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Google+ now open to all

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    paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    LostFool wrote: »
    I'm not a twitterer myself (though I do browse at times) but Twitter and Facebook are very different things and there is room for both. Similarly, LinkedIn survives as it is a very different sort of social network than Facebook as it is purely professional. I don't mind being "linkedin" to my Managing Director but he'll never be a Facebook friend.

    Facebook and Google+ howver are just too similar for people to want to be actively engaged in both.

    Google+ is actually closer to Twitter than FB in functionality (obviously not so much in aesthetic), and it's Twitter that's most at risk....whether it can be both Twitter AND FB remains to be seen. Potentially it can. Though FB also wants to be Twitter now!
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    noise747noise747 Posts: 30,862
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    danleto wrote: »
    Currently I'm ditching Facebook and sliding over to Twitter if people I know migrate to Google+ then I'll consider it but I'm not going to join just for the sake of it.

    Twitter? i don't see the point in twitter to bne honest apart from maybe getting info for certain things.
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    Aye UpAye Up Posts: 7,053
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    Google+ is actually closer to Twitter than FB in functionality (obviously not so much in aesthetic), and it's Twitter that's most at risk....whether it can be both Twitter AND FB remains to be seen. Potentially it can. Though FB also wants to be Twitter now!
    noise747 wrote: »
    Twitter? i don't see the point in twitter to bne honest apart from maybe getting info for certain things.


    Twitter I think is more about real time information consumption. When the riots were kicking off last month I took to twitter to find out what was going on its one of the first things journalists do when reporting major news stories. Consequently facebook or G+ doesn't allow this, you can't get updates in realtime without subscribing or adding users.

    Twitter for that reason alone will survive it is unique amongst the big players. The only way it won't survive is if it is bought out by the tech giants.
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    paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    Aye Up wrote: »
    Twitter I think is more about real time information consumption. When the riots were kicking off last month I took to twitter to find out what was going on its one of the first things journalists do when reporting major news stories. Consequently facebook or G+ doesn't allow this, you can't get updates in realtime without subscribing or adding users.

    Twitter for that reason alone will survive it is unique amongst the big players. The only way it won't survive is if it is bought out by the tech giants.

    That's merely a consequence of the number of users though, not the network itself. Google+ does *exactly* the same thing, allows public posts by people which are (now) searchable by subject, with no need to subscribe to people, though that option is there. Functionally it's near identical to twitter, and with an API just out it'll only be a matter of time until there's a Tweetdeck equivalent. The only difference is volume of posts and users.
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    Aye UpAye Up Posts: 7,053
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    That's merely a consequence of the number of users though, not the network itself. Google+ does *exactly* the same thing, allows public posts by people which are (now) searchable by subject, with no need to subscribe to people, though that option is there. Functionally it's near identical to twitter, and with an API just out it'll only be a matter of time until there's a Tweetdeck equivalent. The only difference is volume of posts and users.

    I think in its simplicity Twitter is more affective for delivering realtime information. I agree this is likely down the the pervasive nature of it and also the user base. Although one can search by by topic, I think the way Twitter handles topics in terms of trending it is more viral and instant in that respect without the need to search. I am sure in time with Google this will change (not so much with Facebook), but definitely Google+ has a great future ahead of it. It has a cool factor at the moment, exceptionally functional yet not cluttered like Facebook (I use all 3 btw). Twitter just wins with the simplicity stakes at the moment, to join and use twitter isn't complicated where as Google+ and Facebook comparatively are.
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    whoever,heywhoever,hey Posts: 30,992
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    That's merely a consequence of the number of users though, not the network itself. Google+ does *exactly* the same thing, allows public posts by people which are (now) searchable by subject, with no need to subscribe to people, though that option is there. Functionally it's near identical to twitter, and with an API just out it'll only be a matter of time until there's a Tweetdeck equivalent. The only difference is volume of posts and users.

    Twitter allows #tags though which i've not come across in google+.

    That is what makes twitter so powerful.
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    JohnbeeJohnbee Posts: 4,019
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    Paulbrock thanks very much for that informtion. It is of course a bit difficult to see the attraction, but then I do use usenet and a few forums such as this one and most people don't so it is just whatever turns you on.

    It sounds like a gigantic version of sending out a Chiristmas card with a long message about how you went on holiday, and Julie got her A levels and the cat died and your leg is a bit better. Also of course something to do while you are supposed to be working.
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    paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    Twitter allows #tags though which i've not come across in google+.

    That is what makes twitter so powerful.

    the #tags are, as far as I can tell, largely a convention adopted by its users. yes, there's a handy shortcut from tag to search tag but other than that there's nothing stopping Google+ users using tags. Quite a few do in fact. I'm still hoping that Google will add something a bit less ugly than having to #mark #words #in #your #posts with #unnecessary #punctuation. Maybe some sort of automatic subject assignment.
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    paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    Johnbee wrote: »
    It sounds like a gigantic version of sending out a Chiristmas card with a long message about how you went on holiday, and Julie got her A levels and the cat died and your leg is a bit better. Also of course something to do while you are supposed to be working.

