Google+ (The MBN circle)

[DarkOnistar]

http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/
Google has gone social with "Google+" which many people are describing as Google's own Facebook.

I've got a Google+ account and I've got invites to share with MBN.
We can create a 'MagicBall Network' circle.

Google+ features summed up below.
Spoiler:

toggle spoiler

- Circles
Unlike Facebook where once a friend is added the permissions are hard to sort out, it is easier now because you add friends to 'circles' which you can choose circles to show posts to.

- Sparks
Sparks is a news feed; which is refined based on your '+1 buttons'.
There is a '+1' button about the web now; it works like the Facebook 'like' button except this help refine your searches instead of simply showing that a friend had 'liked' the same thing.

- Hangouts
One of my favourite features. Webcam chat (or audio if you cover your webcam), text chat with a synced YouTube player.
The great thing about a synced YouTube player is that everybody will see what you see in real time, so unlike normal YouTube where you have to ask if your mate has passed .. say 0:36, you'll know because this works like a TV.

- Mobile features (Instant Upload + Huddle)
Instant upload just sends photos from your mobile to Google+ ready for sorting or deleting.
Huddle is a group text/voice chat like teamspeak for mobile devices.

I need an email address to send a invite; preferably gmail/googlemail as I've heard rumours about possible issues or being forced to create a gmail account. (I had a gmail address so I wasn't worried)

Once you have a Google+ account, simply link the URL in the thread.
(To make your Google+ url easier use: http://gplus.to/ - Can only be done once!)

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Google+ contacts

DarkOnistar - http://gplus.to/darkonistar
Echomote - http://gplus.to/dan2552
??? - ......

[Echomote]

https://plus.google.com/105900406347720603102/posts / http://gplus.to/dan2552

[Streg]

honestly i think facebook is enough. As far as I know averyone who has a gmail account already has a google+ too, so I think I already have this thing but I'm not going to use it for now

[DarkOnistar]

Not everybody has Google+ because its on invite only atm and its hard to separate posts as on Facebook its all grouped together; I like how I can separate people into groups of relevance.

@Echomote: That "Start Google Plus" chrome extension is awesome and so is the photo transfer.

[xesf]

Here's mine http://gplus.to/alexfont

[Darkflame]

https://plus.google.com/u/0/10545985...1/posts?tab=Xh ... I think.
Or just use my gmail (darkflame@gmail.com) to look it up, isnt that easier?

G+ needs a little work on the interface, but the fundimentaly ability to create different groups and share different things with different people seems to be its main advantage over facebook.
That and, well, its cleaner interface without adverts for pathetic flash games everywhere.

[ChaosFish]

Even if Google Plus is better than Facebook, I should hope it will fail because Google has enough monopoly on the world's information as it is.

[Darkflame]

nah, Facebook is more dangerious (at the moment at least) as its a highly centralising force. People use it rather then email, rather then FlickR, rather then Newgrounds (or other, independant game sites), rather then chat, and now its got Skype (and thus new owners Microsoft) in bed with it.

G+ might arguable become the same thing, but Googles got a far better track record for using open protocols. Gmail chat has always used Jabber/XMPP, for example - I can start a chat server and talk to gmail users. They also have supported IMAP and POP3 - piss easy to download your email,upload elsewhere, or use your own client. They also have http://www.dataliberation.org/ working to ensure you can leave any google service's pretty easily.
You can even use Yahoo OpenID logins at Docs,Calender and a few other google services (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/...sers-with.html). So not all google services even need a google account. They do need to extend this to G+ and a few other things of course....

