G+: Should I stay or should I go?
9 Aug 2011 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
firecatFrom here: https://plus.google.com/107625304798786970122/posts/cz6fCZDM5SV
Now that Google has clarified the name policy for Google+ I'm trying to decide whether to maintain a Google+ account. Do you have an opinion?
ETA: This is the clarification:
http://www.google.com/support/+/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1228271
ETA2: I'm not using my legal name on G+. I'm using Firecat Stef.
I'm not worried about having my account suspended because (a) I'm not influential enough for Google to bother about me, and (b) I don't use Google's other services in ways that would be broken if this account's G+ access were suspended.
(I use Google Reader, which is affected if my profile is suspended or private, but my tests have suggested that it's only affected in the sense that I can't "share" stuff or +1 stuff, which is fine. I don't use Picasa or Buzz.)
Reasons to leave
Google+ is not designed for people like me. " The name that commonly identifies you" doesn't apply to me. I have several names; they all commonly identify me, and I insist on choosing which ones I use in which fields.
The name rules are patronizing and controlling. I don't cotton to being patronized and controlled. I don't want to add value to a social networking service that patronizes and controls its users.
If I'm not sure whether my profile will be suspended, I'm unlikely to post anything particularly interesting.
Since I don't want Google to have more private data about me than it already has, I'm unlikely to post anything particularly interesting anyway.
I already try to follow far more information sources than I can keep up with.
Reasons to stay
I like the interface. I seem more inclined to interact with this interface than with Facebook's interface.
I like that I am learning more about some of my friends who are posting different stuff here than I've seen them post elsewhere.
I like some of the political discussions I'm seeing.
Now that Google has clarified the name policy for Google+ I'm trying to decide whether to maintain a Google+ account. Do you have an opinion?
ETA: This is the clarification:
http://www.google.com/support/+/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1228271
ETA2: I'm not using my legal name on G+. I'm using Firecat Stef.
I'm not worried about having my account suspended because (a) I'm not influential enough for Google to bother about me, and (b) I don't use Google's other services in ways that would be broken if this account's G+ access were suspended.
(I use Google Reader, which is affected if my profile is suspended or private, but my tests have suggested that it's only affected in the sense that I can't "share" stuff or +1 stuff, which is fine. I don't use Picasa or Buzz.)
Reasons to leave
Google+ is not designed for people like me. " The name that commonly identifies you" doesn't apply to me. I have several names; they all commonly identify me, and I insist on choosing which ones I use in which fields.
The name rules are patronizing and controlling. I don't cotton to being patronized and controlled. I don't want to add value to a social networking service that patronizes and controls its users.
If I'm not sure whether my profile will be suspended, I'm unlikely to post anything particularly interesting.
Since I don't want Google to have more private data about me than it already has, I'm unlikely to post anything particularly interesting anyway.
I already try to follow far more information sources than I can keep up with.
Reasons to stay
I like the interface. I seem more inclined to interact with this interface than with Facebook's interface.
I like that I am learning more about some of my friends who are posting different stuff here than I've seen them post elsewhere.
I like some of the political discussions I'm seeing.
no subject
Date: 12 Aug 2011 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 12 Aug 2011 03:30 am (UTC)Perhaps we might catch up via email or phone or some such thing at some time, instead? Drop me a line if that sounds like something you might feel like doing, ok?