Google+ Is it the answer to Facebook?

[Moonliner]

Google is launching a new social network that looks a lot more interesting to me than facebook (and better than their own first flawed effort)

It's in beta for the moment, I don't suppose anyone has an invite to share?

Google+ (http://gizmodo.com/5816437/google%252B-for-android-is-like-having-facebook-icloud-and-groupme-in-one-app)

[Morrigoon]

I received an invite, but I don't see anywhere to give them out from.

[Strangler Lewis]

Perhaps Google could acquire Facebook and release a merged version of the two networks.

It . . . . . . somebody else finish the thought.

[Morrigoon]

So what was the real date for Skynet to become self-aware? ;)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Right now even if you have an invite, they're saying they've hit capacity for the beta, so no luck.

I'm intrigued.

[CoasterMatt]

I joined, but I'm not quite sure why yet.

[Alex]

Topical (http://xkcd.com/918/)!

[BarTopDancer]

All your base are belongs to Google.

It's bad enough that my new phone automatically synched Facebook with my contacts list. I'm curious and concerned. I've seen BSG, I know how this will turn out. The question is, how long ago did this happen? After all, Goolezon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT9ho2G0N_Y) pretty much came true.

And because I listened to it you need to to. Courtesy of Google Video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4826944407865830684#).

Finally, this (http://youtu.be/oHg5SJYRHA0).

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Right now even if you have an invite, they're saying they've hit capacity for the beta, so no luck.

I'm intrigued.

I received an invite this morning and, as of this evening, was still able to sign up and create a profile ... for what it's worth. :)

[Betty]

I requested to participate yesterday but was told it was too crowded for the likes of me for the moment.

[€uroMeinke]

I think I still have some google wave invites left

[Strangler Lewis]

Perhaps Google could acquire Facebook and release a merged version of the two networks.

It . . . . . . somebody else finish the thought.

It could be called . . . .

[Moonliner]

Now this is what I call a celebrity endorsement.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/googleplus.png

[Ghoulish Delight]

I received an invite this morning and, as of this evening, was still able to sign up and create a profile ... for what it's worth. :)
Weird, there was a big "Sorry, even if you have an invite we're full" banner on the site yesterday afternoon. *shrug*

I've been using Google Music beta this week and am loving it. I do not yet use Picasa's online capabilities (still prefer Flickr), but we use Picasa at home, so it wouldn't be a major thing to start using it more often. So I'm feeling like I'm using a bunch of Google social stuff already, I'm game for tying it all together.

[Moonliner]

Here is some additional coverage of Google+ from Wired:

Inside Google+ — How the Search Giant Plans to Go Social (http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/06/inside-google-plus-social/)

Google+ vs. Facebook on Privacy: + Ahead On Points — For Now (http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/06/google-facebook-privacy/)

[BarTopDancer]

I need to get Google Music going. But between Pandora and carrying around my favorites on my phone already I don't see a big use for it. Yet.

[Alex]

Now this is what I call a celebrity endorsement.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/googleplus.png

Ah, now I know you have me on ignore.

[Capt Jack]

It could be called . . . .

face goo?

:evil:

[€uroMeinke]

So, anybody on Orkut?

[Moonliner]

So, anybody on Orkut?

As of about an hour ago, yes. Still no idea what the hell it is.

[Alex]

I don't join Social Networking site until I am beginning to feel like I'm missing out on conversation between my friends/colleagues. Until then I don't see the value in being an early adopter.

[€uroMeinke]

As of about an hour ago, yes. Still no idea what the hell it is.

Google-

[Ghoulish Delight]

No. But, umm, did Google just totally change it's results page style? Like, within the last hour or so?

[Not Afraid]

Sheesh! You go out dog walking for a few hours and the world changes.

I have an Orkut account somewhere out there.

[BarTopDancer]

No. But, umm, did Google just totally change it's results page style? Like, within the last hour or so?

Maybe? What browser?

[Not Afraid]

Chrome for me.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Same in both Firefox and IE. It definitely changed.

[BarTopDancer]

Ya, I see it now.

[alphabassettgrrl]

Google's results page:

Yeah, they updated it. I've switched to dogpile because I hate the lack of scrollability. My hubby says they did it because they detected that we have a high enough connection speed.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I don't join Social Networking site until I am beginning to feel like I'm missing out on conversation between my friends/colleagues. Until then I don't see the value in being an early adopter.
Chicken, meet egg.
Ya, I see it now.
I was suspecting, and CP confirms that she read, that the black bar at the top is an element that is integral to Google+, something about a way to drag and drop stuff to share. So they're going to be keeping a consistent interface between all of the service (no surprise there).

[Alex]

Chicken, meet egg.

Absolutely. But I've wasted too much time with social networks that never achieve critical mass regardless of how cool they are. Whereas if I adopt HDDVD early, I may eventually lose the standards war but I at least get full value in the meantime. I get almost nothing out of a social network that never takes off.

[Kevy Baby]

Now this is what I call a celebrity endorsement.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/googleplus.pngYour post was topical earlier in the thread

Topical (http://xkcd.com/918/)!

[Strangler Lewis]

face goo?

:evil:

Git yer mind out of the gutter.

Besides, Google would be the parent company.

[innerSpaceman]

While I don't think it's gonna go anywhere, I <i>do</i> like some of the beyond-facebooky ideas. I like that you can include people who are not joined up, and they can get your status updates and stuff via email. (I've a trogolodyte boyfriend who won't join facebook or twitter, so this would be a way to maybe freaking ease him in the 21st century).

