Discussion:
Google Play from Windows or Android (versus Gmail)
(too old to reply)
harry newton
2017-05-27 17:13:10 UTC
Permalink
Two questions that came over from the Windows group today.

Is there any way to download from the Google Play store itself (not some
other web site) an Android app without logging into the Google Play store?
(Either through a Windows web browser or through Android phones?)

If an account is always needed, what is the difference, if any, between a
"Google Play Account" and a "Gmail account"?
Poutnik
2017-05-27 17:27:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by harry newton
Two questions that came over from the Windows group today.
Is there any way to download from the Google Play store itself (not some
other web site) an Android app without logging into the Google Play store?
(Either through a Windows web browser or through Android phones?)
If an account is always needed, what is the difference, if any, between a
"Google Play Account" and a "Gmail account"?
There are just Google accounts,
that can be used for Google Play and/or Gmail.
--
Poutnik ( The Pilgrim, Der Wanderer )

A wise man guards words he says,
as they say about him more,
than he says about the subject.
Wildman
2017-05-27 17:44:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by Poutnik
Post by harry newton
Two questions that came over from the Windows group today.
Is there any way to download from the Google Play store itself (not some
other web site) an Android app without logging into the Google Play store?
(Either through a Windows web browser or through Android phones?)
If an account is always needed, what is the difference, if any, between a
"Google Play Account" and a "Gmail account"?
There are just Google accounts,
that can be used for Google Play and/or Gmail.
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
--
<Wildman> GNU/Linux user #557453
The cow died so I don't need your bull!
Poutnik
2017-05-27 18:46:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by Wildman
Post by Poutnik
Post by harry newton
Two questions that came over from the Windows group today.
Is there any way to download from the Google Play store itself (not some
other web site) an Android app without logging into the Google Play store?
(Either through a Windows web browser or through Android phones?)
If an account is always needed, what is the difference, if any, between a
"Google Play Account" and a "Gmail account"?
There are just Google accounts,
that can be used for Google Play and/or Gmail.
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
As Youtube is owned by Google, they involved option
to use Google account even for Youtube.

Similarly options or intentions are
for Facebook with WhatsApp, or Microsoft with Skype.
--
Poutnik ( The Pilgrim, Der Wanderer )

A wise man guards words he says,
as they say about him more,
than he says about the subject.
The Newest Other Guy
2017-05-27 20:08:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Poutnik
Post by Wildman
Post by Poutnik
Post by harry newton
Two questions that came over from the Windows group today.
Is there any way to download from the Google Play store itself (not some
other web site) an Android app without logging into the Google Play store?
(Either through a Windows web browser or through Android phones?)
If an account is always needed, what is the difference, if any, between a
"Google Play Account" and a "Gmail account"?
There are just Google accounts,
that can be used for Google Play and/or Gmail.
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
As Youtube is owned by Google, they involved option
to use Google account even for Youtube.
Similarly options or intentions are
for Facebook with WhatsApp, or Microsoft with Skype.
I have tried REPEATEDLY to explain this to a friend..

While Google is also GNMail, you DO NOT need a gmail account to use the
play store. You DO NOT need a GooglePlus account just because you have a
GMail account.

YOu DO NOT need to use ANY email account for many sites on the net, IF you
have a Facebook account, as sites can and will allow you to post and do
other things VIA that Facebook account.

And if you have an Android Phone, even if it IS on someone else's
account (friends and family or similar) you CAN still shop on-line
using a debit or credit card that's NOT TIED to the phone account.

