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Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

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Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#41

Post by TomGullen »

> I am adding now: Those upvotes are incredibly important to us, because we need them to earn another season of our show.

I'm assuming the changes are site wide, and not just targeted at you? If so, everyone will get less votes. Therefore it doesn't matter in regards to this point at all. Supply and demand right?

> You don't get people to enthusiastically use your services by forcing them to.

We're talking about a button.

It's amazing how much hyperbole and irrationality comes out the woodwork when small changes are made. How is such an angry meaningless blog post making it's way to front page of HN?

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#42

Post by jgroome »

G+ is a joke. Nobody outside of the tech and geek industries either wants it or uses it. And yet they carry on doing everything they can just to herd people into creating G+ accounts.

Hey, it might work. Got to get those numbers up, right? But they can't make me USE my G+ account.

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#43

Post by xxbondsxx »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #35
joejohnson wrote: post #34

This is annoying, but how is it a huge mistake on Google's part? Sure, they're going to annoy a few people, but I think that these tactics forcing people to use G+ will probably work. People will be forced onto this G+ platform whether they like it or not; the mass exodus threats about any social networking platform never materialize into anything more than a few users deactivating their accounts.

How much does Google gain from having a bunch of people who technically have G+ accounts, but don't actually use them for anything aside from liking/disliking videos?

They already have a ton of people who have G+ accounts and do nothing. Automatically sharing youtube likes to your G+ stream would an explosion of activity for the majority of users.

It's all about baby steps. The chicken and egg problem sometimes needs coercion in the beginning

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#44

Post by notcertain »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #35
joejohnson wrote: post #34

This is annoying, but how is it a huge mistake on Google's part? Sure, they're going to annoy a few people, but I think that these tactics forcing people to use G+ will probably work. People will be forced onto this G+ platform whether they like it or not; the mass exodus threats about any social networking platform never materialize into anything more than a few users deactivating their accounts.

How much does Google gain from having a bunch of people who technically have G+ accounts, but don't actually use them for anything aside from liking/disliking videos?

If you extend this thinking far enough, they have a lot to gain. It's an extra dimension that Google can use to further refine their ad inventory against your interests. The theory is that you will see more relevant ads and Google will earn more because of it. i.e. if you like this video, and someone else liked this video, and they clicked on that ad, then maybe you'll click on that ad.

Perhaps on its own this single dimension doesn't add all that much value, but in aggregate and with a mass number of participants, it should.

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#45

Post by nextparadigms »

In the beginning people complained that Google has like a dozen different "Like" buttons on the Reader, Youtube and so on. Now they complain that they want to use just one everywhere?

I think it's a great move. Personally, I even want them to integrate their G+ commenting system into all their services. It's one of the best commenting systems out there, and certainly much better than the Youtube one. It might even encourage better comments on Youtube.

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#46

Post by Kronopath »

mattmanser wrote: post #9
thekungfuman wrote: post #4

It's perfectly reasonable that Google would try to consolidate their properties. You used to need a YouTube account to do anything, and they own YouTube and don't feel like managing disparate databases about their users. It may be a minor inconvenience because it's a change from what people are used to, but it makes sense logistically and serves their business interests. They ARE a business after all...

YouTube is not Google. Google is not YouTube. They just happen to own it. Google should start remembering that before YouTube gets myspaced. Which imo is looking increasingly likely. Vimeo is one competitor which seems to already be growing like crazy for example.

Vimeo will never overtake Youtube because of their draconian policies on copyrighted content. For example, you're not allowed to upload videos that show videogame gameplay unless it's a game you developed yourself (and shows like these are a BIG part of Youtube's audience).

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#48

Post by drivebyacct2 »

When are people going to just shut up about this stuff? Google is going social. Either get with it or don't. I'm tired of seeing rants everytime they decide to try something new out (by the way, this was a test for less than 1% of their users). If you don't want to participate in Google's social network, you don't get to participate in Google's social network. That includes YouTube and it has for years.

Downvote away, I look forward to the next rant about Google's social unification as if it's a big shock and surprise, maybe we can also discuss semicolons in Javascript.

(everything else aside, I have no idea why they would throw away everything they've invested in the '+1' branding)

Funny, both of my comments shaking my head in disbelief at unexplained Google hate are commentlessly downvoted. Let the rage at Google flow through you and the downvote arrow!

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#49

Post by leovinci »

nextparadigms wrote: post #45

In the beginning people complained that Google has like a dozen different "Like" buttons on the Reader, Youtube and so on. Now they complain that they want to use just one everywhere? I think it's a great move. Personally, I even want them to integrate their G+ commenting system into all their services. It's one of the best commenting systems out there, and certainly much better than the Youtube one. It might even en…

in 2012 they will make fun of us for all the 'stupid like buttons', as we now make fun of those 'stupid javascript alerts' in the 90s.

Re: Google is making a huge and annoying mistake

#50

Post by cargo8 »

Did you consider that Google just cares about its own operations and future profitability than it does about your startup's future?

Google has realized it NEEDS to have some social layer and influence integrated into its services in order to compete and not fade into the archives of the web. A much lower # of likes from identified users is MUCH more valuable to Google than millions of anonymous likes.

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