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Google Is Introducing the +1 Button

An anonymous reader writes "It seems Google refuses to give up and is trying to push once again its way into the social space by introducing a new feature called +1, which basically has the same functionality as the Facebook 'Like' button (share recommended content with other people)."

218 comments

  1. Please have a -1 Button by Dayze!Confused · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I know everybody just has those times they wish that they could either just "Acknowledge" that they've read the comment and care, such as a friend getting sick or being dumped or getting into a car crash, or wish that they could state that they do not like a comment, maybe they could introduce a "Wrong" button also.

    --
    "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." [Thomas Jefferson]
    1. Re:Please have a -1 Button by thebra · · Score: 1

      I know everybody just has those times they wish that they could either just "Acknowledge" that they've read the comment and care, such as a friend getting sick or being dumped or getting into a car crash, or wish that they could state that they do not like a comment, maybe they could introduce a "Wrong" button also.

      And a thumb up / thumb down combination. "Just got in a car wreck and I'm ok but my friend broke their leg."

    2. Re:Please have a -1 Button by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 1

      Please have a -1 Button

      Since this is /. shouldn't we be asking for one or more of the following:
      * ++i
      * i++
      * --i
      * i--

    3. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      just click the +1 button enough times to overflow the datatype and you'll get your wish

    4. Re:Please have a -1 Button by bwintx · · Score: 2

      This (oh, sorry, I mean "+1" ).

      --
      Discussion System prefs link: http://slashdot.org/users.pl?op=editcomm
    5. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Since nobody reads the articles, you could narrow it down to ++i or --i. We just look at the summary and spread FUD in the comments.

    6. Re:Please have a -1 Button by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Funny

      This being Slashdot, it would only be ++i or --i; that is, increment/decrement BEFORE reading.

      --
      No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
    7. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Jake+Griffin · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the car analogy. I was confused there for a moment. Next time you should start with it. :)

      --
      SIG FAULT: Post index out of bounds.
    8. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I want a divide by 0 button for when shit just doesn't make sense.

    9. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And a "Me 2!" button, please, oh please.

    10. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know; from my whiteboard (really), I have:

      i = i + 1
      i += 1
      i++;

      I guess I need to learn more languages as the syntax you used isn't familiar to me (unless you just omitted the ; at the end of the line).

    11. Re:Please have a -1 Button by CannonballHead · · Score: 1

      ++;
      sigh, doesn't let me only post that. :)

    12. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey, or how about a button with values like "Insightful", "Interesting", "Troll" or "Funny"!

    13. Re:Please have a -1 Button by blair1q · · Score: 1

      No. Everywhere negative voting is introduced, it becomes a tool for trolling and political manipulation.

      It would, however, be nice to know how many people viewed the item, along with how many are willing to support it with a click. But that's not reasonable when there are 90 items per page and just loading the page doesn't imply reading all 90 items.

    14. Re:Please have a -1 Button by cslax · · Score: 1

      Call it an "acknowledgement" and have Like/ Dislike.

      "John Doe and George Washington acknowledged your status update." And then it shows the thumb up/ thumb down icons with numbers next to it.

      Also, the UI needs to be consistent. If enter publishes your post in response to status replies, it should also publish on status updates. Messages cannot be reneged so enter should only be a new line in there. But all replies to things and anything else that can be x'ed and removed should behave the same way.

    15. Re:Please have a -1 Button by idontgno · · Score: 1

      That's not strictly true.

      A few times, slashdotters will mentally downmod without reading TFA, then be goaded into reading by comment-trolls, and then mentall downmod again.

      In other words, --i-- should be a valid construct.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    16. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And a thumb up / thumb down combination.

      "Just got in a car wreck and I'm ok but my friend broke their leg."

      Now what we really need is to be able to assign individual scores to each phrase of the sentence

      Just got in a car wreck [thumbs down] and I'm ok [thumbs up] but my friend broke their leg. [thumbs down]

      On top of that I want an overall 'quality slider' to praise or slander the composition of the post rather than its content.

    17. Re:Please have a -1 Button by martin-boundary · · Score: 1

      Positive voting alone leads to astroturfing and cliquish behaviour.

    18. Re:Please have a -1 Button by blair1q · · Score: 1

      Negative voting doesn't un-lead to that.

    19. Re:Please have a -1 Button by martin-boundary · · Score: 1

      Quite. User voting (positive and/or negative) is no substitute for good algorithms. When no algorithms exist (as on Slashdot) it's better than nothing, but Google has the resources to do better.

    20. Re:Please have a -1 Button by mattack2 · · Score: 1

      or even click-ish behavior.

    21. Re:Please have a -1 Button by blair1q · · Score: 1

      Correct. Google's algorithms should be telling me what's ++good.

    22. Re:Please have a -1 Button by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alternatively, if you cared so much about the issue, you could just spend the extra few minutes to actually write a comment expressing your feelings.

      Although I sometimes do it myself - scanning through friends' posts on Facebook and clicking "Like" - I feel the ease of the action dilutes its meaning.

  2. I don't get it by suso · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What is the point of having a positive without a negative? Are they just trying to "keep things positive?" What if a Facebook page for the KKK had 300 likes? Isn't that be misleading when you can't compare it to anything?

