Google Plus

[HaemishM]

I feel so special. 

[fuser]

Ok the hangout section is the coolest thing. You can video chat with friends or text base chat and it supports drop in/drop out. It also pushes synced youtube videos to everyone, anyone in the chat can change videos or jump to periods of time in videos that effects everyone else in the hangout. It works like the Netflix party on Xbox 360, pretty freaking cool.

[Morfiend]

Can anyone explain the "following" circle to me?

[MuffinMan]

I believe all of the circles work the same, it's just suggested names for them. You share with the circles or follow the circle streams as you will. So for your following circle, just don't share with them but you can have them in your stream.

[naum]

Ok the hangout section is the coolest thing. You can video chat with friends or text base chat and it supports drop in/drop out. It also pushes synced youtube videos to everyone, anyone in the chat can change videos or jump to periods of time in videos that effects everyone else in the hangout. It works like the Netflix party on Xbox 360, pretty freaking cool.

I just missed the Newt Gingrich hangout -- he was on by himself video chatting with all comers…

[Chimpy]

Dear Google, if your privacy controls are WORSE than facebook, you will fail.

(on facebook I can limit my profile to be only visible to people I have added as friends, on Google+ my name, picture, sex, and "motto" all only have one setting: "anyone on the web")  

[Ozzu]

In case anyone is making an f13 group, just look for Ozzu. I'm the dude holding the gnome.

[Lucas]

I'm putting you all in the "F13 Crazy Guys" circle 

[MuffinMan]

Dear Google, if your privacy controls are WORSE than facebook, you will fail.

(on facebook I can limit my profile to be only visible to people I have added as friends, on Google+ my name, picture, sex, and "motto" all only have one setting: "anyone on the web")  

There is an option on your About page where you can set yourself to not come up in searches. I guess that's better than nothing.

[Xuri]

I've got a (rather empty atm) profile up and running as well, should anyone want to fill out their f13.net-lists =P A search for Xuri should in theory give exactly 1 result. Unless that other, chinese guy, adds a profile as well - in which case I'm the one who likes pancakes.

[Chimpy]

option on your About page where you can set yourself to not come up in searches. I guess that's better than nothing.

It is an option for you to not be highly indexed by search providers, not a link to keep your name + picture from being accessible to every person on earth. It may be better than nothing, but it is still way far away from being what it should be.

When facebook has a privacy setting that is better than yours, you have a problem.

[Obo]

You may want to check on Facebook again. Last time I checked your name, picture and sex had no visibility options as they were all forced public.

[Yegolev]

Google+ has decided to send me LOTS of emails to notify me that Haemish and JWIV have added me.  Twelve so far.

[Goumindong]

Since i don't like linking my name and profile in more or less public places. If you see a guy with a Paul Revere head in face avatar who has added you or is in the circle of someone on here, that is probably me.

[01101010]

Google+ has decided to send me LOTS of emails to notify me that Haemish and JWIV have added me.  Twelve so far.

Buddy of mine got that glitch. I seem to have the CHAT WITH YOUR CIRCLES pop-up bug that pops up every single time I open it to the main page - even after I set it up properly. Definitely beta...

[Quinton]

I seem to have the CHAT WITH YOUR CIRCLES pop-up bug that pops up every single time I open it to the main page - even after I set it up properly. Definitely beta...

Yup, that's a known bug.  I was afflicted by it for the past 3 days (suddenly stopped today).  Hopefully they'll fix it soon.

[Tebonas]

I can't delete the Notificiation that Morfiend sent to invite me since it doesn't exist anymore, and that red 1 always hangs there, mocking my OCD that wants to remove it. Thats real torture. I can't use Google Plus until that issue is resolved. Will nobody think about the mentally differently abled?

[Hawkbit]

Yep.  You guys get Google Minus.

[slog]

While Google Plus is mildly interesting, I'm not seeing anything that will make people want to drop Facebook.  I showed it to my Wife and son, and they were both, "that's neat but I already have Facebook"

[Hawkbit]

I have friends saying the same thing that I've added.  I've used two selling points.  First, G+ appears to be better about privacy than FB at this time.  Second, G+ allows data to feed from FB, not the other way.  So five years from now, if G+ survives and there's ~5 other social networks running, the idea is that they should all feed into one site. 

Still really hard to say.  I like it a lot, more than FB.  But I'm hearing a lot of the same as you. 

I wonder if any of this will change when Google starts putting Chrome OS solely on PCs at some point. 

[MuffinMan]

I've used two selling points.  First, G+ appears to be better about privacy than FB at this time.  Second, G+ allows data to feed from FB, not the other way. 

Could you expand a little bit upon these? From what I tell I see not much difference in privacy settins between the two and I've seen no feature that lets data to feed from facebook. As soon as G+ comes out with business pages we'll get a better idea on how much data they are giving them about us. Probably everything you make public, just like facebook.

If both services had the same people I know on them I would choose Google+ simply because the Android app is better about pushing notifications but that's it for me.

[slog]

I've used two selling points.  First, G+ appears to be better about privacy than FB at this time.  Second, G+ allows data to feed from FB, not the other way. 