Amazing how MANY people don't understand such simple shit.
Whiskers
2017-05-27 21:40:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Poutnik
Post by Wildman
Post by Poutnik
Post by harry newton
Two questions that came over from the Windows group today.
Is there any way to download from the Google Play store itself (not some
other web site) an Android app without logging into the Google Play store?
(Either through a Windows web browser or through Android phones?)
If an account is always needed, what is the difference, if any, between a
"Google Play Account" and a "Gmail account"?
There are just Google accounts,
that can be used for Google Play and/or Gmail.
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
As Youtube is owned by Google, they involved option
to use Google account even for Youtube.
Similarly options or intentions are
for Facebook with WhatsApp, or Microsoft with Skype.
I think your Google account will have to have at least one (Android)
'Device' registered with it before you can download any apps, either to
your Android device or to a web browser on some other operating system.
--
-- ^^^^^^^^^^
-- Whiskers
-- ~~~~~~~~~~
VanguardLH
2017-05-27 22:32:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by Whiskers
I think your Google account will have to have at least one (Android)
'Device' registered with it before you can download any apps, either to
your Android device or to a web browser on some other operating system.
And with your Android device registered in your Google account, you can
visit their play store with a web browser on Windows or Linux, find an
app, select to install it, and Google will push the app to that device
if currently connected via wi-fi or data. I configured the play store
app to only download via a wi-fi connection to preserve my data quota.
I can browse there from my Windows desktop and have their play store
push an install onto my Android phone (which has the Google account
defined so it connects to the play store).
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-27 23:03:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by VanguardLH
Post by Whiskers
I think your Google account will have to have at least one (Android)
'Device' registered with it before you can download any apps, either to
your Android device or to a web browser on some other operating system.
And with your Android device registered in your Google account, you can
visit their play store with a web browser on Windows or Linux, find an
app, select to install it, and Google will push the app to that device
if currently connected via wi-fi or data. I configured the play store
app to only download via a wi-fi connection to preserve my data quota.
I can browse there from my Windows desktop and have their play store
push an install onto my Android phone (which has the Google account
defined so it connects to the play store).
If you have several Android devices, it will tell which can accept the
app and which not, and you can choose to which device to send the app.

It is also easier to read the app description on the computer.

And if you are not logged in, you can browse apps without it nagging you
about them later.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
Poutnik
2017-05-28 05:10:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Whiskers
Post by Poutnik
As Youtube is owned by Google, they involved option
to use Google account even for Youtube.
Similarly options or intentions are
for Facebook with WhatsApp, or Microsoft with Skype.
I think your Google account will have to have at least one (Android)
'Device' registered with it before you can download any apps, either to
your Android device or to a web browser on some other operating system.
I do not say otherwise.
You register the device for the Google account.

What of your accounts it is,
and if you use it for anything else,

is on you.
--
Poutnik ( The Pilgrim, Der Wanderer )

A wise man guards words he says,
as they say about him more,
than he says about the subject.
s|b
2017-05-27 20:25:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Wildman
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
Works for Google Drive too.
--
s|b
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-27 22:24:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by s|b
Post by Wildman
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
Works for Google Drive too.
But not automatically for google+, you have to accept something first.

Ie, you can have gmail, play, and yet, not G+.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
VanguardLH
2017-05-27 22:58:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by s|b
Post by Wildman
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
Works for Google Drive too.
But not automatically for google+, you have to accept something first.
Ie, you can have gmail, play, and yet, not G+.
Don't you have to define a G+ profile to stroke your, um, ego in public
to advertise yourself? Luckily Google has not [yet] enforced that we
enlist in their pathos club to have a Google account.

I forget where, perhaps reviews in Google's play store, I could not add
a comment unless first I created a G+ account. No thanks. I'm not that
socially needy. Although I have a Google account (for use with their
play store, Gmail, Google Drive, and everything else Google) and when I
go to plus.google.com, there is a link to "Join Google+" probably
because I have not joined and they want me to. I'm not clicking on the
link because it might go to a profile definition page or it might just
go ahead and join me - and I'm sure once joined that I could unjoin.
https://support.google.com/plus/answer/6320423?hl=en says how to delete
my G+ profile so maybe that's how I would unjoin. I think the only
reason why they require me to join G+ is that a profile is where they
track my reviews; i.e., I can go into my profile and see my list of
reviews, maybe even those in Youtube, too.

Leaving reviews at their play store and for Youtube videos is, to me,
unimportant. If they really wanted my review, they wouldn't force me to
join their club of members suffering Histrionic Personality Disorder. I
don't need followers. I'm not interested in joining a mass of morons.
I'm an independent extrovert (with some arrogance tossed in), not a
dependent extrovert that needs ego stroking from others. I don't feel
the need to advertise myself or stroke myself in public.
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-27 23:08:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by VanguardLH
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by s|b
Post by Wildman
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
Works for Google Drive too.
But not automatically for google+, you have to accept something first.
Ie, you can have gmail, play, and yet, not G+.
Don't you have to define a G+ profile to stroke your, um, ego in public
to advertise yourself? Luckily Google has not [yet] enforced that we
enlist in their pathos club to have a Google account.
G+ has other utilities.

You can upload some photos to drive, and share them with a person or
group of persons that also have G+, and only them can see those photos.
Not the universe. You can choose who has access.