    1. Re:I don't get it by thebra · · Score: 1

      What is the point of having a positive without a negative? Are they just trying to "keep things positive?" What if a Facebook page for the KKK had 300 likes? Isn't that be misleading when you can't compare it to anything?

      It's like when my kids watch Barney. Barney teaches kids that the world is perfect and nothing bad happens.

    2. Re:I don't get it by shadowrat · · Score: 1

      That's an awesome idea! what the world needs is a social networking site that is the opposite of facebook. Instead of liking posts, your only course of action is to dislike posts. i would call it assbook.

    3. Re:I don't get it by Richard_at_work · · Score: 1

      What happens when the NAACP Facebook page has 30,000 dislikes?

    4. Re:I don't get it by archen · · Score: 1

      The problem with a minus button is that people tend to use that kind of button on things that they don't agree with, but isn't wrong information. Like if I search for abortion and don't like what people say I just vote them down even if their points are valid from their perspective. You see this kind of behavior on movie rating sites a lot. If you're searching for something on KKK, and find that site to have the information you want why wouldn't you use +1?

      I could see a problem where popularity is screwing up results where I don't know precisely what I'm asking, and expect to wade through search results to find it. Popularity will likely just yield results that I've already thought of, being popular and all that.

    5. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They cry white racism and sue the entire white populace of the US for damages.

      It's coming eventually.

    6. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably so that when an unpopular kid posts something, it doesn't immediately get disliked by a hundred bullies. Getting only two likes from your couple friends might make you seem sad next to the popular kid with a hundred likes, but it's probably enough. There's no need to put social weapons in the hands of the irresponsible.

    7. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So Barney is a Democrat? Good to know.

    8. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Others would call it /b/

    9. Re:I don't get it by alienzed · · Score: 1

      Why, what's wrong with Russians?

      --
      Never say never. Ah!! I did it again!
    10. Re:I don't get it by blair1q · · Score: 2

      The KKK used to have 4 million members. Now it has 5 thousand. I can compare those and infer what happened in between.

      The KKK also used to run candidates for office. How many won? People voted "DO NOT LIKE" by voting "LIKE" for the alternative.

      Dislike buttons are tools of the trolls.

    11. Re:I don't get it by nbossett · · Score: 1

      Conflict among friends is something a social site usually tries to avoid. People tend to take it personally if they post an opinion/political/social link and start getting negative feedback. The possibility of a written comment which disagrees is unavoidable if you allow comments, but a "Dislike" button would probably make a lot of users unhappy without a proportional benefit. That's bad for business on a social site which depends on networks of friends staying happy and not hesitiating to post things.

    12. Re:I don't get it by PwnzerDragoon · · Score: 1

      Dear shadowrat,

      It has come to our attention you are operating a website known as "assbook". This clearly infringes on our trademarked use of the word "book" and you are required to pay damages to the amount of 8 gajillion dollars. If you do not comply, we will have no choice but to send the flying monkey lawyers after you.

      Sincerely,
      Facebook Legal Dept.

    13. Re:I don't get it by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1

      i would call it assbook.

      Too late, according to Google, there's already a Facebook page for that: Assbook. The domain is for sale though...

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    14. Re:I don't get it by FleaPlus · · Score: 2

      What is the point of having a positive without a negative? Are they just trying to "keep things positive?" What if a Facebook page for the KKK had 300 likes? Isn't that be misleading when you can't compare it to anything?

      Fewer potential lawsuits.

    15. Re:I don't get it by geekoid · · Score: 0

      No they aren't. You just lack the brain power to see it's good use and how to apply it.

      For the Record ALL tools are tools for trolls,

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    16. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      we do not see it in search listings for a start.

      ie: a new google filter level hopefully +>-10,000 +100,000

    17. Re:I don't get it by kumanopuusan · · Score: 2

      ..because every real world entity and url has a unique, diametrically opposed dual that we can vote for?

      Quick, name the opposites for amoeba, square, triangle, pink, Harley-Davidson, cnn.com and conservation of angular momentum.

      --
      Use of the words "good", "bad" or "evil" is almost invariably the result of oversimplification.
    18. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      square :: plus
      triangle :: 252-agon* (assuming 8 bit unsigned numbers)
      pink :: pink (trick question)
      Harley-Davidson :: nosdivaD-yelraH
      cnn.com :: foxnews.com
      conservation of angular momentum :: pinkie-pie

    19. Re:I don't get it by Grygus · · Score: 1

      Disliked and sent Enemy request.

    20. Re:I don't get it by blair1q · · Score: 1

      If it didn't, what good would a -1 button be? By clicking -1 you are voting for the unique, diametrically opposed dual of the +1. Unless you don't really mean -1, but some smaller negative number. But if that's what you mean, then -1 would overcount your vote, and we can't have that.

