Google+ Lost its Chance to Compete With Facebook ⇥

Farhad Manjoo, writing for Slate Magazine:

I know this sounds unfair: Facebook had years to add all the features it has now, so why should we demand that Google create a perfect substitute at launch time? But that’s just the thing—taking on a behemoth like Facebook is an unfair fight.

Precisely. Google can’t expect an incomplete work-in-progress is a competitor to a fully-built worldwide phenomenon. Failing to accommodate major brands and pseudonymous individuals from day one was a mistake. Deleting those profiles and turning them into enemies of their objective was an even bigger mistake.

It’s kind of a shame, since Google executives and project leaders have repeatedly claimed that Google+ is an extension of the company. They claim it augments every feature and service they offer. But it’s as successful as Buzz and Wave, which were just a couple of side projects.