The two side-by-side feeds is interesting - one your typical "news feed" and the other a very googly feed of stuff not from your friends, but that the famous google magic determines meet your interests from anywhere on the interwebs. (It's all still a recipe for a facebookian echo chamber, but it's an improvement, imo). Despite all that, I predict another huge fail for google. Facebook and twitter are not going away, and - maybe I'm wrong - but I don't see people juggling THREE of these social network thingies.

[Moonliner]

Ah, now I know you have me on ignore.

Your post was topical earlier in the thread

As would your post have been if it was posted earlier.

[Capt Jack]

Git yer mind out of the gutter.

Besides, Google would be the parent company.

gooface (www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=gooface)?

[Gemini Cricket]

I'm a Google+ user, but I don't really get it. It's just Facebook Google-style. I'll keep it for sh!ts and giggles but I'm sticking to FB for now.
:)

[Kevy Baby]

Google+ invites halted due to 'insane demand' (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/06/google-invites-halted-due-to-insane-demand.html)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Brilliant marketing.

[BarTopDancer]

I want an invite. I haz a sad.

[Alex]

Reminds me of when I was briefly popular because I had Gmail invites.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I wonder how long before the Winklevoss twins start suing Google.

[Not Afraid]

I always see their name as "Wrinklegloss".

[Betty]

there's supposedly a loophole - if you know someone who is already in they can make a post and send it to you and that will include some sort of invite access allowing you to sign up.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Hmm, if only we knew someone......

[Gemini Cricket]

I just tried that and couldn't send anything to Greg.
????

[Ghoulish Delight]

But I waaaaant it! :(

[BarTopDancer]

I was snubbed! :(

[Betty]

For the most savvy Google+ users, however, there was another way to let their friends join: rather than send an invite the official way, all a Google+ user had to do was share a post — message, link, photo, anything — with a non-Google+ user by entering in their email address. When the recipient got the email notification that a post had been shared with them, a link at the bottom took them to a signup page for Google+. And voila, they were in.

I read something yesterday that the loophole was closed - then reopened. Reports today say it's working for some people and not others. The report yesterday indicated he had 350 I could potentially invite.

[Morrigoon]

I have it, but because it's attached to my personal account, and Google decided that business accounts/email addresses through Google, even if @companyname.com, will now act like universal Google IDs, I have to completely log off my work email to get anywhere near my own account in order to use Google+. Needless to say, haven't been on it since I accepted the invite and signed up.

[Betty]

Oh Morrigoon - you are such a tease. Make with the invites! ;)

[Morrigoon]

I don't have the foggiest idea how to do that...

[Moonliner]

I don't have the foggiest idea how to do that...

From Lifehacker.com

How to get a Google+ invite:

If you happen to know someone who's already got a Google Plus invite, you do have another option, which I tested and which worked for me. Keep in mind that Google could always change this, so you mileage may vary.
1. First, I created a new Circle called "Test", then I added a new friend to that circle—the person I wanted to try inviting to Google Plus.
2. Then I posted to my stream and mentioned my friend in that post.
3. Several hours later, I received an email from Google notifying me of my friends' post and inviting me to join Google Plus.

[Morrigoon]

Okay well Betty, I'm gonna need an email, you wanna PM me with that?

[blueerica]

WANT!

[Not Afraid]

I got an invite, but only got a "we're full" notice. If anyone whats to trick me into it, use myname@gmail.com.

[Ghoulish Delight]

They seem to be getting beyond the "brilliant marketing buzz" window. Now it's just annoying and will shortly be old news.

[lashbear]

I got an invite, but only got a "we're full" notice..
Ditto ! :(

[innerSpaceman]

Well, apparently I'm in (thanks to a mystery guest who posts here on the LoT.)

I like some of the features, I just don't think it will ever replace facebook. Still, I'm inclined to play around with it for a while. But, um, how do you play on a social network that none of your friends can be on? Seems like I wouldn't get any kind of clue as to how the thing really works. I think me and mystery guest will get tired of each other real soon, heheh.

[Alex]

It seems like about half the people I know who have been trying finally got in today so I don't think you'll be alone for long.

[Moonliner]

Still waiting for an invite if anyone could be so kind...

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm in. So far all I've had a moment to do is start to mess with creating circles. I can see myself getting way obsessive about maintaining those to achieve ideal segmentation of my friends, acquaintances, and family.

I'm not sure that's a good thing for my psyche.

[innerSpaceman]

I hope Google+ fails. If I spend time all day on Google+, Facebook AND Twitter, my job performance will suffer. ;)

[Betty]

No luck for me yet. No invite rec'd. Can I PM you my email addy and see if I'll get an invite that way?

[Morrigoon]

That's the 2nd person I've ostensibly sent one to that hasn't gotten anything. Google+ is failing hard with me.

[Betty]

OH WOE IS ME!


;)

[BarTopDancer]

I don't like that my Google profile will become so public.

[innerSpaceman]

Yes, because your Google profile is so private now.:rolleyes: Sheesh, my friend added me as a contact to his phone, yeah, it's an Android - and it went right to my Google profile (that I'd forgot I'd even had) and pulled everything from it. I think one's Google profile is already among the most unprivate things ever invented.

[Not Afraid]

I'm in. Finally.