    21. Re:I don't get it by blair1q · · Score: 1

      amoeba = -appealing microbe
      square = -cool
      triangle = -triangular hole
      pink = -blue
      Harley-Davidson = -(affordable*quality) + dirtbag (Note 1)
      cnn.com = -clue
      conservation of angular momentum = -cartoon physics

      Notes:
      1 - this is debateable; if you ask those who own one, they will postulate "-riceburner" and refuse to show their work, but they are suffering from dogmatic myopia and depleted credit limit, and don't seem to know that Europe and Victory exist

    22. Re:I don't get it by blair1q · · Score: 1

      For the Record ALL tools are tools for trolls,

      Damn. Your proof by example is unassailable.

    23. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the opposite of pink is lime.

    24. Re:I don't get it by $0.02 · · Score: 1

      Dislike is too polite. Just call it "hate".

      --
      If enithin kan gow rong it whil. (Murfey)
    25. Re:I don't get it by mjwx · · Score: 1

      amoeba

      Multi cellular organisms.

      Harley-Davidson

      Triumph.

      pink

      green.

      cnn.com

      Slashdot.org, because lets face it, neither are bastions of journalistic integrity. Both just choose to inflame people about different subjects.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    26. Re:I don't get it by orasio · · Score: 1

      Gorilla, circle, dot, green, Toyota, Al Jazeera, and Chocolate Chip flavour

    27. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Rating something negatively might cause some flamers to go nuts. Besides, I don't believe that this is the point of the system.
      I think a system like this could filter out relevant information from irrelevant information in the end, regardless if you like the KKK or not. If enough people "like" something, then there must be about it worth visiting for some of us at least. For you and me, this might be a hate site which we don't appreciate, but for others, this is a place about information and discussions. It's not up to us to decide whether a site is ethical or not, and it's not up to us to decide what "ethical" is either.

    28. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      !amoeba, !square, !triangle, !pink, !Harley-Davidson, !cnn.com and !conservation of angular momentum?

    29. Re:I don't get it by hazem · · Score: 1

      So if Google as +1 and -1 that could be abused, is the solution to have meta-moderators to +1/-1 the people doing +1/-1s?

    30. Re:I don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      in order: sponge, circle, line, brown, Ryder, foxnews, no movement

  3. 'Pure Infotech' by improfane · · Score: 5, Informative

    For a site that claims to offer pure information technology and then spams you with popovers to subscribe. Junk website waste of bandwidth.

    For the real source, try google themselves.

    --
    Slashdot needs Geekcode | Can anyone recommend any good SCIFI? My tastes: Foundation, Startide Rising, CITY, Ringworld,
    1. Re:'Pure Infotech' by Andy+Smith · · Score: 1

      Went to site, it turned grey and popped up a message asking me to "like" it on Facebook. Closed tab.

    2. Re:'Pure Infotech' by cslax · · Score: 1

      I closed the tab immediately as well. Then I went to Google and +1'd it.

    3. Re:'Pure Infotech' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For the real source, try google themselves.

      No! You will break the Internet!!

  4. April Fools!!!! by FriendlyPrimate · · Score: 1

    Good one guys, but I saw that coming from a mile away! Oh wait...it's March 31st.

    1. Re:April Fools!!!! by suso · · Score: 1

      Oh wait...it's March 31st.

      Not in Japan.

    2. Re:April Fools!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      March 31 "+1" == Apr 1st

      Jus' Sayin'.

    3. Re:April Fools!!!! by ElderKorean · · Score: 1

      Good one guys, but I saw that coming from a mile away!
      Oh wait...it's March 31st.

      Not in Australia, Slashdot says your posting was at Fri 01 Apr 02:18AM, and the story was posted at Fri 01 Apr 02:12AM
      Previous years have taught me not to trust anything on here until the 1st April is nowhere on the planet.
      Even RTFA's can be dangerous this time of the year.

    4. Re:April Fools!!!! by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 1

      OMG! Godzilla will eat teh poniez!

      --
      No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  5. miserable failure by cashman73 · · Score: 0

    So, does this mean we'll get a chance to "+1" George W. Bush back up in searches for "miserable failure"? Anyone want to take any bets that the Republicans will attempt to "+1" Barack Obama up there with him? Before long, any search for the term will just be a list of politicians,. . .

    1. Re:miserable failure by cobrausn · · Score: 1

      I think you are forgetting that more people vote for American Idol than vote for the President; as such, any search term will probably just converge to Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, or equivalent.

      --
      How does it feel to be a liar with pants constantly on fire?
    2. Re:miserable failure by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 1

      You forget this is the internet. The internet is for porn. Expect much +1ings of popular pornstars and such.

      --
      I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
    3. Re:miserable failure by Jake+Griffin · · Score: 1

      I wasn't aware that Miley Cyrus and Justin Beiber were on American Idol... I could have sworn they were on the Disney Channel...

      --
      SIG FAULT: Post index out of bounds.
    4. Re:miserable failure by cobrausn · · Score: 1

      Wasn't saying they were, just that more people are entertainment focused than politically focused.

      --
      How does it feel to be a liar with pants constantly on fire?
    5. Re:miserable failure by cobrausn · · Score: 1

      Yes, but most people peruse porn in private, and friends can see your +1s, so I don't expect 'most' people would intentionally +1 their favorite pornstar..