    Yes a little bit. But then it's also group conversation, so all of your friends can congratulate Julie on her A levels, ask her what she's doing next, she can reply,etc. Like a forum thread, only visible to a certain set of people.
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    noise747noise747 Posts: 30,862
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    Aye Up wrote: »
    Twitter I think is more about real time information consumption. When the riots were kicking off last month I took to twitter to find out what was going on its one of the first things journalists do when reporting major news stories. Consequently facebook or G+ doesn't allow this, you can't get updates in realtime without subscribing or adding users.


    The problem with Twitter is all this tags and @ you got to use, I looked at it a couple of times, but it confuses the hell out of me. I have got a twitter account as i have said, but thinking of getting rid of it, but then I am not considering getting rid of Facebook if they go ahead with changing the profile system.


    Twitter need people to sign up for the advertising reasons,

    Twitter for that reason alone will survive it is unique amongst the big players. The only way it won't survive is if it is bought out by the tech giants.

    It will happen,
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    John259John259 Posts: 28,483
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    noise747 wrote: »
    The problem with Twitter is all this tags and @ you got to use, I looked at it a couple of times, but it confuses the hell out of me.
    It depends what you want to use Twitter for. I use it as the modern equivalent of an RSS reader, to view the latest news and sports stories, etc. All I had to do was to have an account and choose some feeds to follow.
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    call100call100 Posts: 7,278
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    I don't see the point in social networks. I tried FB and to be honest it was a PITA....If I want to share anything with friends and family there are hundreds of different ways to achieve it without having to have to be so overtly out there.
    I don't have any axe to grind with Google, as someone said they are everywhere and it's a bit pointless trying to avoid them completely. I don't think Evil is the word I'd use for them, Greedy maybe.
    There are ways to block any Ad tracking etc, however, there are some very handy things out there that Google provide also. The trouble with the web is that it not only imparts knowledge, but, tends to also fuel paranoia in people that are normally fairly rational.
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    noise747noise747 Posts: 30,862
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    John259 wrote: »
    It depends what you want to use Twitter for. I use it as the modern equivalent of an RSS reader, to view the latest news and sports stories, etc. All I had to do was to have an account and choose some feeds to follow.

    That what I am using it for to be honest,
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    noise747noise747 Posts: 30,862
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    call100 wrote: »
    I don't see the point in social networks. I tried FB and to be honest it was a PITA....If I want to share anything with friends and family there are hundreds of different ways to achieve it without having to have to be so overtly out there.

    Facebook is good to share photos and other stuff with a lot of people you know.

    Otherwise I have to either send emails to them all with photos attached or I have to use something like flicker

    But I do now think they are going over the top.

    I don't have any axe to grind with Google, as someone said they are everywhere and it's a bit pointless trying to avoid them completely. I don't think Evil is the word I'd use for them, Greedy maybe.
    There are ways to block any Ad tracking etc, however, there are some very handy things out there that Google provide also. The trouble with the web is that it not only imparts knowledge, but, tends to also fuel paranoia in people that are normally fairly rational.

    Google is just far too big and in your face, it don't matter where you go on the net Google is there even if you don't want them to be.

    you are correct it is not easy to avoid google. I was silly and got a phone using Google Android.
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    call100call100 Posts: 7,278
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    noise747 wrote: »
    Facebook is good to share photos and other stuff with a lot of people you know.

    Otherwise I have to either send emails to them all with photos attached or I have to use something like flicker

    But I do now think they are going over the top.


    Google is just far too big and in your face, it don't matter where you go on the net Google is there even if you don't want them to be.

    you are correct it is not easy to avoid google. I was silly and got a phone using Google Android.
    Yes, but I never know whether to be annoyed, or amazed when it all just works....:eek:;)
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    TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,417
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    Facebook's currently implementation is disastrous though. Google+ does the same but much cleaner and easier on the eye. More intelligent conversation as well, this is a great comparison of discussion available on each of them:

    https://plus.google.com/107330528562005281406/posts/E1LHNRK8Ksv

    ...and l assume that Google made Google+ open to all because of requests from significant numbers of Facebook defectors after Facebook's most recent format changes which have not been universally well received. l guess Google just couldn't believe their luck and pass up this opportunity.
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    paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    ...and l assume that Google made Google+ open to all because of requests from significant numbers of Facebook defectors after Facebook's most recent format changes which have not been universally well received. l guess Google just couldn't believe their luck and pass up this opportunity.

    or Facebook pushed out new features before they were ready to try and keep their customers. They're going to change it all again at the end of the month, so not sure what the point was...
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    TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,417
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    paulbrock wrote: »
    orFacebook pushed out new features before they were ready to try and keep their customers. They're going to change it all again at the end of the month, so not sure what the point was...

