As Facebook modifies, tweaks, and perfects the new Facebook layout, there have been a few necessary casualties. Occasionally, it feels like developers are being shoved aside. Recent changes in navigation are prompting critics to ask: does Facebook care about developers?

There’s no simple answer. As a development firm, we’re tempted to say the answer is yes. But the balance between Facebook and its developers has always been a difficult one to gauge. The application bookmarks themselves, recently removed from the header, were surprisingly prime real estate when they were inititially added. Losing them isn’t a jab to developers- but it is a loss of an unexpected luxury.

So is it disappointing? Yes.

But after over a year of Platform , there aren’t a ton of surprises left. And we’re still learning how Facebook feels about thousands of developers playing in its garden.