3 ms·

It's a bit easier when you already have a user base of billions. Edit: So I disagree with the article entirely, it's not interesting at all.

jhdavids8 15y ago
Agreed. While I really want Google+ to succeed, this means absolutely nothing. Google could come out with something silly, say an Interactive Sandwich Maker (where did that come from??), and it would probably get 10 million users within a few weeks.
- cgarb 15y ago
  While it means nothing with regards to the ultimate success of the platform, it is much better uptake than wave or buzz. Will be interesting to see if people find different use for it than FB/Twitter. I don't see it yet, but if they get the groups angle right could mirror how real life sharing works to some degree.
- rokhayakebe 15y ago
  As Tibbon pointed, you are wrong. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2793654 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2793654
  - jsavimbi 15y ago
    A better base metric would be to measure how long it took to reach a specific number of items posted or shared per day. Those posts on Google+ about Google+ would be disqualified outright, which right now account for ~50% of my stream. Also, in reference to the quickie TC chart, those of number of users who opted-in to a feature their provider activated. In other words, it's a voluntary rollout versus their previous social offerings.
  - Toady 15y ago
    What? Tibbon's post doesn't disprove anything. It just asks if Wave or Buzz achieved that many users so quickly, and the answer is yes--Buzz had millions of users after two days according to Google: http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users-and-improvements.html http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users...
  - jhdavids8 15y ago
    Yeah, like Toady said, not quite. Simply saying you don't think Wave got to that many numbers is by no means proving me wrong. Besides, Wave and Buzz came out at a different time, when everyone was still in love with FB. Now, users are clamoring for another option besides FB, and Google's simply giving it to them. The timing is much, much better than before.
    - rokhayakebe 15y ago
      Ok, I stand corrected.
espinchi 15y ago
What do you disagree with? The article hardly makes a point, just says that the graph is cool (their opinion), but unfair (obvious). I'd like to see MySpace in the graph, it of course took them much longer to reach 10 million users.
tibbon 15y ago
Agreed, that having a huge user base of another product helps. But did Google Wave or Buzz take off that fast? I don't think Wave ever probably got to that many users.
- aditiyaa1 15y ago
  Thats true,part of it maybe that we were a bit tired of FB . Also there was a sense of hype around the launch of Google + which we didnt have in Wave or Buzz. Even though I use FB more than any other social networking websites, I still think many of their features suck a lot (photo album, chat). It bothers me that they have been in business for so long , but they have failed to incorporate better features . For me the way FB was frantically responding to Google+ seems silly. They should have done these way before. Can anyone explain why FB had to wait for adding new features until Google+ was launched.
  - Ronkdar 15y ago
    Google Wave and Buzz were published with minimal fanfare, and used a paradigm unfamiliar to Facebook users. Google+ is so familiar, and became so quickly wrapped up with everything else in your Google account, that transitioning and participating were easy.
    - FaceKicker 15y ago
      In Google+'s case, would you say that a single blog post on the day it launched was anything beyond "minimal fanfare"?
      - bonch 15y ago
        The countless articles of hype on all the tech sites certainly qualify. HN was posting a constant stream of Google+ links every day.
- Toady 15y ago
  But did Google Wave or Buzz take off that fast? Yes, in two days, Buzz had millions of users according to Google: http://tinyurl.com/3gsve3q http://tinyurl.com/3gsve3q I think Google+ is way overhyped. It's currently riding a novelty factor among early adopters of not being Twitter or Facebook. You even get blasted on it if you mention "Follow Friday."
JadeRobbins 15y ago
Agreed. Also, if it's growing so fast why does it still feel like a graveyard?!
- josefresco 15y ago
  Google+ is less a graveyard (see MySpace) and more like a new frontier full of pioneers but lacking the 'general public' that makes it feel built out like FB does.
- afterburner 15y ago
  If it helps, I'm a data point who's seen lots of Google+ activity among close and remote friends, embraced by many who were avid Facebook users (I wasn't). I can't compare it with others from my point of view since I joined other social networks late, but it seems to be doing quite well with people I know. The much feared group inertia was given a quick and solid kick by Google+ in my case. Just thought I'd balance the comments about it being empty and inactive.
topherjaynes 15y ago
And easier when you can spread the launch through other social networks. Most of my the people I follow/are friends with posted the phrase "who wants a google+ invite?".
speckledjim 15y ago
If it was that easy, wave or buzz would have taken off.