...but compared to facebook that wants you to use THEIR login for not just their own site but whole internet and thus only use there ONLY uses their servers. (By comparison, anyone can run a OpenID server.)
[rant]
To be honest, this actualy is the main thing that piss's me off with Facebook, everyone putting all their logins trusted with one company when theres a great open alternative. The OpenID support I have at Rateoholic means I can let people login *and I never get their information* the refering site just tells me that this email is legit, log him in. I have no data on their password whatsoever. They can login with a dozen different email servers. (possibly hundreds if they use the url rather then a button). If my site gets hacked, OpenID users are perfectly safe - very worst case their emails get out. Compare that to, say, Gawker recently.
Decentralised login with no need for eveyone to trust the same server = how the web should be, imho.
[/rant]

Not saying Google is perfect or anything, mind you. G+ should itself run on a Open protocol, like WAVE was going too. The WFP protocol now run by Apache is a far better (in principle) way to do a social network. Its just a shame the interface still lacks much appeal.

But its still, in terms of trust, Google for me is infinitely better run then Facebook, and with a revenue stream not dependant on getting everyone to use the same site they dont even have much incentive for centralisation.

As long as Google gets most of its money from search, its in their interest to not try to centralise the web. It would do them a lot more harm then good.

When Google starts getting more money from, say, Youtube adverts, then might be the time to worry.

---

btw, Facebook also has 750 million users, which isnt that insignificant if your talking about monopolys. Cant find google stats for Gmail (or Yahoo, or Hotmail) for comparison however.
Generaly Gmail is said to be still behind those two in terms of users, however. So its unlikely to be that far, if at at all, in front of facebook in terms of accounts.

[ChaosFish]

OK, I'm convinced. It's still hard to believe Google isn't run by power-hungry psychopaths, as all major corporations are. But I guess it will be better if open software succeeds, maybe that will force other companies to follow that lead.

So umm, send me an invitation?

[xesf]

I just send you the invitation. Hope your e-mails still the same

[ChaosFish]

Got it! Thanks Alex!

[Edit] http://gplus.to/fishos

[Streg]

Originally Posted by ChaosFish

Got it! Thanks Alex!

[Edit] http://gplus.to/fishos

They got Fishos too

Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.

[ChaosFish]

Mmph

[SpaceGuitarist]

moi http://gplus.to/rraja .

[Echomote]

shame you can't have a public circle that you can put yourself in and then people can follow just the circle

[xesf]

Yep, but this is recent, they have probably a lot of feature to include. Also I can see this as an improvement of Sparks.

[ChaosFish]

I just read Google Plus is trying to force their users to use their real names. Profiles that are found to have a nickname entered instead of a real name are deleted.

Say what you want, but this move is NOT innocent. They want to have access to people's real identity for their own nasty reasons.

[Echomote]

Originally Posted by ChaosFish

I just read Google Plus is trying to force their users to use their real names. Profiles that are found to have a nickname entered instead of a real name are deleted.

Say what you want, but this move is NOT innocent. They want to have access to people's real identity for their own nasty reasons.

more on this: https://plus.google.com/116098411511...ts/4t8sFLLK4hK

They'll probably cave in at some point and make it so there's some *this is not this user's real name* tag or something

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Echomote

more on this: https://plus.google.com/116098411511...ts/4t8sFLLK4hK

They'll probably cave in at some point and make it so there's some *this is not this user's real name* tag or something

Thanks for the link.

And I agree CF, the whole public real name is kinda spoiling the internet. I think facebook does the same, at least in their TOS?
Like people are peer presuring eachother to spill their personal info into the public and into the hands of companys. Not just names.

I never use my real name online unless it's RL friends or buisness related. And those cases are mainly not public, like mail and such. I always thought that was a good rule.

But now a lot of people want to be public figures it seems? Yet most seem not to oversee what that even means.
There sure can be great benefits from making yourself vulnerable that way. But artists, politicians and other public figures usually get training dealing with aspects of that. But these days kids just jump, or push eachother, into that water.

The internet was never a save place. These gated communities feed on that illusion. Yet I don't have the illusion i can wake people up to that fact. And even if they woke they will think its a new problem that needs fixing by weird laws or whatever.
So all I can do is complain a bit while the train is heading for the wall. :P

[ChaosFish]

Originally Posted by Odysseus

Thanks for the link.

