Comments on: Google Buzz doesn’t KISS

By: The Evolution from Numbers to Relevance by @ScepticGeek

The Evolution from Numbers to Relevance by @ScepticGeek — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:36:31 +0000

[...] I discussed extensively in my post on why Google Buzz should not simply be yet-another-aggregator, lifestreaming and aggregation have failed to take off and gain [...]

By: Mahendra

Mahendra — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:49:06 +0000

Thanks, Robert – I hope so too!

By: RobertHiggins

RobertHiggins — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:20:15 +0000

This a good post. It combines alot of what i have been feeling. In it's infancy Buzz is interesting. I love Friendfeed, and I like how Freindfeed has mellowed out over time. It hs a subtle charming quality now that A-List early adopters have mostly moved on. I think over time Buzz will also provide a more charming appeal once the new car smell has left.

By: Ahad Bokhari

Ahad Bokhari — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:45:59 +0000

Google's privacy track record is pristine – that's why everyone is coming down hard on them. If you look at FB's it's the total opposite, stolen ideas etc etc. I think eventually $Goog will get the social thing right..

By: DShan

DShan — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:21:59 +0000

Fair enough. Unfortunately that the space I care the least about their
customer service, but you have a valid point; getting into the social space
means you have to be social.

By: Mahendra

Mahendra — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:05:01 +0000

Buzz doesn't fit in Reader either – imagine once other services are integrated. I don't want people's last.fm picks in my Reader!

You are not the only one who can't get clarity on Wave/Buzz, Khürt. I don't think even Google has clarity – they're testing the waters right now.

By: Khürt

Khürt — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:55:03 +0000

I think that Wave should be re-deployed as an opt-in feature within the existing G-mail. I don't think the Gmail is the right place for Buzz. I think it should be an opt-in feature of Google Reader. I can't get clarity around this but it just feels like a better fit conceptually.

By: Mahendra

Mahendra — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:46:28 +0000

DShan,

In case of Buzz, there are two reasons why Google has been very responsive to feedback: one is because of privacy, which has always been an important issue with Google; second is their poor track record in the social space, which puts them on the defensive.

By: DShan

DShan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:54:41 +0000

I don't agree with this last statement, but it's probably a more personal riff. Google has, in my opinion, a spotty history of listening to users. They are pretty self-reliant when it comes to their product decisions and they certainly don't provide much in the way of customer service. Maybe your experience is different, but mine has been one of a company that relies too heavily on their own koolaid.

By: DShan

DShan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:52:27 +0000

I think this is the short term win that Google can get with Buzz, even with power users. The medium highlights the potential of Wave for me; it give me a quick way to reach out to a list of people on one subject and to start a conversation. One I can circle back and check. Throw in some file sharing and I can't see a reason to use things like Basecamp or other collaborative project suites. Beef up GContacts and I'll even put my customer/leads/CRM info in there. Minor tweaks, all of them.

I use nearly every sharing tool out there, and as such I will be the top reason that most of the people in my Contacts list who just found Buzz under their Inbox link to be completely overwhelming; every day since Buzz was announced I've been told to quit Buzzing so much and received an email to the tune of 'what's this buzz thing?'. These are messages from my best friends and family.

Aggregation is not the answer to mass adoption. Simplicity is. Buzz needs to be reframed in the context of short chain communications; close friends sharing...a family keeping in touch. Providing another place for thought leaders to dominate the landscape doesn't do anything for the vast majority, and when Facebook offers Simple Users the ability to replicate gmail inside of the place where they've built their social web, Buzz may be just the thing that pushes them out the door completely.