Don't bitch at me... Tell Google!

So I did a post on how I felt that there was room for both Google+ AND facebook in the enterprise realm. Later in the day I was chatting ( me through Google+ and he through what I'm assuming was Gmail) with a good friend of mine who also happens to be a highly certified information security specialist for one of, if not THE largest bank in the US, and he expressed concerns over Google's Privacy Policy. He seemed to think that it some how infringed on our First Amendment rights. So I read it again (yes, I do tend to read most privacy policies! ). I didn't really see where he was coming from with it, but we agreed to disagree. I mean if you want to boil it down to it's base elements, simple having an ISP or an Internet connection for that mater, opens you up to censorship by a government or corporation. It's one of those things we all live with to enable us to be connected and informed. Bear in mind that I'm not condoning this, just stating the reality of the situation. So to bring it back to what I was saying in my previous post, Google+ is in it's infancy! While it is absorbing membership like one of those compressed sponges thrown in a swimming pool, the sheer quantity of the membership does not incite change, but it's the force of that membership pushing forward that does. What I'm saying, basically, is as early adopters of a new product, the vendor tends to rely on feedback from us to make the product better, more streamline or just plain not suck! My friend had suggestions as how to make Google+ more adaptive and secure for the enterprise environment. What good did it do to tell me (beyond inspiring this blog entry!) when I can do nothing to change it?! In the top right hand corner (Windows version... Haven't made it up stairs to set it up on my Mac, yet) of the Google+ (let's go with G+ from here on out as I'm tiring of typing Google, aight?) there is the little gear shaped icon generally recognized as the tools menu. Upon clicking said icon you get a drop down that contains the link to Send Feedback. I told him that since I knew he had a Gmail acct AND an invite to G+, to do so... as in send feedback! His response was his usual "Grrrr", which indicates that he knows I'm right, but will never own up to it. Am I not right, though? You want to filter your stream better... Tell Google! You want to prevent cross-contamination of your circles... Tell Google! You want to be able to play Farmville... Tell Google! (I guess at this point the whole G+ thing is kinda irrelevant!) One side note, I sincerely hope that they don't allow G+'s pristine waters to be muddied by all the annoying games and apps that have made facebook intolerable at times! So to crank the handle on the reel once again... If you use G+ and see changes that you feel need to be made... Tell Google! Utilize the very convenient Send Feedback button and let them know. Bitching about it in your blog or on facebook to your friends does nothing to improve the product! If nothing else, delete you membership to it. If they see declining user numbers they will look in to it. For all the crap that Apple Fan Folk get looking at and adapting to feedback is one thing Apple does well. While they may not completely repeal or redesign an update, if enough folks are yelling "y'all fucked up with this one!" at them they will find a middle ground to at least soothe the majority of the masses.
   So to wind this Mother on down so I can get some sleep... Realize that G+ is in it's early stages, no product is "perfect" upon initial release and the only way that it's going to to be honed to meet the needs of whoever the target audience is, is for people to give feedback.
   One final note... I like what I see so far with G+. I see the potential for it to not only be a powerful tool for businesses, but also a kick ass social network (provided they keep all those damn games off it!)! So don't rant at me for security loop holes and if it isn't a clone of facebook... Tell Google!

   UPDATE: found this little article on Mashable this morning that goes along with the opening statements of this blog. Do We Need an Internet Freedom Movement?