You can have G+ and not publish anything to the world. Only privately.

Sharing a file with a link means no auth check.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
harry newton
2017-05-27 23:53:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
G+ has other utilities.
Putting all the responses together, does that mean there are TWO kinds of
Google "accounts"?

Google Plus (the facebook-like thing)
and
Google account (includes Google Play, Youtube, Google Drive & Gmail)

Is that accurate?
If not, what needs to be fixed?
VanguardLH
2017-05-28 01:35:29 UTC
Permalink
Post by harry newton
Post by Carlos E.R.
G+ has other utilities.
Putting all the responses together, does that mean there are TWO kinds of
Google "accounts"?
Google Plus (the facebook-like thing)
and
Google account (includes Google Play, Youtube, Google Drive & Gmail)
Is that accurate?
If not, what needs to be fixed?
No, as mentioned you get one Google account. It's your choice whether
or not to subscribe (join) the Google+ service feature.
harry newton
2017-05-28 02:13:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by VanguardLH
No, as mentioned you get one Google account. It's your choice whether
or not to subscribe (join) the Google+ service feature.
Is this accurate yet?

You get one "google account", which always includes Google Play, YouTube,
Google Drive and Gmail (whether or not you choose to use them), and which
you can also choose to add Google Plus.
tlvp
2017-05-28 07:37:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by harry newton
You get one "google account",
You can get a "google account" as many times as you like. For example, I
have at least two (for two distinct gmail addresses), a third for YouTube,
and yet another one to be able to access the Play Store.

But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .

Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
The Real Bev
2017-05-28 16:40:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by tlvp
Post by harry newton
You get one "google account",
You can get a "google account" as many times as you like. For example, I
have at least two (for two distinct gmail addresses), a third for YouTube,
and yet another one to be able to access the Play Store.
Similarly, but you have to keep logging in and out when you switch
between accounts which is a monumental nuisance.
Post by tlvp
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
I set up google plus in order to use hangouts' phone via wifi, which
I've only used to test. My communication needs are minimal :-)
--
Cheers, Bev
Teamwork: A bunch of people running around doing what I tell them.
nospam
2017-05-28 16:56:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by The Real Bev
Post by tlvp
You can get a "google account" as many times as you like. For example, I
have at least two (for two distinct gmail addresses), a third for YouTube,
and yet another one to be able to access the Play Store.
Similarly, but you have to keep logging in and out when you switch
between accounts which is a monumental nuisance.
nonsense. in fact, google makes it easy.

<https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1721977>
If you have more than one Google Account, you can sign in to multiple
accounts at once. That way, you can switch between accounts without
signing out and back in again.
Post by The Real Bev
Post by tlvp
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
I set up google plus in order to use hangouts' phone via wifi, which
I've only used to test. My communication needs are minimal :-)
so is your understanding on how it works.
tlvp
2017-05-28 20:51:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by The Real Bev
you have to keep logging in and out when you switch
between accounts which is a monumental nuisance.
Whenever I check email *anywhere* I have to log in to that account, and
once I'm done checking that email I log out, for security's sake. Nuisance?
Hardly. Monumental nuisance? Not at all. Half-a-dozen email accounts,
half-a-dozen loggings in, and reading/writings, and loggings out, NBD.

What is it exactly that *you* find to be such "a monumental nuisance"?

Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
nospam
2017-05-28 20:56:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by tlvp
Post by The Real Bev
you have to keep logging in and out when you switch
between accounts which is a monumental nuisance.
Whenever I check email *anywhere* I have to log in to that account, and
once I'm done checking that email I log out, for security's sake. Nuisance?
Hardly. Monumental nuisance? Not at all. Half-a-dozen email accounts,
half-a-dozen loggings in, and reading/writings, and loggings out, NBD.
you do that at home? on a computer that nobody else has access to? and
your email client doesn't save your login credentials?
tlvp
2017-05-28 23:28:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
you do that at home? on a computer that nobody else has access to? and
your email client doesn't save your login credentials?
I wash my dishes after I eat from them, too, no matter how wasteful you
think that is of soap and water and towels and time.

And my email client(s)? Yes, save. And yes, log out after logging in and
dealing with new mail to receive or to send. Automatically. Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-28 19:16:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by tlvp
Post by harry newton
You get one "google account",
You can get a "google account" as many times as you like. For example, I
have at least two (for two distinct gmail addresses), a third for YouTube,
and yet another one to be able to access the Play Store.
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.

