Does that sound negative? Sorry. 

But whenever I hear about a new social network all I mostly feel is dread, not excitement. Because, as a small business owner and general online person, we don’t really have a choice. If even a small section of our customers are on the new network, we kind of have to join. And I will. 

But I really don’t want to. 

Especially since it’s from Google. I know that may seem odd coming from Hilary Champion of Google Docs DePiano but Google has botched more things up then it’s gotten right over the years (especially recently) and after past disasters, I trust them less and less with each product release. I especially don’t relish the chance to give them access to more of my personal info since I already don’t like what they’re doing with the info they have. I invested time in Buzz and whatever that other failed social network one was called that never left beta and both ended up just being a massive waste of time. My faith level in Google social products is pretty low. 

Sure, initial buzz is good for plus. But I hesitate to point out that it was good for those other worthless services as well. Google has its own obsessed fans like Apple and they tend to rally around whatever the G puts out no matter what it’s really like. 

It’s very appropriate they decided to call it “+”. It’s just another extraneous thing to add onto my already cluttered online life. Maybe I’m just being a Plus Bucket but what is the point of this new network beyond Google just feeling left out and crying itself to sleep at night over all the traffic that Facebook and Twitter get? “So Google has a successful social network” is not a good reason to invest time in a new platform as far as I’m concerned. 

But even if it tanks in a few weeks like the others, people like us still need to create a presence everywhere just in case it takes off. But we don’t have to like it. 

As much as it pains me to ask this, can someone send me a stupid beta invite to goddamn Google+…

Am I the only one that feels this way?