I’m on it. I sort of like the “circles” interface, but it really is too quiet to say for certain what the experience will be like when tons of people are using it (assuming they will).
I seriously doubt Google+ will be able to compete with Facebook. Social Networking sites rely 100% on users to generate value for other users. That effect is hard to overcome, so there needs to be a significant advantage in order to get people to use a different site. Facebook is “good enough” (unlike MySpace, which had serious problems). And unlike MySpace, Facebook doesn’t have the negative status connotations that MySpace had. Google+ might be able to capture some of that mystique by spreading via invite (thus making it “exclusive”, but I doubt it will really work.
Emerald Sea is not a Facebook killer, Gundotra told me. In fact, he added, somewhat puckishly, “people are barely tolerant of the Facebook they have,” citing a consumer satisfaction study that rated it barely higher than the IRS. Instead, he says, the transformation will offer people a better Google.
Though this is from a senior Google person and no cite is provided, so might be taken with a grain of salt.
At least one person I know has already said they’ll leave FB entirely for G+ once G+ becomes open for all. He got me to sign up as well, that way.
I’m on it. I sort of like the “circles” interface, but it really is too quiet to say for certain what the experience will be like when tons of people are using it (assuming they will).
I seriously doubt Google+ will be able to compete with Facebook. Social Networking sites rely 100% on users to generate value for other users. That effect is hard to overcome, so there needs to be a significant advantage in order to get people to use a different site. Facebook is “good enough” (unlike MySpace, which had serious problems). And unlike MySpace, Facebook doesn’t have the negative status connotations that MySpace had. Google+ might be able to capture some of that mystique by spreading via invite (thus making it “exclusive”, but I doubt it will really work.
Though this is from a senior Google person and no cite is provided, so might be taken with a grain of salt.
At least one person I know has already said they’ll leave FB entirely for G+ once G+ becomes open for all. He got me to sign up as well, that way.