I'm not using the social network features of G+ and it doesn't bother one.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
nospam
2017-05-28 20:48:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by tlvp
Post by harry newton
You get one "google account",
You can get a "google account" as many times as you like. For example, I
have at least two (for two distinct gmail addresses), a third for YouTube,
and yet another one to be able to access the Play Store.
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
there are plenty of image upload services, such as <http://imgur.com>,
without requiring an account.
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-29 13:43:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by tlvp
Post by harry newton
You get one "google account",
You can get a "google account" as many times as you like. For example, I
have at least two (for two distinct gmail addresses), a third for YouTube,
and yet another one to be able to access the Play Store.
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
there are plenty of image upload services, such as <http://imgur.com>,
without requiring an account.
In which case, how do you control who sees them?
--
Cheers, Carlos.
nospam
2017-05-29 14:38:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
there are plenty of image upload services, such as <http://imgur.com>,
without requiring an account.
In which case, how do you control who sees them?
you give the link to those who you want to see it.

you can also delete it after they do so.
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-29 19:03:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
there are plenty of image upload services, such as <http://imgur.com>,
without requiring an account.
In which case, how do you control who sees them?
you give the link to those who you want to see it.
In which case, they can forward that link to another person and that
second person will see it as well.

This is what I do not want.

Sending to an identified G+ account doesn't have that problem.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
nospam
2017-05-29 19:29:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
there are plenty of image upload services, such as <http://imgur.com>,
without requiring an account.
In which case, how do you control who sees them?
you give the link to those who you want to see it.
In which case, they can forward that link to another person and that
second person will see it as well.
ask them not to do that.
Post by Carlos E.R.
This is what I do not want.
understandable, but you do need to be able to trust people to whom you
send photos, links to photos, or any other confidential information.
Post by Carlos E.R.
Sending to an identified G+ account doesn't have that problem.
yes it does.

save a copy of the photo and they can send it to anyone they want.
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-30 02:16:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
there are plenty of image upload services, such as <http://imgur.com>,
without requiring an account.
In which case, how do you control who sees them?
you give the link to those who you want to see it.
In which case, they can forward that link to another person and that
second person will see it as well.
ask them not to do that.
No.
I want them unable to do that, and G+ does it.
Other services do it, if you need to login to access.

Not because of malice, but forgetfulness or simply not knowing computerese.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
nospam
2017-05-30 06:02:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
you give the link to those who you want to see it.
In which case, they can forward that link to another person and that
second person will see it as well.
ask them not to do that.
No.
I want them unable to do that, and G+ does it.
no it doesn't.

anyone can easily save an image or take a screenshot and do whatever
they want with the photos (or whatever else you send) and there's
absolutely nothing you can do to stop that.

all google+ does is stop the honest people, who wont be redistributing
your photos anyway.

you have to *trust* the recipient with what you send. most people are
trustworthy and will respect the sender's wishes. unfortunately, not
all are.
Carlos E.R.
2017-05-30 21:47:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
you give the link to those who you want to see it.
In which case, they can forward that link to another person and that
second person will see it as well.
ask them not to do that.
No.
I want them unable to do that, and G+ does it.
no it doesn't.
Yes, it does.
Post by nospam
anyone can easily save an image or take a screenshot and do whatever
they want with the photos (or whatever else you send) and there's
absolutely nothing you can do to stop that.
That's not sending a link.
Post by nospam
all google+ does is stop the honest people, who wont be redistributing
your photos anyway.
That's fine. Just what I want.


Conversation terminated.
--
Cheers, Carlos.
nospam
2017-05-30 21:50:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by nospam
anyone can easily save an image or take a screenshot and do whatever
they want with the photos (or whatever else you send) and there's
absolutely nothing you can do to stop that.
That's not sending a link.
they do that with the link you sent.

tlvp
2017-05-28 20:57:23 UTC
Permalink
Post by Carlos E.R.
Post by tlvp
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
I have photos that I want to share with friends, and they do not want
them to be emailed and use disk space. Sharing privately with G+ is just
the thing.
Fine. I say "Nein, danke," you say "Vielen dank" (or 'Muchas gracias"). No
skin off my nose, you're free to do as best suits you :-) . Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
Frank Slootweg
2017-05-28 20:01:56 UTC
Permalink
tlvp <***@att.net> wrote:
[...]
Post by tlvp
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
Agreed on Google Plus.