[innerSpaceman]

Still waiting for an invite if anyone could be so kind...
I think we need your email address.

[BarTopDancer]

Yes, because your Google profile is so private now.:rolleyes: Sheesh, my friend added me as a contact to his phone, yeah, it's an Android - and it went right to my Google profile (that I'd forgot I'd even had) and pulled everything from it. I think one's Google profile is already among the most unprivate things ever invented.

You have some controls over it, what information is seen vs. not seen. I wasn't thrilled when my phone synched to my Facebook without asking me and I am still working to undo it. I thought it was fixed but I just added someone yesterday and it synced.

[katiesue]

I like that my phone synchs with facebook.

[Moonliner]

I think we need your email address.

I'm in.

[lashbear]

I'm in too !! Google wins again ! They've absorbed most of the LoT !!! :D




Wait! Whee's Alex?

[Alex]

I've had several people say they've sent me invites but whenever I stop by the page it says it is full.

No biggies, though. I'll get in when I get in.

[Kevy Baby]

I'm in - now what do I do?

[BarTopDancer]

I'm in - now what do I do?

Alex, I'll take things one would never expect Kevy to say for $1,000.

[Moonliner]

I'm in - now what do I do?

Ahhh damn. There goes the neighborhood.

[Not Afraid]

We're all over there having group chat.

[Alex]

Work was very on the ball and had Google+ blocked several days ago.

[BarTopDancer]

Going through the steps to join.

All private Google profiles will be deleted at the end of July (http://www.google.com/support/profiles/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1192471&p=public_profile)

You have to link your Picasa album with Google+.

I am seriously confused about people who I am not friends with on Facebook OR have their addresses are showing up. They are friends of my friend. WTF.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I am seriously confused about people who I am not friends with on Facebook OR have their addresses are showing up. They are friends of my friend. WTF.
They are just showing up as suggestions. Until you add them to a circle they can't see your posts.

[BarTopDancer]

I know, I'm channeling :iSm: with my negativity about this. It's just... I dunno. I think my FB status summed it up best:

Whenever I go to join Google+ I see/hear Googlezon and SciFi in the back of my mind. We have been assimilated. Resistance is futile. What happened before will happen again. End of line. Frack. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT9ho2G0N_Y&feature=youtu.be

[Alex]

But on the other hand is there a bit of dissonance in worrying about assimilation by Google on Facebook?

Other than search, Facebook is just as interested in owning and knowing everything about you.

[€uroMeinke]

I hope Google+ fails. If I spend time all day on Google+, Facebook AND Twitter, my job performance will suffer. ;)

That's why I've decided to give up MySpace

[BarTopDancer]

But on the other hand is there a bit of dissonance in worrying about assimilation by Google on Facebook?

Other than search, Facebook is just as interested in owning and knowing everything about you.

When Facebook launches a search engine I'll be a bit more concerned.

[Alex]

Have you seen Facebook's integration with Bing? I would suspect a lot of that data flows both ways. Or that they to a large extent don't need to know what you're searching because if you browse while logged in they are getting pretty good information on where you actually go (since so many sites use Facebook features).

[BarTopDancer]

But I don't use Bing.

And shush anyway. :p (simile intentional).

[Alex]

metaphor accidental.

synecdoche manslaughter in the second degree.

metonymy in your face aggressive.

[lashbear]

What he said.

All I know is - Google+ Hangouts (AKA Voice/Video conferencing) is AWESOME and way, way WAY better than Skype.

Way.

....Even while making pretzels.

[Moonliner]

But on the other hand is there a bit of dissonance in worrying about assimilation by Google on Facebook?

Other than search, Facebook is just as interested in owning and knowing everything about you.

Google+ wants to gather as much information as possible about me in order to pimp it out to corporations.

Facebook wants to gather as much information as possible about me in order to pimp it out to corporations and share it with my mother, brother, relatives, friends, etc...

To me that makes one annoying and the other inherently evil.

[Betty]

Still nothing. Maybe you need my real name to go with the email address? (and does that email address have my real name on it?) Hmmmm.

[Moonliner]

Still nothing. Maybe you need my real name to go with the email address? (and does that email address have my real name on it?) Hmmmm.

There have been reports of G+ invites getting sent to spam. Have you checked there?

If you PM me an email I'll try sending you one as well.

[Betty]

There have been reports of G+ invites getting sent to spam. Have you checked there?

If you PM me an email I'll try sending you one as well.

It's a gmail addy so I wouldn't think they would send themselves to spam. But I'll check and send you a PM. Thanks for giving it the ol college try. :cheers:

[Morrigoon]

Good to be aware of:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b321/morrigoon/2011/Gplussharescary.jpg

[€uroMeinke]

I'm wondering if G+ will actually be a Twitter killer for me instead of a Facebook kiler. It seems it still has a ways to go to compete with Facebook, but when I look at how I use Twitter, a private more narrow collection of my friends, 80% of which are already on G+, Twitter already is seeming redundant.

[Stan4dSteph]

I don't have a convenient way to monitor G+, so I don't even know what's going on there.

[€uroMeinke]

I don't have a convenient way to monitor G+, so I don't even know what's going on there.
I've linked their mobile web interface to my iphone and find it works particularly well for what it is. It's still not a fully integrated ap, but I used it to log in, create my account, build some circles, do text based posts and check on notifications.

