Google+: One too many eggs in the Google basket • Hacker News Board

Re: Google+: One too many eggs in the Google basket

#31

Post by gojomo » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 4:38 AM UTC

pettazz wrote: post #20

gojomo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because the ToS are infantilizing, designed to water-down human interactions for maximum advertiser-friendliness?

How are they infantilizing? I've never had a problem with anyone's ToS. They don't allow nudity, don't post nudity. It's really not that hard not to break them unless they have arbitrary bullshit rules like "YOU CAN'T SAY APPLE ON WEDNESDAY" or if, like Facebook, all your data is their property.

Does the ToS let me communicate as if I were in a room full of adults and friends? Or does it require me to behave like I was visiting a grade-school classroom?

Re: Google+: One too many eggs in the Google basket

#32

Post by keane » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 6:14 AM UTC

vannevar wrote: post #30

timr wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Circles is such an obvious improvement that it boggles my mind that Facebook hasn't managed to deploy something like it." They have. All of the same functionality exists within "lists" and "groups". The only difference is that Facebook hasn't wrapped those features into a unified UI. If circles catches on, I expect Facebook to copy it in about half a heartbeat.

Groups are a different feature entirely. And I don't see an option to limit my posts to a list, which is the chief benefit of creating a circle. Presumably Facebook could implement this functionality, but they have not. Which is my point.

In Facebook, to limit a post to a list, near the new post field you click the lock and downward arrow icon which displays a drop-down of choices such as "Everyone", "Friends", or "Custom". Click "Edit" next to "Custom". This brings up a modal box. In the "Make this Visible to" section, under "These People:", from the dropdown select "Specific People...". This makes a textfield appear. Type the name of the friend list (hopefully you have the names of all of your lists committed to memory, or at least the letter they start with) and a typeahead will display suggestions. From the typeahead suggestions, choose a list by clicking it. Click "Save Setting" to exit the modal box and return to the post editor. Hover over the lock and downward arrow icon again to display a tooltip of what lists the pending post will be shared with to confirm you have done everything correctly. Create the post and click "Share".

So Facebook does have the option but it is hidden away below 'mystery meat navigation' [1] and is generally not at all intuitive for the average user. Google+ is receiving (deserving) credit for the concept because the implementation is present and forward in the UI.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_meat_navigation

Re: Google+: One too many eggs in the Google basket

#33

Post by vannevar » Tue, Jul 12, 2011, 1:00 PM UTC

keane wrote: post #32

vannevar wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Groups are a different feature entirely. And I don't see an option to limit my posts to a list, which is the chief benefit of creating a circle. Presumably Facebook could implement this functionality, but they have not. Which is my point.

In Facebook, to limit a post to a list, near the new post field you click the lock and downward arrow icon which displays a drop-down of choices such as "Everyone", "Friends", or "Custom". Click "Edit" next to "Custom". This brings up a modal box. In the "Make this Visible to" section, under "These People:", from the dropdown select "Specific People...". This makes a textfield appear. Type the name of the friend list…

So it sounds like FB can ramp up to this pretty quickly; they just need to ditch their post-centric UI for a friends-centric UI. Or at least make a friends-centric UI easily available.

Re: Google+: One too many eggs in the Google basket

#34

Post by timr » Thu, Jul 14, 2011, 6:28 AM UTC

vannevar wrote: post #33

keane wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Facebook, to limit a post to a list, near the new post field you click the lock and downward arrow icon which displays a drop-down of choices such as "Everyone", "Friends", or "Custom". Click "Edit" next to "Custom". This brings up a modal box. In the "Make this Visible to" section, under "These People:", from the dropdown select "Specific People...". This makes a textfield appear. Type the name of the friend list…

So it sounds like FB can ramp up to this pretty quickly; they just need to ditch their post-centric UI for a friends-centric UI. Or at least make a friends-centric UI easily available.

Yes, exactly. As I said, between "lists" and "groups", they have all of the same functionality. They just need to improve the UI.

(The parent post also missed that you can pre-create friend lists, and restrict posts based on those lists. So it isn't as bad as it sounds -- but it isn't easy, either.)