Could you expand a little bit upon these? From what I tell I see not much difference in privacy settins between the two and I've seen no feature that lets data to feed from facebook. As soon as G+ comes out with business pages we'll get a better idea on how much data they are giving them about us. Probably everything you make public, just like facebook.

If both services had the same people I know on them I would choose Google+ simply because the Android app is better about pushing notifications but that's it for me.

1) Only Nerds seem to care about Privacy settings. (people probably should, but they don't)
2) How does Google get people to migrate?  Critical mass is a big deal for Social Networks.

[Goumindong]

1) Only Nerds seem to care about Privacy settings. (people probably should, but they don't)
2) How does Google get people to migrate?  Critical mass is a big deal for Social Networks.

1) No. Everyone cares about privacy settings. They want to have a network that they can use for all of their dealings, so that they can manage different groups and allow different things between them.

They want networks that will let them talk about the crazy night they had last night and all liquor they drunk without letting their boss or mother know, but they still want to be able to talk to their boss and mother.

The only thing that G+ doesn't do that it probably should is allow you to have completely different profiles and front-names that you could give to different circles.

[Thrawn]

The only thing that G+ doesn't do that it probably should is allow you to have completely different profiles and front-names that you could give to different circles.

This would be so nice for poeple who you know primarily online through games so you could view the under their game names.  Half the time you forget who is who when you can only view real names.

[MuffinMan]

I was thinking along those lines the other day but make it that I can give nicknames, maybe have it display it to me in parentheses with their name. It's nice that they give you a spot for "Other Names" on your profile, although I don't really want people to be able to Google search my username and find me.

[naum]

While Google Plus is mildly interesting, I'm not seeing anything that will make people want to drop Facebook.  I showed it to my Wife and son, and they were both, "that's neat but I already have Facebook"

Same thing as Mrs. Naum, though she liked the "Hangout" feature… …but her initial response was "this is much more complicated than Facebook, Facebook is easy to use…"…

[01101010]

While Google Plus is mildly interesting, I'm not seeing anything that will make people want to drop Facebook.  I showed it to my Wife and son, and they were both, "that's neat but I already have Facebook"

Same thing as Mrs. Naum, though she liked the "Hangout" feature… …but her initial response was "this is much more complicated than Facebook, Facebook is easy to use…"…

True, but most shit always feels harder because it is different (see also Windows Vista/7  ). If you start using it more, the more those unused features boil off and you are down to the three or four things you do in facebook.

[Krakrok]

2) How does Google get people to migrate?  Critical mass is a big deal for Social Networks.

By adding Apps (Games) just like Facebook did. Facebook treats their indie devs like shit and their API is horrid.

[Aez]

Not sure how we could manage a f13 group.  I invited a few who had put username [f13] in their profile. 

[MuffinMan]

My circles consist of more f13 than non at this point.

[Goumindong]

I was thinking along those lines the other day but make it that I can give nicknames, maybe have it display it to me in parentheses with their name. It's nice that they give you a spot for "Other Names" on your profile, although I don't really want people to be able to Google search my username and find me.

Which is why it would be so nice to have separate profiles. If they for instance searched my real name I would come up, and if they searched Goumindong my profile that i want to use for f13/other sites would come up.

The only way someone should know my real name is connected with Goumindong is if they are in a circle of mine that shows the Goumindong profile and a circle that shows the "real name" profile.

I suppose its possible to hack with two G+ accounts but it really should be possible with one.

[Hawkbit]

My circles consist of more f13 than non at this point.

Actually, my group of friends is pretty much all invited and part of G+.  There's about half the posts saying "I don't know what I'm supposed to do with this thing."

1.  I think my friends are kinda dumb. 
2.  Don't really have a #2, just reiterating #1. 

I think many will end up back at FB once the shiny has worn in a few days. 

[apocrypha]

Which is why it would be so nice to have separate profiles. If they for instance searched my real name I would come up, and if they searched Goumindong my profile that i want to use for f13/other sites would come up.

The only way someone should know my real name is connected with Goumindong is if they are in a circle of mine that shows the Goumindong profile and a circle that shows the "real name" profile.

I suppose its possible to hack with two G+ accounts but it really should be possible with one.

Totally agree with this, and what MuffinMan said about being able to label or put nicknames on other people. I've got loads of f13'ers in my Gaming circle now but I only know who a few of you are, i.e. those who have put their f13 nickname on their profiles.

What I would also like is an easier way to create nested circles, e.g. I'd like an f13 circle and a Barrysworld circle, both of which are in Gaming and when I add someone to either f13 or Barrysworld then anything I post to "Gaming" automatically goes to both circles.

[Numtini]

Having an account without your real name is against the TOS and they're apparently enforcing it. It's a big issue in the geek-feminist community, but so far they have shown no signs of backing down.

[KallDrexx]

Dear Google, if your privacy controls are WORSE than facebook, you will fail.

(on facebook I can limit my profile to be only visible to people I have added as friends, on Google+ my name, picture, sex, and "motto" all only have one setting: "anyone on the web")  

The problem, and why I really don't like Google+'s take on both privacy and usability, is that you can't set general privacy settings.  Instead you essentially have to go to every piece of information and designate who is allowed to see it.  So in your profile you have to click on each piece of information in the "Edit Profile" screen and select who can see that bit of information.