[innerSpaceman]

I'm wondering if G+ will actually be a Twitter killer for me instead of a Facebook kiler.
Wow, that's just what I was noticing. I just loaded up Twitter now, hours after checking Facebook and G+, and I've been doing that for days. I don't understand why - since, to me, Twitter and Facebook have entirely different purposes, while Facebook and G+ have entirely identical purposes.

Maybe it's just the novelty of G+, and the fact that I can't juggle 3 social networks - and would rather (temporarily) ditch Twitter rather than Facebook.


In any event, though - while everyone's jumping to check out Google+ - it seems to me it's already dying. I give it another month before it joins Wave in the Google Graveyard.

[Morrigoon]

I'm still not enamored. And I like Twitter for its ability to get companies' attention.

[Stan4dSteph]

I've linked their mobile web interface to my iphone and find it works particularly well for what it is. It's still not a fully integrated ap, but I used it to log in, create my account, build some circles, do text based posts and check on notifications.Well, I guess I hope people don't abandon twitter for it, because I will probably miss out on news etc. I can't multitask on my iPhone yet (still on a 3G), and there is no way to get notifications of G+ like I get twitter push notifications. Also I have the echofon plugin for Firefox that I can still use at work.

[lashbear]

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2011/7/13/7fd92947-80e5-459e-8e04-8a5e408005cc.jpg

[Ghoulish Delight]

Cross posting from g+

I finally figured out what it is about Google's circles that's so much better for me than Facebook's friends lists (besides the accessibility of the feature). On Facebook, the model is, "Post for everyone to see...except these people." On Google it's, "Choose which people you want to include on this post." I like that model much much better.

[Alex]

Ok, I've only been on for a day (and for 15 minutes of that day) but here's the Facebook Killer aspect of it:

Not one bit of clutter in the stream from games telling me what game So and So is playing at just that moment, or what quiz they just finished or that they'd really like it if I viewed my horoscope or bull**** like that.

Unfortunately, I expect that this is a benefit not long for this world.

[Alex]

Also, I expect a future in which I'll add my Gmail account to a circle and I just view incoming mail there (while still responding to it like email).

[Chernabog]

Ok, I've only been on for a day (and for 15 minutes of that day) but here's the Facebook Killer aspect of it:

Not one bit of clutter in the stream from games telling me what game So and So is playing at just that moment, or what quiz they just finished or that they'd really like it if I viewed my horoscope or bull**** like that.

Unfortunately, I expect that this is a benefit not long for this world.

You can disable all of that in the facebook settings.

[€uroMeinke]

You can disable all of that in the facebook settings.

Wel, not exactly - you can block individual games, or sites, but there is no generic setting to turn off all game updates. Usually you just have to blacklist your gamer friends and not get any of their content.

[BarTopDancer]

I'm pretty sure I know who the mutual contact(s) are but it's very bizarre seeing Wil Wheaton and Alyssa Milano show up as friend suggestions.

[€uroMeinke]

I keep getting Felicia Day recommended, I had to look her up to make sure she wasn't someone I knew from a prior Disney board.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Google is trying to meld the Facebook and Twitter models. So they are expecting people to have circles of people they follow, but are not friends.

[Morrigoon]

Yeah, someone I don't recognize tried to share with me, and there's no way to get rid of that announcement, when I don't want to put that person in a circle.

[Alex]

I keep hearing the "combination of Facebook and Twitter" comment. But I must be missing something because I see nothing Twitter-like about it. Anyone willing to explain that part to me?

It just seems exactly like Facebook but without the app clutter.

[Betty]

I think it's because you can follow someone by adding htem to a circle without them adding you to their cirlce. They don't need to accept a friend request for you to see the streams they have marked public.

[Moonliner]

I keep getting Felicia Day recommended, I had to look her up to make sure she wasn't someone I knew from a prior Disney board.

Wait, you mean she is not a Lot'er? Well that explains the restraining order she took out on me.

[Alex]

Ah, that's considered "Twitter-like"? So what Google has reinvented 15 years later is Livejournal (which is fine by me, I much prefer Livejournal over Facebook but everybody else moved eventually forcing me to as well).

[Ghoulish Delight]

Like anything, it's sometimes more about timing, packaging, and brand recognition than innovation.

[Alex]

Oh, that's fine. I just didn't consider that a "Twitter" thing so when people were saying it combined Facebook and Twitter I wasn't getting it.

But then I'm not getting what is considered remarkably different from Facebook either. I can't do anything with circles (except put people in them without approval) that I wasn't already doing on Facebook (anybody I even faintly knew who asked to be my friend got put into a list that never sees anything) and I never view my default News Feed, but a more limited list. Admittedly the interface for Circles is much simpler than the interface for Lists.

I do much prefer G+ over Facebook, but I'm not seeing anything about it that particularly moves the needle on anything. Almost everything that I like has to do with the fact that not everybody in the world is on it and there isn't the app clutter. Both of which will end if the platform is at all successful.

[Ghoulish Delight]

To me, circles are better than Facebook's lists because a) they're far easier to manage and b) Facebook's model is "everyone you know can see this except..." while Google's is "only these people you've specified can see this." It's slightly splitting hairs, but it's made a big difference in how I feel about who can see what and what I'm willing to share.

And hangout is awesome.

[Alex]

I'm not seeing the distinction. Especially since every time I post on G+ I have to change the default away from "Everybody in the world can see this" (It only seems to remember the filter I used for the last post about 30% of the time).