      --
      How does it feel to be a liar with pants constantly on fire?
    6. Re:miserable failure by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 1

      Gen Xers are still nervous, yes, but Ys and Zs increasingly less so. I expect there to be sea change of sex positivism after the Boomers are gone. In fact that's why most of this discourse occurs in other channels, our parents and employers (who are often our parents' generation or like Gen X feel socially obligated to affect a similar outlook even if they don't believe it themselves) read facebook and other such things. So whenever porn manages to become an open topic of discussion for a group it is usually on IRC or at house parties or similar.

      The social stigma is dieing, and at some point there will be a critical mass that will radically alter the role of sexuality as a shameful force in social structures/contexts.

      --
      I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
    7. Re:miserable failure by Jake+Griffin · · Score: 1

      I know, I was just being a douche. I apologize for the confusion ;-)

      --
      SIG FAULT: Post index out of bounds.
    8. Re:miserable failure by calmofthestorm · · Score: 1

      > Before long, any search for the term will just be a list of politicians
      Sounds like the system works:P

      --
      93rd rule of Slashdot: No matter how obvious my sarcasm is, my comment will be taken seriously by someone.
    9. Re:miserable failure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, we get it. You don't like Bush or Republicans. Go infect your douche-baggery somewhere else. This really isn't a political thread.

    10. Re:miserable failure by YttriumOxide · · Score: 1

      Absolutely agree... it also depends where in the world you are. Having travelled quite a lot, I find that some countries are a bit further along this road than others (the vast majority are moving that way; and nowhere is there "completely" yet; but there is definitely a difference between say, the USA and the Netherlands).

      --
      My book about LSD and Self-Discovery
      Also on facebook as: DroppingAcidDaleBewan
  6. False Promotion? by Stenchwarrior · · Score: 1

    I didn't see anything in the article, but how will they be able to keep someone from promoting their own service or website just to draw in consumers?

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    Loading...
    1. Re:False Promotion? by Zerth · · Score: 1

      Supposedly this only considers pluses from people in your contact list who also has a google account.

      I'd much rather have something like Amazon's "other people with similar account habits as you clicked this link". Wider net of recommendations while still eliminating spammers(unless the spammer is remarkably similar to you, in which case is it really spam?).

    2. Re:False Promotion? by Stenchwarrior · · Score: 1
      I guess it was this line that made me think everyone would be able to see:

      The idea is, when you +1 something, you are publicly giving your stamp of approval

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      Loading...
    3. Re:False Promotion? by sandytaru · · Score: 1

      Except Amazon's "similar habits" occasionally introduces something from completely left field, such as that I'm looking at a fantasy novel and there's a twelve pack of baby bottles among the "other recommended products." So it's not perfect, either.

      --
      Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
    4. Re:False Promotion? by ajlisows · · Score: 1

      I agree with you here. A great deal of my web browsing is learning something about computers or searching for answers for a problem I am having at work. It would be nice to see sites that have been "liked" by others searching for the same type of information that I do. Seeing what my friends have "liked" wouldn't be too helpful. I have a total of four friends who work in IT and two of them are, to be perfectly honest, not very good at it. One really spends most of his computer related time exclusively writing in Perl, which I rarely do. That leaves one friend whose rankings would benefit me in any way. We might as well just swap bookmarks. I am sure there are other people who are much more effective at using the internet socially then myself though.

      Really, I think this is something that Google wants more than the users. I think it is quite obvious that Google has been dying to find a way to slip this in as a "feature". They will no longer need to rely on guesses by your browsing habits to figure out what we like because we will be telling them!

    5. Re:False Promotion? by RajivSLK · · Score: 1

      You've basically just described stumble upon.

  7. Re:Please rtfa first... by improfane · · Score: 0

    Are you associated with the website?

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    Slashdot needs Geekcode | Can anyone recommend any good SCIFI? My tastes: Foundation, Startide Rising, CITY, Ringworld,
  8. +1 by calmofthestorm · · Score: 1

    Obligatory.

    --
    93rd rule of Slashdot: No matter how obvious my sarcasm is, my comment will be taken seriously by someone.
  9. Social ranking to replace pigeons by kipsate · · Score: 1

    Google knows that no matter how smart your page rank system is, it will be gamed to the level it becomes unusable. Obviously, the +1 button will also be gamed, but at least it is going to be a bit harder. Expect botnets to take care of this, though.

    Clearly, social ranking is going to be more important than algorithmic ranking. Googles pigeons have their best times behind them.

    --
    My karma ran over your dogma
    1. Re:Social ranking to replace pigeons by MindNumbingOblivion · · Score: 1

      I can foresee an awesomely blackhat use for exploiting this. Remember back in 2008-2009 when there was a major attack that relied on SEO manipulation to direct susceptible users to a page to download "video codecs" (actually a slurry of malware)? Yeah, I can bet that Google is going to find themselves in a race to defeat similar manipulation. How many people have a friend/coworker/acquaintance who friends anyone and everyone on Facebook or any other social network? All it takes is for one of those to be a front for a botnet owner. The botnet +1's the link to a redirect, it gets recommended to everyone connected to the front account, some of those individuals follow the link and get infected, and then their own newly botted computers start the process all over again. Hooray social media worms!

