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We Need To Talk, Google

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Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#61

Post by nolok »

cromwellian wrote: post #49

Google is simply trying to unify their services. YouTube was an acquisition, with it's own login system and social network. They don't want to maintain this separation forever, they want a single signon for everything. Ditto for sharing and contacts. You had separate 'contacts' in Gmail, Latitude, G+, Reader, YouTube, and probably others I'm missing. Users shouldn't be prompted to maintain N different copies of this…

But why force me (if I link) to change the name I appear as on youtube to be the real one they required for g+ ? I can't believe I'm the only one with things I posted as FooBar42 that I don't want under the name Mr John Smith, not in an age where your name is googled for about anything.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#62

Post by alwaysdoit »

ryanhuff wrote: post #58
cromwellian wrote: post #49

Google is simply trying to unify their services. YouTube was an acquisition, with it's own login system and social network. They don't want to maintain this separation forever, they want a single signon for everything. Ditto for sharing and contacts. You had separate 'contacts' in Gmail, Latitude, G+, Reader, YouTube, and probably others I'm missing. Users shouldn't be prompted to maintain N different copies of this…

You would be fooling yourself if you think somebody within Google isn't planning for the day that YouTube commenting is merged with G+ social streams. As they look to leverage social signals to improve search, centralizing the user's social footprint will be an important component, and using one of their more prolific social streams (YouTube) to prop-up G+ will be key.

I wouldn't mind if YouTube showed me comments from people I know on top. It's not like YouTube comments could get worse...

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#63

Post by cromwellian »

ryanhuff wrote: post #58
cromwellian wrote: post #49

Google is simply trying to unify their services. YouTube was an acquisition, with it's own login system and social network. They don't want to maintain this separation forever, they want a single signon for everything. Ditto for sharing and contacts. You had separate 'contacts' in Gmail, Latitude, G+, Reader, YouTube, and probably others I'm missing. Users shouldn't be prompted to maintain N different copies of this…

You would be fooling yourself if you think somebody within Google isn't planning for the day that YouTube commenting is merged with G+ social streams. As they look to leverage social signals to improve search, centralizing the user's social footprint will be an important component, and using one of their more prolific social streams (YouTube) to prop-up G+ will be key.

If that day comes, I'll might celebrate, because YouTube comments are mostly worthless, full of sexism, racism, insults, and sheer idiocy. I rarely come across a YouTube comment that imparted useful information.

G+ doesn't really need propping up, most of the people I enjoy reading are on it, I get more engagement than I ever did on Twitter or FB with the people I'm interested in (note, not friends, but interests), and with a less infuriating comment system. I'd personally rather not have G+ turn into FB.

In fact, I take back my first sentence, now that I think about it, I'm somewhat fearful of YouTube adopting G+ comments, because rather than improving the civility and intelligence of YouTube's comment audience, it might destroy the civility and intelligence of the G+ community.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#64

Post by jerf »

darklajid wrote: post #20
lawdawg wrote: post #10

Get over it people, Google+ is the new account system for all Google products. If you don't like Google having a single account/profile system, or the fact that Google+ profiles include a "social" network product, then you best look for alternatives ASAP.

I try to. The single thing I struggle with? Android. Maybe Firefox OS will be interesting, iOS isn't. And .. right now I can pay for Android apps, but I'm banned from rate them, comment on them. Ignoring all the 'Do you want to be tracked to provide Better Services (tm)" stuff in that ecosystem.