And I agree CF, the whole public real name is kinda spoiling the internet. I think facebook does the same, at least in their TOS?
Like people are peer presuring eachother to spill their personal info into the public and into the hands of companys. Not just names.

I never use my real name online unless it's RL friends or buisness related. And those cases are mainly not public, like mail and such. I always thought that was a good rule.

But now a lot of people want to be public figures it seems? Yet most seem not to oversee what that even means.
There sure can be great benefits from making yourself vulnerable that way. But artists, politicians and other public figures usually get training dealing with aspects of that. But these days kids just jump, or push eachother, into that water.

The internet was never a save place. These gated communities feed on that illusion. Yet I don't have the illusion i can wake people up to that fact. And even if they woke they will think its a new problem that needs fixing by weird laws or whatever.
So all I can do is complain a bit while the train is heading for the wall. :P

^this

[Reek]

wow, i figured google enacted that policy to prevent people from creating multiple accounts, trolling and harassing other users,soliciting, and all the other naughty things people can do with the protection of anonyimity.

But yeah, your conspiracy theory is a better explanation.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Anakin

wow, i figured google enacted that policy to prevent people from creating multiple accounts, trolling and harassing other users,soliciting, and all the other naughty things people can do with the protection of anonyimity.

But yeah, your conspiracy theory is a better explanation.

lol, trolling like you are now?

The ironic part is that you could be one of those who don't understand the difference between a public figure and a private person.
Yet by making this remark, you seem to be saying kids have a full understanding of those things?

There wasn't any claim I made that can't be supported by evidence and clear examples. So yes it's a theory, whatever, my take on things.
If I wanted to make a conspiracy-nut story out of it I could have done a way better job.

[Reek]

i don't understand, anyone who disagrees with you is trolling?
how old are you?

considering how children harassing classmates on fb does happen, and many people creating dummy accounts for the sole purpose of tagging people in advertisments of their companies does happen, i'd say my explanation makes sense. a lot more than the peer pressure "theory", and CF's world domination theory. all these are examples of why the owner of a social network would want to avoid anonymity.

that said, i don't have a problem with what you said about people wanting to be public figures nowadays, that bit's true.
not that that's such a hard concept to grasp, you need to get over yourself.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Anakin

i don't understand, anyone who disagrees with you is trolling?
how old are you?

Calling someones earnest take on things a conspiracy theory is descending to the level of trolling. I think you are smart enough to see it's just based on observations not some far fetched BS.

considering how children harassing classmates on fb does happen, and many people creating dummy accounts for the sole purpose of tagging people in advertisments of their companies does happen, i'd say my explanation makes sense. a lot more than the peer pressure "theory", and CF's world domination theory. all these are examples of why the owner of a social network would want to avoid anonymity.

How I came to use the term peer pressure is easy to understand. Again trolling or choosing to be oblivious to how these networks spread.
Perhaps you don't like the word pressure? Since it kinda seems like it means with bad intent? It does not.
And you are not that stupid... so agian... trolling.

that said, i don't have a problem with what you said about people wanting to be public figures nowadays, that bit's true.
not that that's such a hard concept to grasp, you need to get over yourself.

I already got over myself by saying I'll just be complaining while the train is heading for the wall.
And yeah it's not that much of a real choice if you arn't informed or can't even partly grasp the consequences of that choice.

[Odysseus]

Originally Posted by Elliptic

odysseus seriously you are the one trolling this thread not anakin. anakin made a point that wasn't of the tinfoil hat variety and called you on your shit and now you're calling him a troll. he's basically right and you're wrong soz

Hi Elliptic, found your way out of the woods again I see.
I recall last time you started a troll thread about the holocaust. So yeah guess you know how to be a good troll.

At least with anakin its a verb, used playfully to describe how he was just acting like a bit of an ass. I don't mind people acting like asses btw, sometimes it can make conversations fun. :P

Anyway this thread is about DarkOnistar asking people if they want an invite for Google+. So I suggest you go troll elsewhere. And indeed if others want to expand reflecting on the whole facebook, google+ private/public thing, perhaps it needs another thread.