      Now, I know from my own research that Google does do some detection and flags potentially malicious sites. But if this attack were coupled with a 0day or an undisclosed security hole, it could have decidedly non-trivial impact.

      --
      #define CLUE 0
  10. Mod parent up! by fotoguzzi · · Score: 2

    (Or down, if you prefer).

    --
    Their they're doing there hair.
    1. Re:Mod parent up! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I believe I'll leave it right where it is.

    2. Re:Mod parent up! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All that's required for great posts to languish is for good mods to do nothing.

  11. Re:Please rtfa first... by shadowrat · · Score: 1

    I can't help but take your post as a direct challenge to participate in this conversation without rtfa.

    Google is become evil!

  12. Re:Please rtfa first... by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 1

    Are you associated with the website?

    Do you mean pureinfotech.com or google.com since it appears to be a very pro Google article.

  13. Prior art by srussia · · Score: 1
    --
    Set your phasers on "funky"!
  14. Why all the complaining? by chaboud · · Score: 1

    It's basically like digg, or facebook like, or any other bumping, but, quite unlike everyone else, it's in your search results without the need to install a toolbar. It's also both social and global, so you have an incentive to link up with like-minded people, but you benefit from the preferences of the whole.

    I'd certainly like a -1 facility, but I don't think that this is a small and/or stupid achievement.

    On top of that, this gives Google absolutely awesome data to work with when it comes to refining search results and refining *ad* targeting.

    1. Re:Why all the complaining? by Baseclass · · Score: 1

      I'll be blocking the Google +1 button just like I do with the Digg and the Facebook Like button.

      --
      ^^vv<><>BA
    2. Re:Why all the complaining? by Grygus · · Score: 1

      I think most people are concerned that Google is too ubiquitous for this to not be endlessly abused. /b/ can affect search results? It's the best news for Bing in a long time.

    3. Re:Why all the complaining? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's the best news for Bing in a long time.

      Probably not, because that means that Bing's search results will be affected as well!

  15. Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny
    Unless it includes both like and hate, the numbers mean nothing.

    A continuum would be even better:

    +3 I want to have your baby! / +2 love / +1 like / 0 meh / -1 dislike / -2 hate / -3 GODWIN FTW / -4 Belongs on idle.slashdot.org

    1. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Unless it includes both like and hate, the numbers mean nothing.

      A continuum would be even better:

      +3 I want to have your baby! / +2 love / +1 like / 0 meh / -1 dislike / -2 hate / -3 GODWIN FTW / -4 Belongs on idle.slashdot.org

      Helpful additions:

      -5 posted by hosts file guy/unity100/roman_mir
      -20 posted by commodore64_love and clones (Note: Reserved for Federal Government use only)

    2. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 1

      Everybody thinks continuums and scales are better, that's an intuitive inclination toward a range of choices, but the reality was revealed through YouTube: most people either rated things 5/5 or 1/5. That's why they replaced the scale with up/down.

      --
      I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
    3. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by Isaac+Remuant · · Score: 1

      I was just thinking about a meh button so I searched for it and found your post.

      +1 for the meh (move along) option.

      --
      "Science can amuse and fascinate us all, but it is engineering that changes the world. " - Asimov.
    4. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by TerranFury · · Score: 1

      That's because choosing anything other than 5 or 1, regardless of what you think the true value should be, weighs your vote less. Really, you're driving the average towards whatever you think it should be as hard as you can. You can write down formal game-theoretic models for this, but I don't think they really offer any more insight.

    5. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by tomhudson · · Score: 2

      Helpful additions:

      -5 posted by hosts file guy/unity100/roman_mir

      -20 posted by commodore64_love and clones (Note: Reserved for Federal Government use only)

      -5? That's it? APK (the hosts file guy) deserves less. -30 or so. Every time someone posts an anonymous reply to him, or down-mods him, he freaks out and thinks it's from me! Then he goes and posts all sorts of crap-floods in my journal and after my posts, all the time accusing me of cyber-stalking him - just like he's doing right now.

      The guy is an obese (as in BMI over 30) narcissistic obsessive paranoid misogynist. And those are probably his better qualities.

      He's become quite obsessed with me, after I pointed out that his host file claims were total bs on more than one occasion. It's funny - he thinks he's bothering me, but I completely p0wn him. He can't help himself - I just have to post "JUMP, FAT BOY, JUMP" and he jumps. And jumps. And jumps. I figure at least it gives him some exercise, and keeps him off the streets where the sight of him would probably cause pregnant women to miscarry.

      HOWTO: trolling the hosts file guy in one easy step

      The next time you see a post by him, just reply anonymously. And to really mess with his head, reply anonymously to your anonymous post, disagreeing with your first anon post (extra points if you claim in the second post that you're him - that REALLY sets him off). He'll accuse you of being me, call you a c*nt (and he wonders why women don't like him), then start with the usual crap-floods of half-baked lies and innuendo.

    6. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a shame he refuses to get an account, then it would be easy to mark all the places he's moved the goalposts. How many times has he trolled people into "ANSWER TEH question " (sorry, was channeling for a second there), only to suddenly start demanding that they answer some other question when they do so?

