

Google+ Will Dominate Facebook - Here's Why - jamesbritt
https://plus.google.com/116024884086268367178/posts/j6FbZtpSDJs

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soup10
Weakest support of bold headline ever. I expected sharp insight into some
previously ignored market forces to back it up. Instead his argument is
"google is making some small inroads with a couple universities".

Do you not remember that google advertises is google+ on pretty much every
page it serves. Remember when google placed a giant arrow on it's home page
point to google+ shouting "HEY LOOK AT ME". Nobody cares. This isn't 2000,
social networks aren't cool anymore. Google has gone to unprecedented lengths
to get people to use G+ and has failed spectacularly. The only way Facebook
could lose now is if they self implode, leaving G+ to pick up the pieces. The
sooner Google realizes that and gets back to solving real problems that matter
to the world, the better.

~~~
bo1024
> The only way Facebook could lose now is if they self implode, leaving G+ to
> pick up the pieces.

...

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ashray
The only way Google+ will dominate facebook is when facebook will do something
to really piss off it's users. Some of this is already happening (I get tons
of meme's and cat photos on my feed as opposed to status updates from my
friends..). Their algorithms for feeds is sucking a lot lately (and I like
Path for that reason..). But as long as people can mindlessly ogle at anyone
on Facebook, Google+ is still going to miss the mass market.

As the value proposition of Facebook drops off, Google+ _may_ take over - I
still think it's highly unlikely.

Hangouts are cool though.

~~~
karterk
_The only way Google+ will dominate facebook is when facebook will do
something to really piss off it's users._

No, not really. Remember what happened to MySpace? Sometimes people just move
on to the next thing. Yes, the network effect is pretty strong for FB, but it
has been done before.

~~~
ashray
I think myspace got pretty annoying towards the end with the shitty design and
overdone widgets on every page. Facebook was a pretty clean and usable
alternative. Personally I couldn't stand myspace pages right around when
facebook came in.

Not evolving your design to user requirements or even to make it aesthetically
pleasing is also pissing off your users in my book.

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devonrt
This strikes me as underpants gnome logic:

1\. Google will allow .edu Google Apps users to activate G+.

2\. ?

3\. G+ will "dominate" Facebook.

~~~
autophil
It took me a second to recall where I first heard "underpants gnome" from. But
it's Slashdot of course.

~~~
pserwylo
Don't want to stray too far off topic, but it is a reference to an episode of
South Park [0]

[0] <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO5sxLapAts>

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aantix
The initial experience of G+ is horrible.

I think everyone here takes it for granted since they've had a Google account
since 2005, but I had to setup a couple of accounts recently to utilize G+ and
Hangouts and getting friends that weren't part of the network yet was
atrocious.

First of all, it looked like I could invite others to my hangout by just an
email address, which I did, but they never received the invite. Then we had a
hunch that they both had to be part of each others circles, but finding the
"Add Friend" functionality where I could simply add an email address was
another treasure hunt. FINALLY after finding that dialog buried in the
"Circles" dialog, I could add the other account, the other account added me
back, and then FINALLY we were able to fire up a Hangout.

Like launching nuclear missels.

~~~
orangethirty
I share the experience and frustration. Seems like the UX was designed by the
same people who design the assembly instructions for baby cribs.

~~~
autophil
The G+ look and feel is way better than FB, IMO. I find FB claustrophobic and
almost anxiety-inducing.

~~~
aantix
The G+ UI is great if all of your other friends have Google accounts and have
signed up for G+. Pretty sweet.

But for those that haven't signed up for G+ or even worse, don't have a Google
account at all, forget about it. I wanted to set up a Hangout for my family
members in other states to chat in, but after the catastrophe above, there's
no way I am going to try and convey those instructions to others..

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kissickas
Am I misunderstanding something here? I attend UNC and here we have Microsoft
Live Exchange accounts (or whatever they're called, it's forwarded to my
Gmail). Is there a way to sign up to Google+ as an .edu user even if your
school doesn't use them? Or is it just a mistake by the author?

~~~
bricestacey
Many schools use google for email, calendars, and chat. It's google for
business, but I believe it's free (or relatively cheap) for education
institutions. Theoretically all those users would be using Google and perhaps
Google+ with enough encouragement.

Many other schools choose MS Live and those students would not necessarily
have any reason to use Google+. Interestingly, at least at UMass Boston, the
primary justification for MS Live was because MS claims it can identify the
physical machines your data is housed on, whereas Google does not make such
promises. This is only important for checking off boxes when audited.

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orangethirty
I just joined g+ after google after not using any social network for about two
years. I'm not impressed. The UI is just a sea of grey. Everything is just
piled on top of each other. I've been keeping up with the changes over at
Facebook (with the accounts of friends and relatives), and their UI is better
(but not great, either). They do use colors and icons in a more functional
manner. g+ is also buggy. I keep having problems where the app just hangs or
stops working. I've tried it on a couple of different computers with different
setups and I still get bugs. Weird because Gmail is very solid. I would have
thought their JS would be a bit more reliable across the board. Maybe its me,
though. I do think that what will kill g+ and FB is what I call the privacy
wars. This is something that is brewing given the substantial abuse being
carried out against civil liberties across the world by these mega corps.

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biznickman
So they have a university outreach program ... You do realize Facebook is
doing something quite similar as well with their groups product, right?

