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Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

blog.vrypan.net

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Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#11

Post by [deleted] »

cloudwalking wrote: post #4
devindotcom wrote: post #2

I almost claimed a custom URL yesterday when I was writing up the YouTube comment change and in the process updating my G+ profile. They wanted my number to claim it, which I believe they already have for 2-factor on Gmail. In the end the whole process with YouTube was so galling that I just deleted my whole account. As OP notes, it's not like Google+ was the first place people would look for me, and it's not a usefu…

Deleting your account was less galling than using your phone number to confirm your identity? Hm.

[deleted]

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#12

Post by usaphp »

I think the author is making it a bigger deal than it really is, nothing stops google from bringing down the google plus or any other service he might be using(just like google reader or wave) so according to his logic (printed on business card etc...) you can't even have a long unfriendly URL because google can shut down google plus any day they want to or just start charging people.

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#13

Post by devindotcom »

cloudwalking wrote: post #4
devindotcom wrote: post #2

I almost claimed a custom URL yesterday when I was writing up the YouTube comment change and in the process updating my G+ profile. They wanted my number to claim it, which I believe they already have for 2-factor on Gmail. In the end the whole process with YouTube was so galling that I just deleted my whole account. As OP notes, it's not like Google+ was the first place people would look for me, and it's not a usefu…

Deleting your account was less galling than using your phone number to confirm your identity? Hm.

No, the whole YouTube thing. Having a channel, unchecking a bunch of boxes and worrying about extra policies - having an extra Google+ page with its own Talk address and inbox, in addition to the channel's inbox, etc. I just realized I don't use it, probably won't ever, and it'll only keep trying to get me to connect via other means, so I thought I'd nip it in the bud.

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#15

Post by lingben »

reidrac wrote: post #7

This is weird. I could suggest a custom URL typing it myself. The form said that it would be reviewed but it got approved straight away. May be is because I just used Google's suggestion but removing the accent in my surname (I don't like them in an URL, and besides is the same thing I use in LinkedIn). That was 9 days ago.

what is the process for this? do you have to wait till they approach you or is there an online application?

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#16

Post by vonskippy »

His reasoning can be applied to all free social media, which is a valid reason, and why smart people should avoid the step back in time to a central AOL-esque media hub. He has his own domain, what more does he need? Why feed the social media black hole (all things enter - nothing escapes)?

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#17

Post by davidjgraph »

Here's how it works. The techies create something. The legals come along and say, OK, to release that in the wild it needs some T&Cs that cover our arses for everything and then some, because people keep sueing us.

In practice, would Google ever dare invoke this on a large scale? No, you know that. Yes, there should be some transparent process that is undertaken if yours were revoked, but Google only like stuff that scales, manual processes like that don't.

And really, if the ability to revoke your URL at any time wasn't in the T&Cs, do you really think it would make any difference to the revoke rate?

Sure, nobody in their right mind would depend on such a URL sticking around, but this post isn't "Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL", it's "Why I won't use a Google+ Custom URL as the primary mechanism to link to myself online". I don't see much argument against just claiming one, if you're already a g+ user.

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#18

Post by lingben »

akkartik wrote: post #9
ye wrote: post #3

I don't understand why they call it "custom". More like "assigned".

You can technically apply to make it anything you want, and the set of allowed names should technically be far larger than the set of disallowed ones. But I'm waiting to see if they'll let me take +akkartik rather than +KartikAgaram, so we'll see.

how? what's the process?

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#19

Post by saraid216 »

reidrac wrote: post #7

This is weird. I could suggest a custom URL typing it myself. The form said that it would be reviewed but it got approved straight away. May be is because I just used Google's suggestion but removing the accent in my surname (I don't like them in an URL, and besides is the same thing I use in LinkedIn). That was 9 days ago.

They released a giant wave of "everyone gets custom URLs" recently. It was announced somewhere or other. I thought I was special until I saw that.

Re: Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

#20

Post by reidrac »

lingben wrote: post #15
reidrac wrote: post #7

This is weird. I could suggest a custom URL typing it myself. The form said that it would be reviewed but it got approved straight away. May be is because I just used Google's suggestion but removing the accent in my surname (I don't like them in an URL, and besides is the same thing I use in LinkedIn). That was 9 days ago.

what is the process for this? do you have to wait till they approach you or is there an online application?

My session expired and had to log in again, and there was a form. I didn't apply or anything like that.

As I said it felt a little bit buggy ("we'll review your request", and then it was approved straight away), may be Google has refined the process.

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