I just tested this and was able to sign into userstyles.org just fine on a blank account with no G+ profile. Are you sure it wasn't an option that the third-party service was enabling?
Google login now requires Google+ Account
61–63 of 63 posts
Re: Google login now requires Google+ Account
#62What's with the Google Derangement Syndrome on HN recently? Any change in any Google service prompts the same "I'm taking all my toys and going home" response. Google used to have a separate profile system just like profiles.yahoo.com, and like Yahoo, having lots of disparate services with weak unification was a problem. G+ is that unifying profile layer. Is it really beyond the pale for a service to prompt you to en…
> What's with the Google Derangement Syndrome on HN recently? Any change in any Google service prompts the same "I'm taking all my toys and going home" response.
This seems to be a bit of an inverted perspective. The trend in Google's behavior seems to indicate its own "I'm taking my toys and going home" mindset. This is almost literally true: Google is telling people who are using their "toys" "either come to my house and play under my rules, or you don't get to play with that anymore."
> having lots of disparate services with weak unification was a problem.
How is this a "problem"? What about the many users who want to choose specific services a-la-carte, and not be forced into compromising their preferences with one type of service just to have access to their preferred solution for another?
"Unification" of services in this heavy-handed way is like Comcast telling its customers that if they want cable service, they have to get phone service from Comcast too, whether they want it or not.
Re: Google login now requires Google+ Account
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
You must be replying to the wrong post. This post is asking whether others have been asked to create a g+ account in order to log in using Google, not "I'm taking all my toys and going home" or whatever childish way you want to characterize people who are "deranged" about Google.
And how would you suggest that he reply to a growing trend that occurs as an aggregate across hundreds of disparate comments?
Perhaps observing this phenomenon should lead him to consider that there might be some substance to these critiques, and not just dismiss them all out of hand as some sort of "derangement".