    True, paulbrock, and it's still a fluff on the part of Facebook. Pushing out features before they are ready does instantly bring to mind the word 'Microsoft' though. :D
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    Matt DMatt D Posts: 13,153
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    Apologies for the bump, but I didn't think that this was worthy of a brand new thread.

    Anyway.

    I tried Google+ back when it launched, loved it, but then quit and deleted my profile because I couldn't get any friends and family to drag themselves away from Facebook, and I didn't feel I had time for three social networks.

    But now I'm giving it another shot, as Facebook is irritating me even more than it used to and I thought I'd see what Google+ was like and how it had matured in the time since I last used it.

    So... how many people from DS still use it regularly? IIRC, there were a fair few regulars back in the early days, as I'm sure I had a DS "Circle". What about now?

    Also... does anyone use the iOS app?

    I like it - it's a hell of a lot better than the first version.

    But... it seems rather shite when it comes to posting links. It doesn't seem to do link previews like you get with Facebook, and it won't accept proper desktop YouTube links, only mobile YouTube links (desktop ones are "invalid" apparently). So if I post a YouTube link to Google+ with the iOS app, I have to use m.youtube.com which then seems to cause the link to be shite on my desktop Google+ profile as that also just shows a mobile YouTube link with no preview.
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    paulbrockpaulbrock Posts: 16,632
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    Yep, I remain a big supporter of Google+, I use it far more than Facebook or Twitter (or DS). I did have a DS circle once but I have too many other circles now and I think I lost it in a clear up.

    The key thing when trying Google+ is NOT to treat it like Facebook. Most of your friends and family probably still won't be on there, and that's fine. Instead, circle and interact with people you don't know. Scary huh? ;)

    One of the first things I did was look for people in my area. That at least gives me a bit of context for what they post. Or people who post about your interests. Circle them. They don't need to accept you, as circling is one-way, but many people will reciprocate. Many people post publicly, and so should you, at least for some stuff. There's also communities now (kind of like groups on Facebook. Search and join in)

    I can't comment on the iOS app, but the Android one is pretty fab, not noticed any problem sharing links.

    Oh and if you want to find something really hot on Google+, try and get an #ingress invite (geocaching game thing). Lots of chatter around this on g+.

    By all means say hi - https://plus.google.com/104859346014137939134/posts
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    SchadenfreudSchadenfreud Posts: 1,382
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    Just started using it for my business side of things. It's far more usefull than FB and as I have an Android phone it's fully integrated with Google+.
    I've just set up a circle for work colleagues where certain images get sent immediately, it speeds up ordering and it gives a back up reference if need plus it provides a 'papertrail' of actions via the comments.
    It's working very smoothly so far, but it is taking some getting used to.
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    fmradiotuner1fmradiotuner1 Posts: 20,500
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    I prefer posting and sharing my pictures there.
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    steven cardwellsteven cardwell Posts: 2,120
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    Matt D wrote: »
    Apologies for the bump, but I didn't think that this was worthy of a brand new thread.

    Anyway.

    I tried Google+ back when it launched, loved it, but then quit and deleted my profile because I couldn't get any friends and family to drag themselves away from Facebook, and I didn't feel I had time for three social networks.

    But now I'm giving it another shot, as Facebook is irritating me even more than it used to and I thought I'd see what Google+ was like and how it had matured in the time since I last used it.

    So... how many people from DS still use it regularly? IIRC, there were a fair few regulars back in the early days, as I'm sure I had a DS "Circle". What about now?

    Also... does anyone use the iOS app?

    I like it - it's a hell of a lot better than the first version.

    But... it seems rather shite when it comes to posting links. It doesn't seem to do link previews like you get with Facebook, and it won't accept proper desktop YouTube links, only mobile YouTube links (desktop ones are "invalid" apparently). So if I post a YouTube link to Google+ with the iOS app, I have to use m.youtube.com which then seems to cause the link to be shite on my desktop Google+ profile as that also just shows a mobile YouTube link with no preview.
    I'm the same as you, wasn't using it, and finding it quite hard to "get" users to follow, that wasn't just posting links and videos, so i deleted my profile.

    Now, i've just bought a Nexus 4, and for the likes of photos etc, everything is more Google, rather than my last phone that was a Lumia 710, so i have decided to try and Google+ another go.

    Obviously none of these social sites like to "talk" to each other, so it is still quite hard to find users, that use the service, as most that are in the circles that Google must keep after the last "delete" haven't posted anything since 2011, so it would be nice if you could import Twitter and Facebook users that also use Google+, as at least then you would have a starting base.

    If you want to add me https://plus.google.com/113023256410015389971/posts
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    Sandy AlessandroSandy Alessandro Posts: 13,854
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    Do you join under your own name, ie can you have business pages like Facebook?
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