jhdavids8 15y ago

Agreed. While I really want Google+ to succeed, this means absolutely nothing. Google could come out with something silly, say an Interactive Sandwich Maker (where did that come from??), and it would probably get 10 million users within a few weeks.

cgarb 15y ago
While it means nothing with regards to the ultimate success of the platform, it is much better uptake than wave or buzz. Will be interesting to see if people find different use for it than FB/Twitter. I don't see it yet, but if they get the groups angle right could mirror how real life sharing works to some degree.
rokhayakebe 15y ago
As Tibbon pointed, you are wrong. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2793654 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2793654
- jsavimbi 15y ago
  A better base metric would be to measure how long it took to reach a specific number of items posted or shared per day. Those posts on Google+ about Google+ would be disqualified outright, which right now account for ~50% of my stream. Also, in reference to the quickie TC chart, those of number of users who opted-in to a feature their provider activated. In other words, it's a voluntary rollout versus their previous social offerings.
- Toady 15y ago
  What? Tibbon's post doesn't disprove anything. It just asks if Wave or Buzz achieved that many users so quickly, and the answer is yes--Buzz had millions of users after two days according to Google: http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users-and-improvements.html http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/millions-of-buzz-users...
- jhdavids8 15y ago
  Yeah, like Toady said, not quite. Simply saying you don't think Wave got to that many numbers is by no means proving me wrong. Besides, Wave and Buzz came out at a different time, when everyone was still in love with FB. Now, users are clamoring for another option besides FB, and Google's simply giving it to them. The timing is much, much better than before.
  - rokhayakebe 15y ago
    Ok, I stand corrected.

espinchi 15y ago

What do you disagree with? The article hardly makes a point, just says that the graph is cool (their opinion), but unfair (obvious). I'd like to see MySpace in the graph, it of course took them much longer to reach 10 million users.

tibbon 15y ago

Agreed, that having a huge user base of another product helps. But did Google Wave or Buzz take off that fast? I don't think Wave ever probably got to that many users.

aditiyaa1 15y ago
Thats true,part of it maybe that we were a bit tired of FB . Also there was a sense of hype around the launch of Google + which we didnt have in Wave or Buzz. Even though I use FB more than any other social networking websites, I still think many of their features suck a lot (photo album, chat). It bothers me that they have been in business for so long , but they have failed to incorporate better features . For me the way FB was frantically responding to Google+ seems silly. They should have done these way before. Can anyone explain why FB had to wait for adding new features until Google+ was launched.
- Ronkdar 15y ago
  Google Wave and Buzz were published with minimal fanfare, and used a paradigm unfamiliar to Facebook users. Google+ is so familiar, and became so quickly wrapped up with everything else in your Google account, that transitioning and participating were easy.
  - FaceKicker 15y ago
    In Google+'s case, would you say that a single blog post on the day it launched was anything beyond "minimal fanfare"?
    - bonch 15y ago
      The countless articles of hype on all the tech sites certainly qualify. HN was posting a constant stream of Google+ links every day.
Toady 15y ago
But did Google Wave or Buzz take off that fast? Yes, in two days, Buzz had millions of users according to Google: http://tinyurl.com/3gsve3q http://tinyurl.com/3gsve3q I think Google+ is way overhyped. It's currently riding a novelty factor among early adopters of not being Twitter or Facebook. You even get blasted on it if you mention "Follow Friday."

JadeRobbins 15y ago

Agreed. Also, if it's growing so fast why does it still feel like a graveyard?!

josefresco 15y ago
Google+ is less a graveyard (see MySpace) and more like a new frontier full of pioneers but lacking the 'general public' that makes it feel built out like FB does.
afterburner 15y ago
If it helps, I'm a data point who's seen lots of Google+ activity among close and remote friends, embraced by many who were avid Facebook users (I wasn't). I can't compare it with others from my point of view since I joined other social networks late, but it seems to be doing quite well with people I know. The much feared group inertia was given a quick and solid kick by Google+ in my case. Just thought I'd balance the comments about it being empty and inactive.

topherjaynes 15y ago

And easier when you can spread the launch through other social networks. Most of my the people I follow/are friends with posted the phrase "who wants a google+ invite?".

speckledjim 15y ago

If it was that easy, wave or buzz would have taken off.