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Why I won't get a Google+ Custom URL

blog.vrypan.net

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101–110 of 165 posts

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

#101

Post by archagon »

At this point, I'm not even sure how my identity is split up on Google's servers between my original Google account, my Google Plus account, and my legacy YouTube account. Sometimes I feel like I'm logged into three different things at once. And now I can't even use my original username as my Google Plus URL? Does that mean that my legacy YouTube account is no longer active? Or has it been merged with my Google Plus profile without my consent, despite consistently clicking on "no thanks" every time the window popped up?

This sort of quagmire causes me to unconsciously stop using the services causing it. Already, I've found myself much less interested in liking and favoriting YouTube videos.

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

#104

Post by slowdown »

One more important thing about these custom URLs:

1) Your Google+ profile is publicly indexable by searh engines.

2) Having a custom URL means anyone searching for your name on Google is going to find out your Google+ profile easily. Basically, your identity is now even more easier to discover. (When contrasted to the ordinary Google+ URL of random numbers)

3) If you are using the same profile picture on Google+ as your Facebook, people can track your Facebook profile, too. This is bad if you have a fairly active social life, but wanting a bit of a privacy.

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

#105

Post by gesman »

anoncow wrote: post #75
gesman wrote: post #29

For this exact reason I registered my own 1-letter URL shortener domain and use it to create my own custom redirects whenever I want without submitting to someone's BS TOS. It's better to promote your own brand than someone else's. Send me email at: g@c.gg :)

Can you give us some backstory on how you acquired a single letter domain name, please.

I wanted to find a 1-letter domain that was the easiest to type on a keyboard (with my 2-finger typing habit). I think that was back in 2006-ish days.

So i found that typing keys C + . + GG requires an absolutely minimal amount of physical finger effort as hands are almost perfectly positioned above these keys.

So I registered these. In fact back then there were a plenty of other 1-letter domain available up for a grabs.

I used to do professional photo business and registered GO.GL - as my first name is Gleb (still have business cards laying around with this address).

At the same time i thought that registering GOO.GL would be cool too - but back then the greenland (owner of this TLD) charged $50/yr + the only way you can register is by sending them a FAX. So I didn't bother.

I am actually good at picking decent domain names even today.

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

#107

Post by kordless »

Hellenion wrote: post #90
dsr_ wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Me in 1993: Yeah, but seriously, nobody is going to start charging for domain names. Writing a hundred bytes in your named.conf? What would you charge, ten cents? Doesn't make sense. And everybody swaps secondary service with everybody else, and your upstream includes it at no extra charge.

Where can I read more about this seemingly magical era? I'm so young that it sounds like a faerietale.

Google 'NSF NSI contract 1993'. Ended up being worth North of $20B in about 7 years.

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

#108

Post by Guillaumeish »

What about a workaround?

I'm /guillaumeish pretty much everywhere, and using my "real name" it's against my religion. I can't do it.

I got no time to test it atm (and I don't remember the G+ policies on name changes) but couldn't you just change your name to "Vry Pan", refresh and claim the VryPan handle... than change your name back to whatever it was before? They have a time restriction like facebook?

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

#109

Post by malandrew »

markdown wrote: post #100
grecy wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I was about to go through with it anyway until I realized that doing so would require me to register a phone number with my Google account, which I have so far avoided. That requirement was the final straw That's exactly how I feel. I try very hard to not give my number out, why the hell does google force me to tell them, just to get a URL?

So you don't have two factor authentication set for your Google account(s)?

I love two factor auth, but I don't like that it uses my phone number. I really wish I could buy one of those RSA SecurID two factor auth key fobs from any hardware supplier like NewEgg and just register the serial number of the device with Google or any other company I want to use two factor auth with.

Even better would be to allow me to register backup two factor auth key fobs and I can just throw one or two backups in a safe deposit box, safe or similar safe place.

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

#110

Post by jzwinck »

suryamp wrote: post #44

Alright you guys, I'm gonna blow your minds. Try this kind of link: profiles.google.com/[YOUR USER NAME HERE] For example, vrypan's custom link would be: http://profiles.google.com/vrypan

I see it works for vrypan, but it doesn't work for me. It gives me a 404 error and I have no idea why.
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