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Paul Allen, the founder of Ancestry.com keeps coming up as potential contact on Google+. First of all, I have never met Mr. Allen, nor have I ever had any contact, that I know of, with Mr. Allen. I also note that Mr. Allen already has, as of today 27 July 2011, 20,222 people with him in their circles. While he "only" has 2719 people in his circle. I am quite sure that if I am never added to Mr. Allen's circles in one way or another, that I will not be missed.
This points up an interesting aspect of the so-called social networking. In some cases it is neither social nor networking. I use Mr. Allen as an example, because he is suggested as a contact almost every time I sign on to Google+.
Google+ seems to have been almost immediately and heavily adopted by the genealogical community. Although my numbers pale in comparison to Mr. Allen's, I already have many more people than I had on Facebook after more than a year. But is Google+ doing something not available or done before the genealogical community? I have my doubts but I am waiting to see how it develops. The comments I hear indicate that the main reason genealogists have turned to Google+ rather than Facebook is the lack of games and ads. But think about this, I have yet to meet anyone who has given up their Facebook account for Google+.
I have to admit that I am not spending much time on Google+. I spend almost no time on Facebook and do not expect to change my avoidance of the trivia on that venue in the near or distant future. I haven't seen any reason to lurk around on Google+ either. I will use both venues for exchanging genealogical information and updates to my blog posts and other items I feel might be of interest. But I am not interested in relating the day's experiences to the world.
I can see the value of opening up another way to communicate more directly with genealogists and for this I applaud Google+, but I am guessing that some of the same annoying things on Facebook will ultimately appear in some form or another. But if any of you wish to add me to your circles, please feel free to do so, maybe I can give Paul Allen a run for his money. :-)
Be thankful you are not in Mr. Allen's circle. He is much too prolific. When I first joined G+ I saw he had added me to his circle. Ooohhh, Ancestry.com founder, I thought, so I added him. Big mistake. Then spent the next week trying to figure out how to un-circle him. Must say, most of the genealogists there are doing the same thing with Mr. Allen. Because of being in his circle, I've notice that a bunch of IT and Tech folks are adding me to their circles. Yesterday I posted a request to the Tech folks to not bother adding me to their circles - I only want to play with the genealogy crowd. I must have just taunted them - today, I'm in even more circles!
ReplyDeleteI also read that games and apps are on their way to Google plus. And so will, Google Ads, I imagine.
Just keep providing your links to the Genealogy Star blog, James, because I will continue reading.
I've been following Genealogy Star (as well as your photography sites) as soon as I found them. When I saw your name on Google+, I immediately added you to my Genealogy Circle, because I thought I could learn about new posts (and cross conversations) more easily. I HOPE G+ lives up to this current willowing out of post types. I didn't even know you were on FaceBook. I haven't closed my FaceBook account; I just think that G+ and FaceBook will serve different purposes (and I HOPE that I am correct).
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh with this post. What I am resisting is Twitter. I have an account, but honestly, I do not want to run up my phone bill. I also am on Facebook but other than Genealogy the only other thing I seem to use it for is my daughter and close friends. I was added to Google + but have not spent much time there either.
ReplyDeleteI sound really boring....Tomorrow I am even going to look for dead people..