Google Plus, anyone?

[Jagos]

So is anyone paying attention to the new social network? From the sounds of it, it's pretty damn cool and it's not Facebook. Just like Facebook wasn't Myspace. What do you guys and girls think?

[Magus]

I've been asking about for an invite but no such luck yet. I'm not particularly excited about it but wanted to see how it compared to Facebook (which I hardly ever use).

[Kim]

There was a workaround for invites, but it sounds like they closed that off, and email invites are temporarily deactivated.

I miss Facebook's "Like" feature, so I could "Like" anime and people would see a little thing saying, "Skyler and two others liked anime" or some such. You can +1 posts by people, though.

Sparks are an interesting feature, wherein you can get a little random-ass feed on stuff related to a particular "spark" which is something you're interested in. So, if I put yaoi, I can click on the spark and see links to yaoi videos or stuff about Yaoicon and all that jazz.

Circles are easily the best feature of Google+, as they let you split everyone up into little groups, allowing you to control who sees what posts of yours. Only want family to see a post? You can do that. Want everyone but your family to see a post? You can do that, too. It's interesting.

Beyond that, it's a lot like Facebook, but feels faster and smoother. I expect more features will be added in the future, and other features will be changed as well. If I get the ability to invite people, I'll let you all know so you can ask for some.

[synkr0nized]

My Google account is tied to so many more things than my FB account that I am not sure I am going to like this. Some of the ideas seem neat, but so far I don't see any reason to call this anything other than FB with Google logos all over the place.

[Fifthfiend]

I'll consider google plus as soon as google gets the black and grey color scheme the fuck offa my google.

[Kim]

I'll consider google plus as soon as google gets the black and grey color scheme the fuck offa my google.

Not happening. Google's betting the farm on this one. Either Google+ succeeds, or Google as a whole is gonna be hurtin' big time.

EDIT: Unless you're just talking changing the colors, which maybe they'll allow at some point.

[Jagos]

My Google account is tied to so many more things than my FB account that I am not sure I am going to like this. Some of the ideas seem neat, but so far I don't see any reason to call this anything other than FB with Google logos all over the place.

That's the point I believe (http://www.explainxkcd.com/2011/06/29/google/)

[Kim]

Some of the ideas seem neat, but so far I don't see any reason to call this anything other than FB with Google logos all over the place.

I do wanna say, Google doing Facebook but with a handful of different ideas is kinda how competition and such usually works, isn't it?

[synkr0nized]

I definitely get that.
I don't like having to choose between two things that do the same thing, though. It's why I took forever to regularly use more than AIM years and years back; once more people I know are on it I may have much more motivation to want to use the new Facebook.


@Jagos: really? You link to not only a stick figure comic to respond but a site that explains said stick figure comic? Like, people don't get XKCD on their own?

I can imagine many benefits of it being linked to my Google account. I can also imagine many negatives of yet another thing where posts and data are potentially less and less under my control yet still linking back to that account. I'm just sayin' I'm going to be wary of it, just as I am with FB.

[Krylo]

Like, people don't get XKCD on their own?

Read the comments. You'd be surprised.

Also: This can only be a good thing, even if you don't use it. Competition for Facebook (and Facebook competing with Google Chrome) might inspire both to be a little more careful with private information, and treat their users with a little less disdain.

[Jagos]

From the sounds of it, Google gives you a HUGE delete button. If you want to take away your data, it's all gone. Facebook still farms the daylights out of it.

[Magus]

Actually competition in most things is doing the exact same thing but marketing it better or charging less for it (or charging more and acting like that makes it better. Read: Apple products).

Unfortunately for our society.

Obviously in this it is a free service so it has to be better or at least different to compete, but most real-life products are usually more of the same but with a different factor unrelated to the product which is different.

[Nikose Tyris]

I'm toying with Google+ right now. It's actually fairly user friendly, something I'm not used to. Options similar to facebook but holy fuck it asks me like every time who I want to share my information with, [which I like and do not want that to change actually], and the option to make multiple 'circles' of friends to share different content with is nice. I've got a 'family' circle I'm sharing family photos with. That's neat in my eyes.

Also, the ability to download everything in one swell foop is neat too. It's got it broken down into different sections [pictures; videos; status updates; profile information; everything you've ever been linked] in multiple file types. It's got the delete button(s) which are a nice touch, as compared to Facebook's "You'll never find me now, fuckers!" delete button.

It's a good step up from Facebook, but facebook has years and the convenience of 'everyone already uses it' as compared to google+. Could be an interesting transition- unless Google just went the auto-win route of making everyone a profile that has a gmail account, but making it private by default.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

I never was a big fan of Facebook, even though I do use it to keep in touch with some people. From what I hear Google+ is just so much better in every conceivable way. Sadly I have no way of testing it right now. I also might be forced to stay on Facebook because... well. Everyone's already there.

Google could be super awesome simply by letting me pick a username and only show my real name to real life friends. That way I don't have to live in the horrible fear of revealing my real name to someone by linking them to some social networking site I'm on.

[ChaoticBrain]

And thus my paranoia of Google becoming a worldwide empire of tyranny and oppression was given fresh fuel.

[Azisien]

Google running the world would be a pretty huge step up over the status quo.

We'd probably get flying cars, for one.

[Jagos]

Well crap... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxzS8rnnrI&feature=feedu)

Maybe Google is really turning evil with Youtube and Google+

[akaSM]

Time to put some stupid names and fake data in my Google account just for funsies. Also, I don't care about social stuff so, yeah.

[Viridis]

It should be a consolation to users to know, that the only data they are required to provide on the public profile includes the full name and gender of the user. The user will have the ability to delete or hide any other information from the profile.
http://news.accuracast.com/social-media-7471/google-to-delete-private-google-plus-profiles/

That's no different than the bare minimum Facebook requires you to show.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

It's even less as far as I know. Since on Facebook as long as you've listed, say, a favorite band that will be shown even if your profile is private. Also, you apparently can't hide your profile pic.

Don't get your panties in a knot, people. I'm as much for anonymity on the web as it can get, but this is a social fucking network, what do you expect? If you don't want certain data (name plus gender oh emm gee) to be shown, just don't join, or delete your account.

I'm waiting for the social network that let's me manage my offline and online personae separately, so only people who actually know me can see certain things... like... say... my name. While others simple see "IG". Google+ seemed to be on that way, apparently not.

[GrandMasterPlanetEater]

@Jagos: really? You link to not only a stick figure comic to respond but a site that explains said stick figure comic? Like, people don't get XKCD on their own?

There used to be a much better website to explain those comics, no longer updated, at http://xkcdexplained.com/. When I found about the website, I stopped visiting xkcd.com and just stuck to that website. Xkcd lost a lot of the luster for me after I started reading those explanations. Now xkcd has lost most of its funny and I have a mockery-shaped hole where xkcdExplained used to be.