Haven't tried Hangout and I'm sure I will eventually and I'll probably be proven wrong like I am about so many things I initially resist. But video chat triggers that same visceral reaction as the thought of voluntarily spending my evenings in hell. But maybe that is piggybacking on the fact that videoconferences at work are all universally horrible experiences.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm not seeing the distinction. For example - I don't necessarily want to flood all of my friends and family with the Disney-related posting I do (which is on the rise again with all of the DCA news going on). But every once in a while, I know my sister would be interested in something Disney. So most of the time on a Disney related post I just select my "LoT" circle, but when I want to include my sister, I just add her name. To do the same on FB would require me to create a list that includes everyone BUT the LoT people, then ANOTHER list that includes everyone BUT the LoT people and my sister.

To me, from an intuitiveness standpoint, I find "Add individuals or groups that can see this posts" is much easier to manipulate than, "Add individuals or groups that CAN'T see this post."

[Alex]

Thanks for pointing that out. I had missed that I could add a single user's access without them being part of a defined circle. Is converse possible, can I say "Share with Circle X except for Bob" (I'm at work now so can't play with it myself).

That is a very fine improvement. Though I doubt I'll personally use it since while I use a broad basic filter my assumption is that anything I say online better be something I'm willing to have anybody in the world see.

But I don't really think about filtering who can hear what I say based on what I'm talking about. I initially set up 8 different circles along those lines, but I've already trimmed it back down to just three (People I Want to Talk To, People I Want to Talk To Except Family, and Courtesy Circle But I'm Not Actually Sharing With Them).

Though I'd love the ability to filter as the recipient rather than leaving that burden entirely on the broadcaster. A function of being able to pre-filter what I hear from friends based on what they're talking about.

As an example, my mom is a Glenn Beck acolyte. I do want to see what she's saying when she isn't talking politics. I also don't consider it her responsibility to keep track of who and who isn't interested in her politics so that she can broadcast to just the interested ones. But I'd love a filter where I could say "Don't show any post from Mom that includes the words Beck, Muslim, Blaze, etc."


Oh, and to be clear on the chat thing, I understand the appeal of group chat. I was very active on IRC in the past. I just don't want to do it via audio or video.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Thanks for pointing that out. I had missed that I could add a single user's access without them being part of a defined circle. Is converse possible, can I say "Share with Circle X except for Bob" (I'm at work now so can't play with it myself).

No, Google+ has the mirror image problem. Easy to add individuals, difficult to exclude individuals.

[BarTopDancer]

Yeah, someone I don't recognize tried to share with me, and there's no way to get rid of that announcement, when I don't want to put that person in a circle.

If you hover over their name you can X them out.

[innerSpaceman]

Can you tag photos on Google+?

[Ghoulish Delight]

Yes. It even save you a step by spotting the faces for you, so you don't have to draw boxes (currently it doesn't try to facial-recognition-ID the people, it just identifies that there ARE faces in the photo to tag).

[Ghoulish Delight]

There's an app for that (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google/id447119634?ls=1&mt=8)

[Kevy Baby]

There's an app for that (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google/id447119634?ls=1&mt=8)Its downloading now - thank you!

[Capt Jack]

ditto. so far it seems to work far better than the POS Facebook App I have.

[innerSpaceman]

Is it my imagination, or is Google+ dying already?

[Moonliner]

Is it my imagination, or is Google+ dying already?

The "Dying" tag is a bit premature I think. It is starting to settle down a bit after the initial thrill of discovery.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I was talking to CP about that soon after we all got on Google+. It seems to me all new social networks go through that pattern. Initial flurry, followed by a pronounced lull. My theory was that during that initial flurry, when a lot is happening and you're on the site all the time, most people minimize their notification footprint. If you're reloading the page every 5 minutes, you don't need an email, a text, and a twitter alert to tell you that there's new content. But as soon as things slow down a little, people aren't on the site as much, and now they've turned their notifications off, so they forget to check back in.

Only time will tell if this is a permanent drop, or just the calm before the storm like all of the successful sites have had.

[€uroMeinke]

Is it my imagination, or is Google+ dying already?

Perhaps you've just been migrated to the outer circles?

[Moonliner]

As far as I can tell, G+ is still missing one thing I really need.

I need to be able to hide my "friends" from each other.

For example, in the vent thread I've been know to post a rant or two about the powers that be so I really don't want any link from "me" back to "Moonliner".

If I add work contacts to their own circle, I don't want them to be able to see anyone else I'm friends with.

Right now, as soon as someone is added to any circle they can see everyone I'm friends with. For example you all can see my friend Charles even though he is in the "college chums" circle and not the "Lot" circle.

[Alex]

You're probably aware, but you can set it so that nobody can so who is in your circles. So it is more restrictive than limiting it to only those who are in the same circle, but then if they did that it would damage the design intent of not revealing to your friends what circle you've put them in.

[blueerica]

As mentioned above, the lull happens all the time. Heck, it happened here, and I think we've settled into a nice happy posting pace.

[Snowflake]

Heh, I need to actually get in there. I've accepted an invite, but I've not jhad the time to even go look at it.

[Ghoulish Delight]

..but I've not jhad the time to even go look at it.Wow, I know people have issues with Facebook, but is a holy war really necessary?

[mousepod]

My biggest issue with Google+ so far: not being able to private message someone. Google wants PMs to be emails instead, which is all well and good, but if someone doesn't allow for the email button under their image, there's no way to communicate with them privately. I recently had a public conversation with someone in my circle that would have been much better out of the public eye (as far as I'm concerned).

