There Can Be Only One
I decided to radically cut down the time that I spend on social networking sites (and on the Internet in general), and so I will choose among Google+ and Facebook.
And my choice is... (drum roll)
Google+!
Okay, obviously, I’m being loyal to my employer :-) But there are also other reasons. For one, the social networking core of Google+ (circles) is the most sensible I have seen so far. Unlike the common “friends” models, it follows the actual reality of people’s social interactions: namely, all people are part of various social circles, and wish to maintain different interactions with their different circles. You just cannot reduce everything to “friends”! Frankly, I really hate the “friends” concept, especially the Facebook version. The most annoying thing is that it is symmetrical -- someone needs my permission to be added. So the most common exchange I have on Facebook is “Hi, can I be your friend?” “Um, I have no idea who you are” and it’s silly and leaves a bad taste. After all, someone just asked to become my friend -- what kind of a bitch am I to refuse to that?
LJ model also doesn’t solve the problem, since it still uses the loaded term “friend” for a relationship that actually means two superficial and badly related things: 1) “I want to read what you write in my stream” and 2) “I want you to see my locked posts”. I know many people who feel compelled to add someone on LJ when being added -- they cannot help feeling that it is expected of them, and then they complain that their flist is full of stupid...
Google+ solves it. When someone adds you, you get the notification “John Doe has added you to his circles”, and you don’t feel the slightest reason to add him back. For all you know, the circle he added you into is named “Assholes to laugh at” or “Clingy one-night stands” or something. And if you do add him, you can throw him into a circle such as “Weirdos/stalkers” and never share anything with that circle! Adding someone to circles means only what you want it to, for every specific person.
So this song could never be about Google+:
Well, obviously, G+ is only beginning its way. The whole world is on FB; there are pages not only for people, but for groups, products, interests, activities, etc. G+ doesn’t have that yet; I believe it will. The most important thing is the user base; the rest, I think, will follow...
And that brings me to the main reason I’m switching: too many people think that it is impossible to overthrow such a dominant player on the market as FB has become, and... I just want to see Google prove them all wrong! ;-) It promises to be a fun battle to watch, and I’m rooting for the underdog.
So, guys: we are trying to overthrow Zuckerberg’s empire, who’s with us? :-) See you on Google+!
And my choice is... (drum roll)
Google+!
Okay, obviously, I’m being loyal to my employer :-) But there are also other reasons. For one, the social networking core of Google+ (circles) is the most sensible I have seen so far. Unlike the common “friends” models, it follows the actual reality of people’s social interactions: namely, all people are part of various social circles, and wish to maintain different interactions with their different circles. You just cannot reduce everything to “friends”! Frankly, I really hate the “friends” concept, especially the Facebook version. The most annoying thing is that it is symmetrical -- someone needs my permission to be added. So the most common exchange I have on Facebook is “Hi, can I be your friend?” “Um, I have no idea who you are” and it’s silly and leaves a bad taste. After all, someone just asked to become my friend -- what kind of a bitch am I to refuse to that?
LJ model also doesn’t solve the problem, since it still uses the loaded term “friend” for a relationship that actually means two superficial and badly related things: 1) “I want to read what you write in my stream” and 2) “I want you to see my locked posts”. I know many people who feel compelled to add someone on LJ when being added -- they cannot help feeling that it is expected of them, and then they complain that their flist is full of stupid...
Google+ solves it. When someone adds you, you get the notification “John Doe has added you to his circles”, and you don’t feel the slightest reason to add him back. For all you know, the circle he added you into is named “Assholes to laugh at” or “Clingy one-night stands” or something. And if you do add him, you can throw him into a circle such as “Weirdos/stalkers” and never share anything with that circle! Adding someone to circles means only what you want it to, for every specific person.
So this song could never be about Google+:
Click to viewWell, obviously, G+ is only beginning its way. The whole world is on FB; there are pages not only for people, but for groups, products, interests, activities, etc. G+ doesn’t have that yet; I believe it will. The most important thing is the user base; the rest, I think, will follow...
And that brings me to the main reason I’m switching: too many people think that it is impossible to overthrow such a dominant player on the market as FB has become, and... I just want to see Google prove them all wrong! ;-) It promises to be a fun battle to watch, and I’m rooting for the underdog.
So, guys: we are trying to overthrow Zuckerberg’s empire, who’s with us? :-) See you on Google+!