Users Weigh in on Google+

07.07.2011
We've heard all about Google+ from the tech pundits, including . However, on Google+ itself, plenty of navel-gazing is going on right now, which leads to a lot of snap analysis from people both "in the know" and the average Joe.

Below are ten comments found while surfing around Google+ seeking users' thoughts about the service. Many seem truly excited about what Google+ may bring to the social networking table, but quite a few are either skeptical or dismissive of its impact in the space.

I'm interested to hear from PCWorld readers who have access to Google+ on what they think. Are you impressed? Nonplussed? Let me know your opinion in the comments.

"I'd love to see Spark stories based on social activity around those stories, eg. "iPhone 5 picture leaked, +384, +3 Friends". It might also be interesting to create circles of Sparks, eg. "Mobile" would contain the keywords "iphone, android, palm", hmm, that might be a bit cumbersome, but there is something to it."

--Kevin Rose, founder of Digg

"I find the UI to be weak, would be better in a column format. The fact you have to click each box to add someone to a circle and the sheer inability to really sort (yes, yes, I know, we have circles)."

-- Serena Ehrlich, West Coast Executive Director of Attention

"I like Google+ quite a bit so far. I was never in love with Facebook, although it beat the heck out of Myspace in terms of usability."

-- Benj Edwards, tech blogger

"After a week, I have almost half as many Google+ friends as the Facebook ones I've collected over five years -- but only 1/32th as many Google+ pals as Twitter followers. I can't tell if that's good, bad, or neutral."

-- Harry McCracken, founder of Technologizer

"So, what is the etiquette on posting the same stuff on Facebook and +? Does anyone know the protocol yet?"

-- Tarik Najeddine, New York City

My real-world friends have stopped using Google Plus. The question is whether they'll start again once more people are allowed to join."

-- Jared Newman, tech blogger

"I like Google+ because I can share my interests via Circles vs Facebook where my 'friends' have no interest in what I have to say. Twitter has too much 'noise'."

-- Leighton Nelson, St. Louis, Mo.

"The UI is clean and simple which makes it nice to look at for extended periods of time. The integration needs some work but it's exciting to think of the possibilities ahead."

-- Kevin Medeiros, Cambridge, Mass.

"G+ Hangout, Picasa/Gmail/GChat integration, and Circles could compel me to close up FaceBook shop. Now all I need are my 300 FaceBook friends."

-- Patrick Moorhead, Corporate VP at AMD

"I'm starting to wonder if Google+ will be the Betamax of Social Networking. Better than Facebook...but never getting the traction. But I guess it's still too early to tell."

-- Laura La Gassa

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