[Moonliner]

My biggest issue with Google+ so far: not being able to private message someone. Google wants PMs to be emails instead, which is all well and good, but if someone doesn't allow for the email button under their image, there's no way to communicate with them privately. I recently had a public conversation with someone in my circle that would have been much better out of the public eye (as far as I'm concerned).

A circle of one would work for that although that could be a somewhat cumbersome solution in the long term.

[Ghoulish Delight]

No need to create a circle. Just remove all of your circles from below the post, then add just the person's name you want to message. Voila, private message. After you post it, you can open the drop down and select "Disable Reshare" for added privacy.

[mousepod]

No need to create a circle. Just remove all of your circles from below the post, then add just the person's name you want to message. Voila, private message. After you post it, you can open the drop down and select "Disable Reshare" for added privacy.

Cool. And nice use of "voila".

[Alex]

The drawback to to that, though, is that nothing "pushes" that to the person or puts it in a place where it will persist beyond the normal flow of their stream (what's that prostate medicine that talks about weak stream, I assume spoofs are in progress).

So yeah, only they can see it, but there's nothing that says "Hey, this is intended specifically for you so pay attention!" Assuming they even have you in a circle they read regularly. I've got 50 people in circles at the moment but only 14 in the circle with a stream that I look at regularly.

But then, I don't think I have anybody in my circles that I couldn't email if I wanted to. And if someone isn't wiling to be emailed are they going to be willing to be direct messaged?

[Alex]

Also, trying it, it doesn't appear that the method of adding just names to a share list (as opposed to pre-defined circles) is available by phone app (at least not iOS).

If anybody sees differently, please tell.

[Snowflake]

Wow, I know people have issues with Facebook, but is a holy war really necessary?

Snorting! I can't even spell it right!

[Ghoulish Delight]

Also, trying it, it doesn't appear that the method of adding just names to a share list (as opposed to pre-defined circles) is available by phone app (at least not iOS).

If anybody sees differently, please tell.
On the Android app, when you tap the arrow that brings you to the screen where you can select circles, at the bottom there's a Circles tab and a People tab.

[Moonliner]

Yup. As described by GD, Android let me send a "for your eyes only post" to Alex

[Alex]

Not on iOS apparently. Just lists my Circles. No people tab.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

If you mention their name in the post (+Alex Stroup) it is an additional alert that there is a message for them.

[BarTopDancer]

If you don't want your profile to come up when someone Googles you you have to manually remove yourself. Go to settings > google+ settings > profile and privacy > edit visibility on profile > uncheck the box.

I'm confused about who can see who. Is it whoever is in your circles can see everyone else (like before FB made friend lists public) or is it anyone can see everyone?

[Moonliner]

If you don't want your profile to come up when someone Googles you you have to manually remove yourself. Go to settings > google+ settings > profile and privacy > edit visibility on profile > uncheck the box.

I'm confused about who can see who. Is it whoever is in your circles can see everyone else (like before FB made friend lists public) or is it anyone can see everyone?

By default, anyone can see everyone.
There is a setting that allows you to keep strangers from seeing your friends
Once someone is your friend you they can see all your friends
No one can see what circles you have placed them in.

[Strangler Lewis]

In a world where
By default, anyone can see everyone.
There is a setting that allows you to keep strangers from seeing your friends
Once someone is your friend you they can see all your friends
No one can see what circles you have placed them in.
Now, one man . . .

[BarTopDancer]

I posted this all over the interwebs last night, after installing Netflix on my phone:

I'm watching a TV show that aired in the 1970s on my telephone that I carry around in my pocket. I am telling all of my friends this at one time from a computer that sits on my lap. It's nice to know living in the technology age can still be a little surreal sometimes.

[Moonliner]

I posted this all over the interwebs last night, after installing Netflix on my phone:

I saw that and brazenly plagiarized it (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showpost.php?p=349863&postcount=18).

[Not Afraid]

I'm really loving G+, but I still rely on Facebook for creating events (plus my friends list is much more complete on FB). So, JuKoon and some other things I'm planning are still going to be FB events....for the moment.

[Stan4dSteph]

I like Google+, but I have a feeling I will miss out on conversations with people depending on which circles they share with. So far I'm not posting much there.

[Kevy Baby]

I saw that and brazenly plagiarized it (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showpost.php?p=349863&postcount=18).Yes, but she was talking about her phone, not her tallywacker

[Moonliner]

I like Google+, but I have a feeling I will miss out on conversations with people depending on which circles they share with. So far I'm not posting much there.

For me that's the beauty of G+. People can share things with me they think I might be interested in and leave me off of posts that don't relate to me.

[€uroMeinke]

I gave in and added Felicia Day to my friends circle - but she kind of posts a lot, so I might have to move her to another circle.

[Alex]

Yeah, I just removed her since I'm unlikely to ever actually look at any of my "Not for regular viewing" circles.

[Moonliner]

I gave in and added Felicia Day to my friends circle - but she kind of posts a lot, so I might have to move her to another circle.

Ditto. I have her, and over time I expect other famous/notable G+'ers in a separate circle. I've bookmarked my "Friends" circle so I start there when I visit G+. That way I can check in with Ms. Day from time to time but not have to see her posts all the time.

