want to look under the Privacy setting under "Search," and from there limit how non-friends can contact you.

I don't think you can block all app requests though.

Please tell me how.

I can't figure anything out. I unchecked a bunch of crap but I'm still getting all this clutter. They say Facebook is listening to us but I don't think they are. If they were they'd change it back to the less cluttered version. I loved the tabs and how you could see only your friends' status updates, or everything all at once, or pictures.

They might be listening, but if the number of people complaining is a very small percentage of users...then why should they change back? It doesn't make sense for them to change every time a portion of their users gets angry.

ETA: I think I read that there are something like 35 million Facebook users. So, for it to be worth it to them to change back, there would have to be a very large number who complain. And, just judging from this thread, there are a number of us who have no problem with the change.

it's freaking cluttered and they keep moving things around

i check that even less now

I found how to limit the notifications so the spam does seem reduced. Go to the Inbox and click the Notifications tab. Then there's a menu on the right hand side where you can choose which apps you want to see notifications for.

I don't mind getting a notification on the little pop up thing, I just don't want to see it on my main page.

And yeah, can this font please shrink? If this is in response to the **ahem** slightly older than college age population finding Facebook, it's offensive. hahahaha.

Is anyone else missing a bunch of groups they once belonged to? One is completely deleted. I was the admin and I know I didn't do it. And I can't access another one cuz it's saying it's not available right now.

That happened to me yesterday - it came back after a while. I had someone else in the group check to see if it was still ok and it was on her computer. Did you get put into some group called "general discussion group"?

they send too many freaking emails. I don't need to know when some random person comments on one of my brother's high-schoolfriend's ex-girlfriends status. I barely even know some of these people.

The new layout is markedly better - remember there are little "x"s on each feed post . . . it looks like the next step is to 'train' the feed based on those. Eminently customizable, much more efficient - this is a massive upgrade.

ya know, i think i noticed that somewhere yesterday

Seriously, Facebook? Again?! I'm so sick of them changing the layout.

I actually don't mind the layout, except the two places to chat are pointless. I like that it's easier to real all your notifications without doing a lot of scrolling. What I do mind is that posts seem to be getting lost in the feed. Hopefully that'll be worked out quickly.

In case people still haven't figured this out:

-When you get an annoying notification like "Jen just whacked her brother Fredo in Mafia Wars!" move your mouse to it, and a "hide" button will come up. Click it.

-It'll ask you whether you want to hide Jen or hide Mafia Wars. Click Hide Mafia Wars.

-The gangsters will carry on and you'll have no clue what is happening. :) But you'll still be able to see your friend's real posts.

Again, don't mind the new layout, and I'm still confused why people get so fired up when Facebook changes layouts. Lots of status updates from friends where they're flipping out about the new layout.

I don't really care about the new layout, but the only thing I don't like is that I can't limit who shows up in my feed. I had it set to see my Alpha Gam list, and then I could click on News Feed when I wanted to see everyone else. Other than that, it's pretty much the same stuff just moved around again

I can't filter my news feed anymore. Sometimes I want to see just farmville posts so I can get rewards from friends.

PLUS, My "most recent" isn't very recent. I know friends are probably posting something at least every 5 minutes, if not every minute, but my 4 "most recent" occurred 35 min ago, 58 min ago, 3 hours ago, and 4 hours ago.

They made some change today that first, stalled my PC, then shut it down. I don't care if they make bells in whistles, but I do care if it interfers with performance of my PC.

This is what bothered me, as well. The timing seems all off and many posts are getting lost. My most recent are 3 minutes ago, 15 minutes ago, 58 minutes ago and 2 hours ago.

And what are top stories? Things that people respond to a lot? I don't get it, or know why it's necessary.

For emphasis. :)

I like it, a lot. I like it a whole lot. The missing feed stuff was happening before I got the new layout today, so I think that's a deeper issue. I like the new layout though. Me likey.

Yep
This, too.

This

I'll keep on using it, but these people are taunting me. Just when I get used to the old changes, they move stuff to the other side of the screen!

Top stories are the things the most people have commented on.

I keep getting the gaps in my news feed too. Hopefully once everyone has the design that'll stop.

I think those gaps in the news feeds started before the changes started, honestly. I noticed them a couple weeks ago.

Ok, I am missing the Bookmarks at the bottom of the page, I agree on that. Otherwise, I'm fine with it.

Facebook is like Microsoft. Every now and then they put out a new look and act like it's a new product. It's not a new product, everything is just in different places. Think of it this way, it's a brain exercise to learn new things.

Anyone know how to block the newsfeed updates that say so and so became friends with so and so without blocking all the messages that person sends? Or how to turn off notification of any updates or groups I join without turning off my status updates or wall posts?
It is hugely annoying to log in and see a news feed filled with who friended who. I don't care. Nor do I care to clutter my friends pages with all the mundane changes I made or groups I joined in facebook.

I know that I used to be able to control that under a section in 'Settings', however, I'm not finding it now...

You can't do that anymore, just like you can't hide things on your own newsfeed (such as liking a status, commenting, etc.) without clicking x on each item. I never complain about the updates because I figure they're going to stick around and I'll get used to them. I was mad when they got rid of some of those privacy controls. The one thing I'm always mad about, though, is the way the newsfeed gets screwed up when they launch a new version. It usually takes a few days, but my newsfeed had the same 6 stories all day at the top. I wish they'd figure out some way to update the system without screwing up facebook for a few days.

Boo on Facebook for decreasing my privacy settings. Off to make a formal complaint...

Before you go off half-cocked, wait and see if the settings page comes back. It's obvious that this rollout isn't done yet.

You have to click on "most recent" next to "top news".