Google+

Here's a little more info on the project: https://plus.google.com/up/start/?sw=1&type=st

I look forward to trying it out.

I have a Google+ account now. If anyone would like to try it out, PM me your e-mail and I can invite you to use it.

It's pretty cool. I really enjoy the +1 feature (which allows you to give credit to your favorite sites around the Net) and the Sparks feature (which allows you to follow your interests across the Net; i.e. if you follow "The Criterion Collection", the feature will give you a feed of every relevant article online that relates to Criterion).

That does look very cool, but I notice it says it's exceeded the limits at the moment. Still, I'll pm you my email if that's okay.

The thing I hated about Facetube was that they insisted on using your real name. I don't want to use my real name. I deleted my facebook for that reason - there are some people I don't want finding me, thanks. So can you use a nom de plume on Google+, do you know?

Google+ offers a couple of options for anonymity.

First of all, you could sign up using a fake name.

Secondly, they have an option that allows/disallows people to search for you.

The best thing about their Circles feature is that only certain people in certain circles can see what you post, based on where you designate your posts to go. I really like that, so if a close friend and a work associate are part of my Circles, then I don't need to worry about offending the work associate with non-PC humor that I share with my close friend.

Anyhow, Ravester, I sent you an invite. Let me know if it goes through.

Yup. Thank you very much. I'm all signed in. I like that you can change your profile name whenever you like, so you can appear however you prefer.

Because of my job - in local government benefits - and because they will insist on giving out my full name to all and sundry, I found Facebook a bit too ... inconvenient. I was getting contacted by people I didn't want to know, for one reason or another, whether due to past relationships or present. So I killed the profile. I like that Google+ gives you the option to use just about any name you like really AND you can opt to be removed from any search. Excellent.

It's incredibly easy to download photos as well.

I'm liking it so far.

Yes - the circles are an excellent idea. No more worrying about the boss finding out about your bended on Saturday night, when you 'phone in sick on Monday morning ;)

Looks better than Facebook. Can't wait to try it out.

I'm trying it out... having a bit of trouble finding my peeps though. Haven't spent too much time on it though. B., if you care to, put me in one of your circles or do whatever to link me to you. I want Rave too. I use my real name there though... so no telling.

Yeah, the only issue with it so far is that not many of my friends have made the jump (or, are willing to) yet to Plus, either. Over time, I'm sure that problem with minimize.

retrokitty wrote:

I want Rave too.

Not the first time I've heard that ;)

I'm using a nom de guerre ;)

I've never really been into sites like Facebook, Myspace, etc, but this looks really good. I might give it a try, but I don't know if my friends will use it....

Fields, most of your friends would be on FaceBook if anything. Myspace is a joke more or less unless its for music or something.

Yes, most of my friends are on facebook, and they insist I join. But I refuse.

I really don't understand that, Fields.

For me FB is a vital way for me to get in contact with people and organise things. Its so very convienient. I couldn't deal without it, to be frank. And its not even that I go on it very much (there are occasional bursts but that happens with everything so moving on).

I have a friend who doesn't have FB actually. Her mum made the comment she should get it.

A Facebook friend of mine who has recently started a Google+ account put up a screenshot on her FB wall of a 'warning' she got when logging into it that said 'We have detected that you have a Google+ account registered on this computer. This is against Facebook's terms of use, etc etc blah blah ... '

All very 'Big Brother Zuckerberg is watching you'. :shock:

Fae wrote:

I really don't understand that, Fields.

For me FB is a vital way for me to get in contact with people and organise things. Its so very convienient. I couldn't deal without it, to be frank.

No phones in Australia yet?

I thought you future folk would be on top of that.

Even with the privacy settings set to maximum, I found I had people I didn't want contacting me. The whole set up of "here's some people you might know" leaves you wide open. All it needs is a friend of a friend to have a friend of a friend, and that's it.

It doesn't even take all seven degrees of separation for you to find yourself getting 'friend requests' from people you spent a small fortune to get out of your life in the first place.

I had Facebook when it was very much in its infancy. It wasn't too bad. Then it expanded, and the look kept changing, and I grew to hate it. Deleting the account was the best thing I've done.

Haha, Brown.

Easier to organise big things - instead of sending out a big text etc frequently. Also when you don't have everyone's phone number but you have everyone on FB it becomes a good tool from where I am standing. Then again like all things it isn't for everyone.

Fae wrote:

Haha, Brown.

Easier to organise big things - instead of sending out a big text etc frequently. Also when you don't have everyone's phone number but you have everyone on FB it becomes a good tool from where I am standing. Then again like all things it isn't for everyone.

Just picking on you, Faester.

I understand that sometimes you may not always want to talk to a specific person, either.

I should have really picked that up by now.

And yes very true.

Was interested in trying it out, but it seems its full so I guess I'll have to wait to get a crack at it. Looks neat.

I'll send you an invite.

Ah, I thought I read they disabled it for further testing. Thanks. :)

I have to say the circles concept is a step up in social networking as its far more organized.

Mr. Brown wrote:

Yeah, the only issue with it so far is that not many of my friends have made the jump (or, are willing to) yet to Plus, either. Over time, I'm sure that problem with minimize.

Yup, one of the first things I realized when trying out. I hope it does expand later on, it's pretty nifty.

Latest reports say G+ is at 18 million users and counting, and it's still invite-only. And I expect to see some more Facebook smearing popping up around the Net.

In other news, Getty Images has approved G+, after there were some false reports that Google would sweep up the rights to everything you post.