[mousepod]

Is there a way to collapse threads? I don't mind reading what Felicia Day has to say, but by the time I open Google+, there are dozens of replies that fill my screen - forcing me to scroll down to the posts from my "real" friends.

[Ghoulish Delight]

No. I believe been a very popular submission to Google's feedback.

[Alex]

If you're not interested in the responses you can mute it and it will go away (but that assumes you don't want to see it again at all).

[€uroMeinke]

Google+ has arrived - I got my first spam there today

[Moonliner]

With Moonie Jr. heading off to college next week I've had to add a webcam/mic to my main PC for skype calls.

So I thought I'd try a G+ "Hang Out". This is so cool. Of course it might be more fun if anyone else was around to hang out, but it's still cool.

[Not Afraid]

Weeknight, CA time is a good choice for a hang out.

[lashbear]

Unless you're me. :p

Unless it's Friday Night LA time... That I can do. But not this friday night (your time). But Next Friday night, yes.

Have your people call my people. My life is a social whirl.

[Moonliner]

G+ Seems to be developing nicely. It's reached the point I've felt motivated to perma-ban my first person. Goodbye Floyd Parks. I'm not sure who you are to begin with but you post too much stuff I'm not interested in.

And Todd Sokolove, You are on double secret probation.

[Morrigoon]

Yeah, who is that guy? I'm about to get rid of him too

[innerSpaceman]

Aaaaand, I'm not even bothering much with Google+ anymore. I check it maybe once per day. It's a superior product going the way of similarly-superior Betamax and HD-DVD.

[lashbear]

I think floyd parks is the guy who wants to "have the most friends on g+ EVER!"

[Not Afraid]

I love G+ so much I have almost forgotten FB.

[Moonliner]

I think floyd parks is the guy who wants to "have the most friends on g+ EVER!"

Then he should post pictures of cats or naked women or naked women with cats.

[€uroMeinke]

I dunno, with the exception of the floyd's G+ seems to be populated with all the people I really want to socialize with and I'm liking it just fine. I'm okay with leaving all my dogmatic religious political and otherwise annoying "friends" at Facebook. Seems there was a reason we lost touch oh those many years ago.

[lashbear]

Just don't forget to check the Lash Euro-romp updates on Facebook when they start. I won't have time to upload to G+, Twatter, Myvice, Fricker, Lovejournal or any other social apps.

...and NO, I don't want them all linked. Thank you. That would be scary.

[lindyhop]

There is now a +1 icon on websites along with the all the other like and share buttons. Mousing over the icon you are told that you will +1 <your name here> publicly. I've clicked on a few pages but what actually happens? I don't want or need Google+ to announce to anyone that I +1'd any random website (like Facebook) but who would actually see it and where? It would be helpful to be able to access all my +1 web pages but I don't see any options for that either.

Anyone?

[€uroMeinke]

I think the +1 remains as a tag on the site, so if other friends visit it, they can see how many people have +1ed it, and see your name if they hover over the icon. As for going back to sites you've +1ed? no clue - or I haven
t found it yet

[Alex]

To see what you've +1'ed, go to your Profile page. On that page is a row of button near the top (Posts, About, Photos, Videos, +1's). Click +1's and it shows what you've done that to.

However, it seems to only list +1 on other sites than Google+, so you can't use it to find comments or posts there that you've liked.

[lindyhop]

I think the +1 remains as a tag on the site, so if other friends visit it, they can see how many people have +1ed it, and see your name if they hover over the icon. As for going back to sites you've +1ed? no clue - or I haven
t found it yet
So far I'm not finding that anyone else's name shows up when I hover over the icon. But apparently there are other uses (see below).

To see what you've +1'ed, go to your Profile page. On that page is a row of button near the top (Posts, About, Photos, Videos, +1's). Click +1's and it shows what you've done that to.

However, it seems to only list +1 on other sites than Google+, so you can't use it to find comments or posts there that you've liked.

Thanks, Alex, that's exactly what I was looking for. It's also interesting to click on Learn More on the +1 page. It looks like Google will use +1's to further "personalize" your search. Sites where people in your circles have added a +1 will probably show up higher on the list of results. That's my interpretation anyway.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I love G+ so much I have almost forgotten FB.Tell me about it. I keep having to remind myself to check FB, and then it's like wandering from an interesting conversation into a room packed shoulder to shoulder with everyone I've ever met talking at full volume. I might start "hiding" everyone who isn't family and/or interesting.

There is now a +1 icon on websites along with the all the other like and share buttons. Isn't this also part of the "Sparks" thing?

[lindyhop]

Isn't this also part of the "Sparks" thing?

I don't think so. I'm getting an oddball mix of I don't know what through Sparks.

[Moonliner]

Looks like some one (I'm looking at you Face Book) is trying to play catch up in the features department. Namely they are trying to imitate circles (http://allthingsd.com/20110913/facebook-gets-with-the-modern-friending-program-adds-smart-lists/).


Facebook is updating its “Friend Lists” feature to help its users better address the fact that they have different relationships with Facebook friends from different parts of their lives

[innerSpaceman]

In the meanwhile, Google+ is great if I want to check up on the Endless Photo Challenge results ... but for little else.


And once again, facebook's new feature for managing friends is utterly confusing to me, and Google's is so intuitive I could do it in my sleep.

So wake me when Google+ has a tenth the number of people on facebook, and maybe I'll consider using it some more.