On Google Drive - or any cloud storage service for that matter -, I
hadn't any use for that for a long time, but now I have it as an offsite
storage area for the incremental backups between two full backups on
swapped offsite harddisks.

So if something happens to my local system *and* my local backup -
i.e. theft, fire, etc, -, I'm covered by the full backup on my offsite
harddisk and the incrementals on Google Drive.

BTW, I somewhat pity Google's harvesting agents trying to break the
encryption of my files on my Google Drive! :-)

So for me it's -- Ja gerne, aber ich bin kein Verückter! :-)
tlvp
2017-05-28 21:01:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Frank Slootweg
[...]
Post by tlvp
But Google Plus? Google Drive? -- Nein, danke :-) .
Agreed on Google Plus.
On Google Drive - or any cloud storage service for that matter -, I
hadn't any use for that for a long time, but now I have it as an offsite
storage area for the incremental backups between two full backups on
swapped offsite harddisks.
So if something happens to my local system *and* my local backup -
i.e. theft, fire, etc, -, I'm covered by the full backup on my offsite
harddisk and the incrementals on Google Drive.
BTW, I somewhat pity Google's harvesting agents trying to break the
encryption of my files on my Google Drive! :-)
So for me it's -- Ja gerne, aber ich bin kein Verückter! :-)
Good you can take advantage of it. Here my internet access is so slow (you
don't want to know :-) ) I'd be the better part of a week getting my first
base upload completed. Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
nospam
2017-05-28 22:14:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by tlvp
Good you can take advantage of it. Here my internet access is so slow (you
don't want to know :-) ) I'd be the better part of a week getting my first
base upload completed. Cheers, -- tlvp
some cloud services can be seeded with a hard drive.
tlvp
2017-05-28 23:31:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
some cloud services can be seeded with a hard drive.
And some with sodium iodide. Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
nospam
2017-05-28 23:38:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by tlvp
Post by nospam
some cloud services can be seeded with a hard drive.
And some with sodium iodide. Cheers, -- tlvp
another content-free post.
tlvp
2017-05-29 07:05:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by nospam
another content-free post.
Of course. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. --tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
s|b
2017-05-28 15:27:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by VanguardLH
No, as mentioned you get one Google account. It's your choice whether
or not to subscribe (join) the Google+ service feature.
I registered for Gmail and got the whole package, even Google+, which I
did not wanted. Anyway, that's how I remember it...
--
s|b
VanguardLH
2017-05-28 21:28:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by s|b
Post by VanguardLH
No, as mentioned you get one Google account. It's your choice whether
or not to subscribe (join) the Google+ service feature.
I registered for Gmail and got the whole package, even Google+, which I
did not wanted. Anyway, that's how I remember it...
My Gmail account is many years old. That was back around 2009 when the
only way to get a Gmail account was to request an invite, wait for an
invite to show up (in your current e-mail account), and then use the
invite to create a Gmail account. As I recall, the invite-only process
lasted more than 3 years during which the product remained in beta
status.

Maybe they changed their policy since then and newer accounts got stuck
with a Google+ profile. I went to plus.google.com and it looks like I
have a profile but its some default template because I've never used it
or bothered to look at it.

Awhile back, Google was trying all sorts of ways to push their Gmail
users to use their G+ profiles. After acquistion of Youtube, you could
not post a review unless you agreed to activate your G+ profile. Google
has tried this ploy before, like with their Authorship feature where
Google threatened oblivion to authors that did not participate in adding
content to Google's search results. Their ploy failed and Google
stopped requiring using a G+ profile to post comments at Youtube back
around August 2015.

When I go to plus.google.com (after logging into Gmail), yes, I get a
web page there that looks like I activated my Google+ profile but why
is there a "Join Google+" link on the left if I'm already in? If I'm
already enlisted just by having a Gmail account, why am I asked to join?
Maybe I do have a Google+ profile (not yet filled out by me) and the
"join" option is so I could connect to some Google+ community. Google
makes it unclear if I have a Google+ profile or not and if I'm "joined"
to Google+. When I go to plus.google.com, all I see is a bunch of
"trending" blather pushed by Google.