~~~
spindritf
Facebook doesn't have a suite of extremely popular web apps. Every student I
know uses gmail.

~~~
paulgb
Sure they do. Messages, Photos, Videos.

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murali89
Before anything, Google+ badly needs a complete change in UI. It is very
counter intuitive and stupid. Also, they should not be allowing anybody and
everybody to add a person in their circles. It is annoying. That said, I think
it might really work in their favor if they can execute the plan well, because
significant number of active FB users are college students. I think it makes a
good selling point to switch.

~~~
autophil
My daughter roped me into using G+ but now I think it's a superior experience
to FB in every way. I actually enjoy using G+ (and I thought I had social
media fatigue).

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edgivas
No. Because I refuse to log in with my google credentials to even read your
post.

~~~
graue
I see this complaint a lot when a G+ link is posted here, but Google never
asks me to log in. Anyone know why it requires a login from some but not
others?

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timothya
I believe it happens when you are already signed in, but the session is
expired (or is in some way not fully signed in). It then prompts you to finish
the sign in so it can give you a good experience once you're there (for
example, the ability to comment, +1, or reshare the post immediately, or add
the author to circles).

If you have no session with Google at all, however, no login is requested.

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ken
What's missing from this (and most "why $newcomer will beat $incumbant"
claims) is why Facebook can't simply duplicate the feature, and remove it as a
differentiator.

As a programmer, and looking at what Facebook can do already, it just doesn't
seem like adding a "let everyone from my *.edu see this" permission level
would be that hard.

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BruceIV
I'm a grad student, I've been a university student for the better part of the
last decade, and let me tell you this: the most universally disliked piece of
software on campus is always whatever dreck they make us use for Web services.
Admittedly, Google+ is at least modern and attractively engineered, but that
misses the point. The point is that students rarely use the social network
their university gives them unless their grade depends on it - the university
administration seems to be thinking "hmm, kids these days are on the Web a
lot, let's give them a Web site", while the students roll their eyes and use
Facebook/Twitter/BBM/whatever to get together and get their work done, rather
than logging into some extra site to do things they can already do in their
existing Web flow.

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liamcampbell
I can't read this because I'm not logged in to Google Plus. I think that kinda
says something.

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_debug_
Neither. Path or something similar on the mobile will quietly take over
because the distance between the camera and the upload button will be smaller,
and tablets, and more importantly, 5" to 7" phablets, will become the
ubiquitous perfect middle ground between telephony and browser and video game
console.

FB will be forced to provide a comprehensive export feature by law, which will
make the jump easier.

FB knows this.

This is, of course, a personal, subjective viewpoint / projection of the path
of least resistance ahead.

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jsz0
Interesting theory but I'm not sure why the results would be much different
than when Google pushed G+ on hundreds of millions of GMail users. It helped
them put some numbers on the board but I haven't seen any improvement to the
(lack of) content on G+ -- granted that is only my personal experience but I
don't think I'm alone there. Maybe G+ will be a weird niche hit like the Okurt
of education but it's hard for me to see that being enough to overcome the
massive Facebook social lock-in effect.

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xpose2000
There is no reason why Facebook can't create a separate echo-system for each
College University and mimic what he is talking about here. Facebook certainly
has the resources and brand recognition to do so.

If anything Yammer could probably do this more effectively than anyone else
since they already offer this service for companies. Does that mean they will
Dominate Facebook? Hrm.

I am a fan of Google+, but I am sorry to say your argument will have to be
better than that.

~~~
pacala
Sure. Given enough resources anyone can copy anyone. But then Facebook will be
playing catch-up and Google will become the de-facto leader. In a space where
the winner takes all, you don't want to be the one that plays catch-up.

Disclaimer: I work for Google, but unrelated to G+.

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ericts8
I don't understand the logic here. Just because Google (and this guy) THINKS
that college kids will use this/that this is going to be huge - does not mean
it will be.

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Blara
Ah yes, lets skip all forms of projections... I guess the stockmarket will
have to close because just because someone thinks a stock will go up it does
not mean it will do.

~~~
zachinglis
No, he's right. There needs to be valid facts on WHY. He's listed a few
features, but that doesn't mean it'll get traction at all. Or it doesn't mean
that the students will use it in their personal lives too.

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jblock
...and the college students most likely already have Facebook accounts.

The author discusses all these things that would be great and engaging if that
content the students are going to be posted to G+. The problem is that it
isn't. It's going to Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and adding more pretty
features isn't going to change that.

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Gustomaximus
By tying G+ closer to docs, spreadsheets and hangouts with your lecturer I
would guess this will bring it more in competition with Linkedin. In this
world it becomes more of a business social platform than a friends and family
social platform, at least initially.

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philip1209
I went in a skeptic, but I wonder if I could hold TA office hours through
Google+. It certainly would be more useful.

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zachinglis
All the students I know drink PBR, does that mean everyone's going to switch
to PBR sometime soon?

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stratos2
Ironic considering Facebook has its roots in Universities

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spullara
Harvard was not just any .edu

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detox
?????????

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drivebyacct2
If Google+ dominates Facebook, I cannot imagine this being the reason.

First off, it's not hard to make any post exclusive to my University on
Facebook. Second, why exactly is that a highly desirable feature?

The absolute last thing I want is two Google accounts with two Google+
accounts.