[Alex]

This sentence gives me pause (though I'll have to see the implementation, I don't find the current friends list management to be difficult):

"These “Smart Lists” will be updated automatically though users can edit them as well."

What does "automatically" mean? Because nobody should ever automatically get added to anything other than the lowest level of access and I'd to post something to one group unaware that someone was "automatically" added to it.

[BarTopDancer]

They also changed their notification settings to "lessen the amount of emails received" by sending digests instead of individual notifications. When I looked at the "new and improved" settings I found I was now opted in to a bunch of emails I had never been opted in to before.

[Morrigoon]

Oh dear, smart lists? So they're going to filter for me? I hate that crap

[lashbear]

Stick with the LoT, I say. Social Networking be buggered.

[Alex]

GD questioned the difficulty of my latest LoT photo so I quit Google+ forever.

[Moonliner]

GD questioned the difficulty of my latest LoT photo so I quit Google+ forever.

So much sadness for one little post, was it really difficult for you to post that?

[lashbear]

I was wondering when the first Google+ YAGE would be....

[Alex]

You have to YAGE at the place you're YAGEing from.

[Morrigoon]

Wait, that was a real YAGE? I thought that was sarcasm

[Alex]

No it wasn't a real YAGE since I didn't do it where I was YAGEing.

No, it wasn't sarcasm.

No, it wasn't serious.

[Strangler Lewis]

What's the YAGE equivalent of refusing to enter in the first place? Put me down for one of those.

For now.

[Alex]

YAGNS

[€uroMeinke]

Yet another grand nonsequetor?

[Strangler Lewis]

I'm guessing "no show." Let's take the Y off and make it AGNS. Then, we'll make it "Agnes."

Example:

Q: What's his Twitter name?

A: Agnes.

Spread the word.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

A coworker just added me on Google+.

:mad:

Of course I immediately relegated him to my "Acquaintances" wasteland, but still. Everything was so pristine there.

[innerSpaceman]

By the way, I just thought I'd put this here - even though it's about facebook and not Google+.

Maybe people knew this, but I didn't. The default setting is to receive "most" of your friends' updates. Nothing says how facebook determines which updates to send to your feed. But if you hover over a friend's name, a box appears with a "Subscribed to" button in the lower right. Click that for several options, including whether you want to receive "all" updates from that friend, "most" updates or only "important" updates. Damn, but I hate facebook. The default is "most." Have fun changing this for each of your friends that you want to receive all updates from. Sheesh.

In the next week or so, there's supposed to be big changes in the facebook layout. Google+ is driving some of this (such as facebook's even-more- confusing friends management, in response to Google+'s elegant simplicity in that area), and some is driven by Zuckerberg's bald greed.

Now, instead of or in addition to the famed Like button, you will have "Read," "Listened" and "Watched" - all to indicate that you've properly consumed the stuff your friends have linked-to, and that information will be sold to advertisers in order to target you more directly and pervasively. More insidious still is the "Want" button, where you can tell advertisers exactly what they should be pitching to you, because your wallet is open and salivating.


Nice.

[BarTopDancer]

I really, really wish G+ would implement a way to block people from your feed without removing them from your list. Or allow a default view that shows a specific circle first, always.

[Alex]

I don't know about other browsers but there are several Chrome extensions that will allow you to set a specific circle as your default view. So if you put people into a purgatory circle you'll not see them.

[€uroMeinke]

Now, instead of or in addition to the famed Like button, you will have "Read," "Listened" and "Watched" - all to indicate that you've properly consumed the stuff your friends have linked-to, and that information will be sold to advertisers in order to target you more directly and pervasively. More insidious still is the "Want" button, where you can tell advertisers exactly what they should be pitching to you, because your wallet is open and salivating.


Nice.

but will there be a "f**k" button?

[katiesue]

My problem with facebook is every time they come up with a new "improvement" they automatically opt you into it. Instead of saying here's a new thing and here's how to use it if you want it.

[Moonliner]

I really, really wish G+ would implement a way to block people from your feed without removing them from your list. Or allow a default view that shows a specific circle first, always.

I just bookmarked my Lot circle. That way I always see that first.

[innerSpaceman]

I haven't been on Google+ in days and I'm only noticing that now. :D

[Morrigoon]

So just when I wanna spend more time on G+, it gets all wonky on me. (I'm guessing because everyone ELSE wants to be there too?) I somehow messed something up in my stream, or they're having a glitch. It'll give me friends' posts in real time, but it shows me only my posts prior to the time I load the page. And one page shows all my circles intact, but another page tells me I have no circles set up.

Anyone else having trouble like this?

[Disneyphile]

I'm really attached to my Facebook, because most of my friends of 15+ years are there, but I'm starting to take a liking to Google+. The games are really neat, and I love the fact that I can just easily share things with certain circles without having to filter by list. It's a nice way to be more selective. :)

[JWBear]

I've plussed myself!

[Kevy Baby]

I've plussed myself!Hopefully not in public: you get arrested for that.

[lindyhop]

I've plussed myself!

I did that. The shame...

[lindyhop]

If you use Google+ on the iPhone, did auto correct ever work? All I know is it isn't working for me at all now and it's a pain. I'd rather see all the wrong auto corrections than have to remember to capitalize the "I" and go and back and forth to put in apostrophes.:mad:

[Not Afraid]

I don't think it ever did.

[lindyhop]

Apparently it did. And the latest update reactivated it. I'll stop whining now. About that.