Somewhat ironically, I had a Google account already (albeit only lightly used, losing Reader killed ~95% of the utility for me), but when I got my Android phone, it simply refused to link to it. I think perhaps because I didn't have GMail? To be honest the error messages were never that clear to me. So instead of linking in my "real" Google account, I had to create a new one. One I never browse with, one that has no services, one not linked to the greater anything. Instead of a lightly-but-really-used account now they just have an Android account floating in space, being virtually useless to them.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#66

Post by cbhl »

nolok wrote: post #61
cromwellian wrote: post #49

Google is simply trying to unify their services. YouTube was an acquisition, with it's own login system and social network. They don't want to maintain this separation forever, they want a single signon for everything. Ditto for sharing and contacts. You had separate 'contacts' in Gmail, Latitude, G+, Reader, YouTube, and probably others I'm missing. Users shouldn't be prompted to maintain N different copies of this…

But why force me (if I link) to change the name I appear as on youtube to be the real one they required for g+ ? I can't believe I'm the only one with things I posted as FooBar42 that I don't want under the name Mr John Smith, not in an age where your name is googled for about anything.

The argument is that if you didn't want them posted under "Mr John Smith" you shouldn't have posted them at all. I think they let you delete/hide all your old comments as part of the transition, but agreed that only accounts for the personal account use case, not the corporate YouTube channel use case.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#67

Post by dimadima »

So true. Just drop them. Forget them. Gmail has somehow insinuated itself as an indispensable tool for millions (billions?) of people. Bullshit! Forget it! Yeah, it's nice, but it's just not worth it anymore.

I recently busted out some decade's old postfix knowledge and set up some email for myself. Want to access that email from anywhere: use Mutt! It's great!

Whatever you do, drop Google. Too Big To Fail == Will Fuck You Without Blinking.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#68

Post by 3825 »

fluidcruft wrote: post #54
darklajid wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I try to. The single thing I struggle with? Android. Maybe Firefox OS will be interesting, iOS isn't. And .. right now I can pay for Android apps, but I'm banned from rate them, comment on them. Ignoring all the 'Do you want to be tracked to provide Better Services (tm)" stuff in that ecosystem.

If your phone is supported, you could install CyanogenMod (it works fine without gapps installed). From there you can use f-droid for apps, but possibly Amazon App Store could be a good alternative to the Google Play morass.

>possibly Amazon App Store could be a good alternative to the Google Play morass.

Sorry but the last time I tried, Amazon App store was a resource hog. Also apps will stop working if you get signed out of the Amazon app store app. It is like they are trying to prevent one guy who they think will buy a copy of their app, get on a stranger's device, log in to the app store, download their apps, and log out and repeat it for all devices in the world.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#69

Post by fluidcruft »

3825 wrote: post #68
fluidcruft wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your phone is supported, you could install CyanogenMod (it works fine without gapps installed). From there you can use f-droid for apps, but possibly Amazon App Store could be a good alternative to the Google Play morass.

>possibly Amazon App Store could be a good alternative to the Google Play morass. Sorry but the last time I tried, Amazon App store was a resource hog. Also apps will stop working if you get signed out of the Amazon app store app. It is like they are trying to prevent one guy who they think will buy a copy of their app, get on a stranger's device, log in to the app store, download their apps, and log out and repeat i…

I don't think any of that is true anymore.

Re: We Need To Talk, Google

#70

Post by calinet6 »

cromwellian wrote: post #49

Google is simply trying to unify their services. YouTube was an acquisition, with it's own login system and social network. They don't want to maintain this separation forever, they want a single signon for everything. Ditto for sharing and contacts. You had separate 'contacts' in Gmail, Latitude, G+, Reader, YouTube, and probably others I'm missing. Users shouldn't be prompted to maintain N different copies of this…

The problem is that they're not unifying their services well.

In UX discussions this always comes up as one that sucks.

Basically the Google UX, to me, is "Here's a bunch of stuff that we have. Good luck!"

They need to seriously put the unifying UX of their entire brand from end-to-end as their top priority, so that you go to Google and can actually use what they offer in a cohesive way, instead of with piecemeal walled-off divisions of inconsistency.

It's a huge problem to be sure, and there's no easy solution. This blog post is just a description of one annoying symptom.

Meanwhile, what Google thinks of as good UX these days is removing features from their already minimal individual products. See: New Maps; Gmail New Compose. Their priorities are upside-down and I have no confidence they can turn their ship around...

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