Every Gmail account has an available Google+ profile but not all Gmail
users use their Google+ profile. That's why there are supposedly 2.5
billion Google+ users because there are that many Gmail accounts.
Facebook is estimated to have 1.5 billion users (Facebook's claim). The
Google+ population size is misleading because not all Gmail users use
their Google+ profile.

https://www.stonetemple.com/real-numbers-for-the-activity-on-google-plus/

That estimates 90% of Gmail users have not used their Google+ profile.
So instead of Google+ (using Gmail accounts as a gauge) being 1.7 times
larger than Facebook , the Google+ population (2.5B x 0.1 = 0.25B) is
about 6 times smaller (1.5B / 0.25B = 6) than for Facebook. Google+ is
the walking dead.

Google+ was Google envious reaction to Facebook. As with many things
Google, they treat it as an experiment. With Google, experiments come
and go. They may last several years but Google may decide to someday
discontinue the project. Several times Googles has rolled back their
resources to focus on their core business.

Google X (lasted only 1 day)
Google Catalog
Google Web Accelerator
Google Video Player
Google Answers (trying to compete with Yahoo Answers)
Google Wave
Google Wiki Search
Google Audio Ads
Google Dodgeball
Jaiku
Orkut
Google Authorship
Google Notebook
Google Page Creator
Google Buzz
Google Desktop
Google Gears
Google Health
Google One Pass
Knol (in trying to kill Wikipedia)
Google Videos (failed so they bought Youtube instead)
Google+ (a ghosttown waiting to blow away)

How can users trust a company that doesn't have a clue as to what
direction they want to take. You do know that Google is wandering off
into self-driving cars now called Waymo (waymo.com), right? When
diversification bloats beyond the resources of a company, they
consolidate. That means projects disappear.

Hangouts and Photos got spun out of Google+. Google is trying to figure
out how to salvage Google+. Facebook continues to poach Google
employees. Facebook and Twitter continue chipping away at Google's ad
revenue. Either Google+ will disappear along with other failed Google
experiments or it will [d]evolve into something else.

Probably the only reason why Gmail survives is as a deep data mining and
profiling resource for Google.
tlvp
2017-05-28 23:39:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by VanguardLH
As with many things
Google, they treat it as an experiment. With Google, experiments come
and go. They may last several years but Google may decide to someday
discontinue the project.
You remind me of the transition between google pages and google sites. And
google photos and whatever it was named that came before (picasa? other?).

Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
The Real Bev
2017-05-29 06:06:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by tlvp
Post by VanguardLH
As with many things
Google, they treat it as an experiment. With Google, experiments come
and go. They may last several years but Google may decide to someday
discontinue the project.
You remind me of the transition between google pages and google sites. And
google photos and whatever it was named that came before (picasa? other?).
I was picasaweb and was MUCH better than google photos. I wanted to
make almost all of my photos public, but you can't do that with google
photos. The most you can do (other than posting to FB, Twitter, etc.)
is generate a link to send to people, and the link is good only for six
months.

I'm not interested in making money from my pix, and the ones that should
be family-only are already private. Why should they care about the rest
when it just causes a nuisance?
--
Cheers, Bev
He's your god. They're your rules. *You* burn in hell!
sms
2017-05-28 18:31:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by VanguardLH
No, as mentioned you get one Google account. It's your choice whether
or not to subscribe (join) the Google+ service feature.
If you're a Google employee you're required to use Google+ as this image
shows:
<Loading Image...>
Good Guy
2017-05-27 18:46:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Wildman
Can also be used for YouTube. I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
I can also send an email.
--
With over 500 million devices now running Windows 10, customer
satisfaction is higher than any previous version of windows.
The Real Bev
2017-05-27 21:46:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by Wildman
I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
That's in reality a curse -- the worst thing about Google.
--
Cheers, Bev
"I don't need instructions, I have a hammer."
-- T.W. Wier
nospam
2017-05-27 23:04:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by The Real Bev
Post by Wildman
I remember a slogan that went
something like this... One account for all things Google.
That's in reality a curse
not at all, and it's easy to use more than one account. in fact, google
makes it easy to do exactly that.
Post by The Real Bev
the worst thing about Google.
no, definitely not the worst. not even close.

this one is near (or at) the top of the list:

<http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-google-online-ads-retail-shop
ping-20170523-story.html>
Google already monitors your online shopping ‹ but now it's also
keeping an eye on what you're buying in physical stores to try to
sell more digital advertising.
...
Google says it has access to roughly 70 percent of U.S. credit and
debit card transactions through partnerships with other companies
that track that data. By scanning this data, Google says it can
automatically inform merchants when their digital ads translate into
sales at a brick-and-mortar store.
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