      Honestly, his hosts file thing isn't that off the wall, the problem is that he shows up in every, single, exploit article declaring that his hosts file is God and that Its holy appendage has blessed his computer to protect him from every possible bad website out there, using psychic powers to determine that tomorrow, cnn.com will try to install a trojan via a flash exploit.

      Dude uses markup like a preteen uses makeup. If it wasn't for the fact that he can actually write English, I'd claim he's actually the timecube guy.

    7. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by tomhudson · · Score: 1

      his latest crapflood, still active as of 5 minutes ago. Typical - someone somewhere must have posted something against him as an AC, and he went nutzo again.

      Of course, "teh question" changes all the time, because he has *ahem* issues ... and more so issues with women, from the looks of things.

      Anyone running into this guy needs to see this. It's funny, he makes threats - either veiled or outright - to sue for libel, and when you tell him "so sue me, you stupid fat tub of lard", he changes the question.

    8. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by John+Meacham · · Score: 1

      No, a continuum just doesn't work in practice. people vote the minimum if they think something currently has too high of a rating, or the highest if they think it is too low, in order to have the most "impact" on the score.

      This is why I always thought they should explicitly phrase things like "This movie currently has a score of 7.3, do you think this is overrated, underrated, or just right?" to more clearly align things with how people think.

      --
      http://notanumber.net/
    9. Re:Where's the -1 Hate button when you need it? by aaaaaaargh! · · Score: 1

      A continuum would be even better:

      +3 I want to have your baby! / +2 love / +1 like / 0 meh / -1 dislike / -2 hate / -3 GODWIN FTW / -4 Belongs on idle.slashdot.org

      I know it's nitpicking but this doesn't look like a continuum to me...

  16. Only your friends see your +1 by gurps_npc · · Score: 2, Informative

    As stated IN THE ARTICLE, when you +1 something, only your contacts see it. So, if all your friends +1 something about the KKK, then you see it as highly ranked. But the rest of the world does not know how racists your friends are. When you +1 Obama = not a citizen, only your friends know see this and realize that they know a bunch of birther fools. Similarly, if you +1 GWB = failure, then only your friends see this and realize that they know you a bunch of commie fools.

    --
    excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
    1. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "As stated IN THE ARTICLE, when you +1 something, only your contacts see it."

      Nowhere in the article does it state that only your contacts will see it, or any other possible phrasing of that line. only "Other people", meaning the rest of the internet.
      Using the search function, the only time "contact" appears is the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page. 'friend' only appears in the facebook integration stating "x people like this. Be the first of your friends."

    2. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by farmdawgnation · · Score: 1

      And here I was hoping I could get results as entertaining as Google Suggestions.... way to pop my bubble.

    3. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by kipsate · · Score: 1

      I am convinced that Google will also use the aggregate of this information to improve their pagerank engine.

      --
      My karma ran over your dogma
    4. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What in the world do you mean by "your contacts"? The word "contact" doesn't appear in TFA, and Google is a search engine.

    5. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by mt42 · · Score: 1

      Actually, all +1 votes, whether or not made by your friends (and regardless of their +1 sharing preferences) may contribute to the total +1 count for a particular piece of content.

      From google: "Regardless of whether you chose to publicly share your +1’s tab, your +1’s will still be visible to others viewing the content you +1’d. For instance, your +1 could appear as part of an anonymous aggregated count of the people who have also +1’d the same thing"

    6. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by macbutch · · Score: 4, Informative

      Mmmm, yeah, except Google themselves say:

      +1’ing is a public action. Anyone on the web can potentially see that you’ve +1’d content when they’re searching on Google or viewing content you’ve +1’d. For this reason, you should only +1 pages when you’re comfortable sharing your recommendation with the world."

      Your +1’s may appear to anyone who sees the pages you’ve +1’d. However, we'll try to display your +1’s to people (specifically those in your social connections) who would find them most useful.

      https://www.google.com/support/profiles/bin/answer.py?answer=1186915

    7. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by blair1q · · Score: 1

      How can they know I'm a commie fool when I hate GWB for his misuse of the word "nuclear"? And his all-hat-and-no-cattle Texanism? And his membership in the GOP?

    8. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by rmcd · · Score: 1

      Thank you for quoting this. I saw this yesterday and was trying to square it with the google video in TFA that suggests that only your contacts will see your +1s. After they got keel-hauled for Buzz, I can't believe that Google is introducing this without being completely explicit about the control you have (or don't) over who sees your recommendations.

      If I could select a group of contacts who would see my +1s, I would use it.

    9. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by kipsate · · Score: 1

      So? Your quote does nowhere show that Google will NOT aggregate the information to improve their pagerank algorithm.

      Actually, it is likely the whole point.

      --
      My karma ran over your dogma
    10. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by geekoid · · Score: 1

      "So, if all your friends +1 something about the KKK, then you see it as highly ranked. But the rest of the world does not know how racists your friends are"

      Wow, way to use data to imply what may not even be there.

      Maybe It's a search of a funny picture from a clansman doing something stupid(er)? What if it's a historic photo from 1930?
      really, you don't have to be racist to search on the clan.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    11. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by macbutch · · Score: 1

      'So?' yourself.

