To Those On Google +...Goodnight And God Bless

It's been a few months since the news hit, that the Google + social network was closing down. It made sense--it didn't catch on like other social media platforms. It was just...there--a reliable place to go.

Now, it'll join the others that have gone the way of all the earth.

It's been interesting reading some of the farewell posts on the website. It's normal for people to express their thoughts and memories. For some, Google + was amazing, wonderful, a place to connect, to communicate, to associate with others. 

For me...well, it was a place for an occasional funny post and to see some beautiful photography.

Because it was created, it had to end. Eventually Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram--they'll all die, and the people who interact on those sites will have to find something else to take its place. Today it's Google +. Tomorrow it'll be another one.

Goodnight Google + and all involved. You were the old reliable place to hang out. Looks like we'll need to find a new place to go.

Apparently, Google + Is Shutting Down...

News hit this week that Google +, the search engine's answer to Facebook, will be shutting down next year.

And to be honest, I'm not sure how exactly I feel about it.

I think my ambivalence surprised me the most.

I've enjoy using Google +, but I'm probably the reason it's closing down...well, not me alone, but people like me. I use Google +. I use it everyday, but as little as possible for someone who accesses the social media program daily. I posted a picture every day as part of my Pic Of The Day process. I've been posting a daily picture since 2011, at least I think I have. I thought it would be fun to see the first picture I ever posted on Google +, but scrolling back to see the first picture I posted on their site would take several hours, and frankly, I'm not really that interested in seeing which picture I posted first.

There weren't that many things to dislike about Google +. As Facebook grew in popularity and began adding all the bells and whistles, Google + stuck to what it began with--a place to post thoughts, pictures, and links to videos and other sites. But what brought me back to Google + again and again were the pictures. I found it a good place to see beautiful pictures posted by both serious and casual photographers. Some of the pictures on Google + are simply amazing.

Google + has communities. I used to check out the photography communities on a regular basis, but I stopped doing that some time ago. Now about the only community I check out is a H.P. Lovecraft thread that I find interesting.

Some of the people using Google + have been vocal about the news since it hit. Most, however, are like me, at least I take their lack of a response as mirroring my feelings on the matter. Who knows--maybe it will be saved and not go away after all. For me, if it does, I'll have one less place to post a daily picture and one less place to see beautiful photographs...

and H.P. Lovecraft stuff.