[Freedombox-discuss] article on Google+

[John Walsh]

> 
> Here is an article on upcoming social networking enhancements 
> to Google, called Google+. Inspirational for conceptual (and, 
> if web-based,
> interface) design, and scary in other aspects.
> 
> http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2011/06/inside-google-how-the-
> search-giant-plans-to-go-social.ars

Thanks for the link.

I am surprised that GaolBox (Google) has taken this long to leverage their
silos/assets - picasso will be photos; youtube will be videos; docs will be
docs!; Gmail will be email; calendar will be event; etc. Its scary to think
they scaled back the original monster from last year, but that's probably a
smart move because adding features will give it a "buzz" every time they
roll out a "new" feature and will be done better under Hertzfeld's eye. 

The "chip" bling compared to Facebook's functional UI will appeal to GenY's
to move. I am not surprised that the people focus is done so well with
Joseph Smarr, former CTO of Plaxo, at GaolBox. I suspect he dropped his
"connection" design for simplicity with the increased visibility of Groups -
I think this is a mistake because there is a risk of people being ungrouped.

The SPARKS (Search People And Recreation Knowledgebase System) widget it
quite smart, because once you click on that you are in search mode
(customised to your personal taste) rather than the in your face (book) adds
from dating agencies when you are single again. I didn't think it was smart
PR to say in a few years time SPARKS will leak into your activity stream. 

I thought it was smart to reach out, via email, to people not in the
GaolBox- network, but this is probably really a response to Facebook
circling the wagons by locking people in with a Facebook email address. I am
curious if the emails just contain a link back to GaolBox-, or do people
receive photos as attachments which is a pretty ugly UI.