A couple things that attracted people to Google + so much are the Circles and Streams that give you more control unlike Facebook. However, I have been finding that people are bringing their Twitter and Facebook habits of sharing to Google + and don't utilize or manage their circles and what they share and who they share it with.
The idea of keeping all your contacts and friends organized into circles of shared interests or some other commonality is a great idea, but not when you still just send everything out for the whole world to see.
For Example: You create a circle for a specific interest such as Photography. Ask a bunch of your contacts/friends who might have the same interest if they would like to be included in that circle. You place a bunch of people into your Photography circle and now you can start sharing stuff that is relevant to photography and read it in the Stream for that Circle. However, If any of your contact that you added to your photography circle don't do the same and just send all their comments/posts out to all their circles or to the public rather than selecting which circles the comments should be shared with, suddenly the stream/feed for that circle is getting a bunch of irrelevant junk.
Might as well just stick with Facebook if all you want is an unorganized feed that gets flooded daily with hundreds of status updates or shared comments about anything under the sun that have absolutely nothing in common with your interests and you could give a ratsass about.
These are valid points tkerr and it will take people time to get used to how it works. However, there is also value in sending some messages more widespread and so I do send out to all circles some messages and keep others for specific circles.
I have 4 Facebook pages and tend to have an audience for each page. I keep my FB personal profile for family and friends only. So I expect I will use the Google+ circles in much the same way as I have for the individual FB pages.
These are valid points tkerr and it will take people time to get used to how it works. However, there is also value in sending some messages more widespread and so I do send out to all circles some messages and keep others for specific circles.
At least you don't send everything out to all circles, or Public, every time. I understand there are going to be certain things that are worth sharing with everyone, but not everything all the time like people do a lot on FB, and a lot of people migrating from FB to G+ are bringing that familiar habit with them.
I Agree it will take some time for people to get used to it, But I fear a lot of people won't and just use Public, My Circle or even Extended Circles just because it easier than selecting individual circles.
It would also help if G+ Made an easier way of Adding more people (or Circles) rather than selecting one, click add more, select another, click add more. They need to allow you to click as many circles as you want and then click Ok, and give you an option to select all, and make it easier to subtract just a few before you click OK.
I'm not sure I like the idea of "Extended Circles". If a person in one of your circles shares anything and selects Extended Circles, that comment or whatever will show up in your stream as well as anyone else in your circles. What if you don't want comments from John doe to go out to Joe Schmo who happens to be in one of your circles and not John Doe's? So much for control and privacy..
There should be a way to block that.
I agree about your comments. I did see somewhere (but can't remember where) a place we can give feedback. It should be on the + site somewhere. It's early days yet and I'm sure it will go through tons of changes, especially now that over 20million people (I read somewhere) are using it.
Glad you like the photos I have up - I will get more up there eventually but you can also see them in my sigblock below as well .
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I was going to post that but you beat me to it. I hadn't seen this thread before but knew there was chatter about google+ here somewhere.
I'm on if anyone wants to look for me. Username is kathiemt.
Smugmug: http://photosbykathie.com
Blog: http://www.dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathiesPhotos
The idea of keeping all your contacts and friends organized into circles of shared interests or some other commonality is a great idea, but not when you still just send everything out for the whole world to see.
For Example: You create a circle for a specific interest such as Photography. Ask a bunch of your contacts/friends who might have the same interest if they would like to be included in that circle. You place a bunch of people into your Photography circle and now you can start sharing stuff that is relevant to photography and read it in the Stream for that Circle. However, If any of your contact that you added to your photography circle don't do the same and just send all their comments/posts out to all their circles or to the public rather than selecting which circles the comments should be shared with, suddenly the stream/feed for that circle is getting a bunch of irrelevant junk.
Might as well just stick with Facebook if all you want is an unorganized feed that gets flooded daily with hundreds of status updates or shared comments about anything under the sun that have absolutely nothing in common with your interests and you could give a ratsass about.
I have 4 Facebook pages and tend to have an audience for each page. I keep my FB personal profile for family and friends only. So I expect I will use the Google+ circles in much the same way as I have for the individual FB pages.
Smugmug: http://photosbykathie.com
Blog: http://www.dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathiesPhotos
I Agree it will take some time for people to get used to it, But I fear a lot of people won't and just use Public, My Circle or even Extended Circles just because it easier than selecting individual circles.
It would also help if G+ Made an easier way of Adding more people (or Circles) rather than selecting one, click add more, select another, click add more. They need to allow you to click as many circles as you want and then click Ok, and give you an option to select all, and make it easier to subtract just a few before you click OK.
I'm not sure I like the idea of "Extended Circles". If a person in one of your circles shares anything and selects Extended Circles, that comment or whatever will show up in your stream as well as anyone else in your circles. What if you don't want comments from John doe to go out to Joe Schmo who happens to be in one of your circles and not John Doe's? So much for control and privacy..
There should be a way to block that.
Your Screen name won't find you, but your full name minus the middle intial does.
You need to add more pictures, I enjoyed what you already have up.
I agree about your comments. I did see somewhere (but can't remember where) a place we can give feedback. It should be on the + site somewhere. It's early days yet and I'm sure it will go through tons of changes, especially now that over 20million people (I read somewhere) are using it.
Glad you like the photos I have up - I will get more up there eventually but you can also see them in my sigblock below as well .
Cheers!
Smugmug: http://photosbykathie.com
Blog: http://www.dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au/blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathiesPhotos
Thanks in advance.
http://donbirch.smugmug.com/
PM me your email and I'll send you one.
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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KathiesPhotos
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--- Denise
Musings & ramblings at https://denisegoldberg.blogspot.com