      You are correct that my quote 'does nowhere show that Google will NOT aggregate the information to improve their pagerank algorithim' (grammar notwithstanding). However that is a different topic (but as far as it goes I'm inclined to agree with you and they need to do something to improve pagerank...).

      Anyway, I was replying to this part:

      As stated IN THE ARTICLE, when you +1 something, only your contacts see it.

      Which I believe my quote does show to be incorrect.

    12. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by Qzukk · · Score: 1

      Everyone else seems to be arguing over whether

      Anyone on the web can potentially see that you’ve +1’d content

      means that people can see your +1 or whether people can see whether you gave that +1. It's the difference between "+22" and "kipsate liked this article on the KKK". Based on the mockup screenshots and the

      When you create a profile, it's visible to anyone and connections with your email address can easily find it.

      someone else found, it's pretty clear that I'll be able to see exactly what pages you specifically +1'd.

      Personally, though, April 1st started sweeping across the planet a few hours ago...

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    13. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yoda once said: "Do, or do not; there is no 'try'."

      I'm pretty sure he used airquotes too.

    14. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As stated IN THE ARTICLE, when you +1 something, only your contacts see it.

      So, if all your friends +1 something about the KKK, then you see it as highly ranked. But the rest of the world does not know how racists your friends are.

      When you +1 Obama = not a citizen, only your friends know see this and realize that they know a bunch of birther fools.

      Similarly, if you +1 GWB = failure, then only your friends see this and realize that they know you a bunch of commie fools.

      commie fools = Intellect.brain
      birther tools Neanderthals.brain
      I was hoped they used + or -

    15. Re:Only your friends see your +1 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, they already have stars which is presumably a "personal +1"

      I actually like this, I share a lot of links and would be nice short hand

  17. Re:Please rtfa first... by hawguy · · Score: 1

    In before scores of users fail to read article and consequently raise concerns that are addressed by said article...

    I took your advice and rtfa, but didn't really find anything that's not in the article summary which said it's basically a Facebook style "like" button for Google. Admittedly I didn't watch the video, do we need to wtfv too?

  18. More important Google news by lee1 · · Score: 1

    Check out today's animated logo celebrating the 200th birthday of Robert Bunsen.

    1. Re:More important Google news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      +1

  19. So, does Rusty get residuals? by wiredog · · Score: 2

    The idea was pioneered on K5 about 12 years ago...

    1. Re:So, does Rusty get residuals? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1

      Huh? Want to explain that comment? I think nobody but you gets that.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    2. Re:So, does Rusty get residuals? by WWWWolf · · Score: 2

      Kuro5hin, once touted as a Slashdot alternative, was a pretty big name in social news and communal blogging back around 2000. (I was interested of the site because I'm fairly interested of the intersection of tech and politics. Then 9/11 happened, and as time went by, K5 became more about politics and less about tech. Yawn.) Basically, people could submit stories to sections, and they could be voted by registered users. If they get enough +1's to go past the threshold, they get posted. With enough "+1 FP" votes, the posts also go to the front page.

    3. Re:So, does Rusty get residuals? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1

      Ten years ago! Jeez louise...what's next, zombo.com? hamsterdance.com?

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  20. Google doesn't get it by sharonlives · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why can't Google understand that I simply do not want to broadcast my searches to the world? I have been trusting Google with that information. If they want to use my click-throughs as part of their search algorithms, that's fine. But why do they want me to attach my name to it? Google keeps trying to go social and that goes against all the trust we put in Google's privacy policies.

    1. Re:Google doesn't get it by fotoguzzi · · Score: 1

      Nicely stated. Thank you.

      --
      Their they're doing there hair.
    2. Re:Google doesn't get it by Rary · · Score: 5, Informative

      Why can't Google understand that I simply do not want to broadcast my searches to the world? I have been trusting Google with that information. If they want to use my click-throughs as part of their search algorithms, that's fine. But why do they want me to attach my name to it? Google keeps trying to go social and that goes against all the trust we put in Google's privacy policies.

      Actually, they do get it. That's why you have to go out of your way to opt in to this by creating a public profile, and then clicking the "+1" button where applicable. The rest of us, who have no interest in it, can continue to use Search the way we always have.

      --

      "You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein

    3. Re:Google doesn't get it by mdielmann · · Score: 1

      Why can't Google understand that I simply do not want to broadcast my searches to the world? I have been trusting Google with that information. If they want to use my click-throughs as part of their search algorithms, that's fine. But why do they want me to attach my name to it? Google keeps trying to go social and that goes against all the trust we put in Google's privacy policies.

      Sounds like you will have the difficult task of...not clicking the +1 button.

      --
      Sure I'm paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
    4. Re:Google doesn't get it by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Then don't use the +1.

      Is that so damn difficult?

      Personally, I like having a +1 So I can share search info with my friends.

      I mean real friends, not Facebook friends.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    5. Re:Google doesn't get it by BitZtream · · Score: 1

      So I guess you don't realize that they already see your click throughs with your name attached to it if you're logged into a Google account eh?

      They don't need the +1 button to see what you click, they already know unless you browse with javascript disabled on Googles network of sites, and they know your account unless you always use Google search when you aren't logged in/sending cookies.

