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Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

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Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#111

Post by WillyOnWheels »

joshvm wrote: post #40
criddell wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you assuming that Chromebooks have a long term future? I sure wouldn't assume that. I also wouldn't count on Keep being around for the long term. I use it quite a bit, but only for ephemeral stuff. No matter what you use though, you should have backups of anything important.

Keep is on (all?) Android devices too. I use it on my phone to jot down things without needing to reach for something bulky like Evernote. It's pretty limited but for writing a book recommendation, shopping list, or a catchy lyric it works perfectly.

Keep UI on mobile is way too confusing to me.

I just make spreadsheets at sheets.google.com, make it editable offline, edit on phone with Sheets app

tune in next time when I bore you with my org mode setup!

Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#112

Post by saurik »

ajmurmann wrote: post #45
moxious wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would this damage their brand? They tried an experiment, if didn't work out, they're moving on. What's wrong with that?

The top comment on this story right now is someone saying they don't want to use new Google products anymore because they too frequently get shut down. I think Reader really lost them a lot of trust and they continue to reinforce that reputation. That being said, I cannot help but wonder how what Google is doing is different than any startup working on a product. The differences might be that Google never tries to su…

Even when a product is successful at first, a very typically Google thing to do at this point is to not make substantial improvements to it for years until suddenly deciding to deprecate and replace it with something entirely different that has no migration strategy, might not have kept all the good parts of the old service, and even uses a new random brand name :/.

Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#113

Post by saurik »

rafaelm wrote: post #96
blakesterz wrote: post #74

People who currently work at Google must see these posts here on HN every time they shut something down. The comments area always the same. Google must be aware this behavior is hurting them in a substantial way. Has anyone seen a public comment from someone at Google? Do they really not get it or do they just not care? Or am I wrong, is this not hurting them at all?

I also think their approach is not the best, but do you believe anyone outside the tech echo chamber is making the same comments? I'm not sure how much the behavior could be actually hurting them. Of course, sometimes the people in tech introduce products to non-tech people. That could be a problem...

So people outside of the "tech echo chamber" even use half of these services to begin with? I think the point here is that if Google wants to see normal people think to use any of these projects they are going to have to maintain them for a longer period of time under a brand strategy that doesn't involve constantly deprecating and replacing services while bothering to market and support the product line.

Every now and then there is a Google product I know about which would be perfect for some use case we have in our community (I am involved in a lot of political organizing here). I bring it up, and no one has heard of it; and the last time I did this, I went to go show people, and it had been discontinued anyway... I mean, what's the point?

Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#114

Post by pasbesoin »

oedenfield wrote: post #71
bane wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only new google service I've signed up for in the last few years was Project Fi, and that's simply because it wouldn't be a nightmare to move my number back to another carrier if Google just decided they got bored with it.

I use (and like) Project Fi as well. Porting a number and/or taking the unlocked phone to an AT&T or T-Mobile store was also why I went with it. Do I honestly expect Project Fi to be around in 2 years? No.

Unless they come up with a comparable "unlimited" plan, this year's (re-)launch of these by the major U.S. carriers is probably one of the final nails in the coffin.

Non-technical low-cost people probably aren't going to find Fi, and "power users" are going to go for unlimited, especially as data use climbs.

And... I doubt Google will keep Fi around to support a bunch of low-cost, "minimal" users. Where's the money ("new Google") and what's to learn ("old Google")?

Sigh. And just as the T-Mobile network (and Fi comes also with Sprint) was starting to look broad enough to warrant moving away from Verizon.

Well, as others have said, who believed it was going to last? For my own Google use -- which for me doesn't currently include advertising/marketing -- I've basically drawn the line at the "traditional" Google office apps. As far as I know, they still dogfood those, internally. Anything newer? Not worth any long-term investment / lock-in.

If I return to doing some web sites (a few people want me to, currently), I'll look into whatever are the current best practices for indexing high and being appropriately exposed on Maps and the like.

Oh, and, by the way, Site Search, just the other day? Really? You're already indexing it, Google? What does killing off this mildly customized search entry point save you?

Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#117

Post by misingnoglic »

blakesterz wrote: post #74

People who currently work at Google must see these posts here on HN every time they shut something down. The comments area always the same. Google must be aware this behavior is hurting them in a substantial way. Has anyone seen a public comment from someone at Google? Do they really not get it or do they just not care? Or am I wrong, is this not hurting them at all?

Did you even use spaces? I can't imagine this many people are mad about such a small project closing.

Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#118

Post by GioM »

googler88 wrote: post #106
laserDinosaur wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I started using Google Inbox for a while, but never got seriously invested in it other than a novelty (despite really liking the interface). I just know it's only a matter of time before it gets killed off and I'll be back to Gmail anyway.

This is closer to the truth then you know. There is an internal ongoing effort to merge the few useful features that only exist in Inbox, like snooze, into the GMail codebase. If your inside of the Google network go/bye-inbox has all the information. Disclaimer: I work for Google and joined Team Sabotage a year ago to cause as much damage to the company as possible.

Wait what? Can you comment at all on what that 'team' is?

Re: Google Spaces will be shut down on April 17th

#119

Post by Gustomaximus »

ohto wrote: post #29

I'm at the point that I don't even try new Google products because I don't trust that they will stay around. I got burned too many times: Wave, Knol, Google Health, Buzz, Notebook, Answers, and most importantly Google Reader. There is just no way I'm investing time in any new Google product. They are untrustworthy. For instance, why on earth would I want to use Allo when still Hangouts exists? We know one or both wil…

I feel a good middle ground for Google would be to make a rule when they close a product, where possible, they hand it off.

They can announce they are closing and look for people to take over product, the best team vs not some 'for sale' situation. While it would add some additional work it would keep peoples faith in trying google products and we' likely see some cool success stories of the back of their startup efforts.

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