      The button just gives you a way to confirm and share that confirmation with your contacts, but Google probably knew before you did if you were going to visit the page.

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    6. Re:Google doesn't get it by swillden · · Score: 1

      Why can't Google understand that I simply do not want to broadcast my searches to the world? I have been trusting Google with that information. If they want to use my click-throughs as part of their search algorithms, that's fine. But why do they want me to attach my name to it? Google keeps trying to go social and that goes against all the trust we put in Google's privacy policies.

      Actually, they do get it. That's why you have to go out of your way to opt in to this by creating a public profile, and then clicking the "+1" button where applicable. The rest of us, who have no interest in it, can continue to use Search the way we always have.

      Also, if you'd like to go further, you can opt out of all Google tracking. See the Google privacy tools page: http://www.google.com/privacy/tools.html

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
    7. Re:Google doesn't get it by janwedekind · · Score: 1

      Actually it's not quite that easy. Once your browser loads the button, the website and your IP goes into Google's log. From there on it's just a matter of connecting the dots.
      However for Firefox with Adblock Plus there is a list to prevent loading of "social" buttons: http://www.fanboy.co.nz/
      Note that Google Chrome's ad-blocking only hides content but still loads it.

    8. Re:Google doesn't get it by Rary · · Score: 1

      Google already logs web searches. Without logging into a profile, this button provides them with no more information than they already had.

      --

      "You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein

    9. Re:Google doesn't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why can't Google understand that I simply do not want to broadcast my searches to the world? I have been trusting Google with that information. If they want to use my click-throughs as part of their search algorithms, that's fine. But why do they want me to attach my name to it? Google keeps trying to go social and that goes against all the trust we put in Google's privacy policies.

      They do it because they want to improve. The single idea that created(!) google was pagerank algorithm and even though it was and still is a 'Big Breakthrough'(tm) with all the SEO and rise in content production the relative quality of google search results has gone down. There was a time when you could search 'the web' with google, deeply and exhaustively. Today not so; I get much better results integrating social bookmarking sites with google (example stumbleupon - integrates into firefox to show stumble's thumb's up on google search results, which is sweet), building alternate search queries by researching the semantic landscape (to get more related search terms and keywords) for the particular search (through wikipedia or dictionaries and other prominent sites for the subject - usually taken from wikipedia's external references) and finally limiting the domain of the search to particular site, domain or countries.

      Out of these approaches, the social bookmarking is the most powerful and least limiting, even though unpredictable and not so semantically rich. Web viewed and searched by using google only has become awfully shallow and there are excellent resources that are NOT easily findable with google only. Google would benefit greatly if they could pull of a social pagerank algorithm, because it needs to have good local, in-depth searches for certain subjects and not only fast global searches that yield billion results and show ten of them. However this will not be so simple because currently there is no equivalent or measure of social bookmarking relevance (as there is a measure of relevance of reference for sites) and such bookmarks are biased towards 'interestingness' over quality.

  21. I don't see the 'Social' aspsct of this by Tigger's+Pet · · Score: 1

    Maybe because I'm not on FB, don't have a Twitter account etc, but I cannot see the benefit from a Social point of view of this.
    As a 'search ranking' type tool though - without the need for an account etc - I could see the benefit in people being able to give a +1 to say that it was a good result for their search parameters, but a system like that would just end up being hijacked by script kiddies pushing their web pages up the list one way or another.

    1. Re:I don't see the 'Social' aspsct of this by Ancantus · · Score: 1

      From the Google site it seems as you really only see your friends '+1' so unless all your friends are spam-bots, i don't see how this will game their searches at all

      --
      Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. -- Isaac Asimov
    2. Re:I don't see the 'Social' aspsct of this by GreatBunzinni · · Score: 1

      The "social" value of this is that the service provider (in this case Google) is able to implement a way for their users to declare their preferences in multiple subjects, which is a form of declared-strategy surveying. By this, the service provider is able to harvest more personal information from their users and therefore draw their profile more accurately than before, which in turn lets them better target ads and, as a consequence, earn more money.

      --
      Slashdot, fix your code or at least hire someone who is competent at it to do it for you.
    3. Re:I don't see the 'Social' aspsct of this by Fastolfe · · Score: 1

      Social networks allow people to express a social connection with someone else. If you participated in such a social network, and clicked +1 on a link in a Google search result, and one of your social connections did a search that happened to display that same link, they would see that you +1'd it (and therefore recommend it), making it more likely that your "friend" will pay closer attention to it than other results on the page.

    4. Re:I don't see the 'Social' aspsct of this by NotBorg · · Score: 1

      So if I have no friends then I have no use for this feature?

      -1

      --
      I want this account deleted.
    5. Re:I don't see the 'Social' aspsct of this by blair1q · · Score: 1

      It's social because now people can know your opinion on things, whereas before...uh...

  22. Re:Please rtfa first... by Jstlook · · Score: 1

    Funny, I took the slashdot news article as a direct challenge to participate in the conversation without RTFA.
    Thought it was mandatory!

    --
    ---jstlook ---For that is the way of Elves, for they say both yes AND no, and mean every word of it. --- J.R.R.T.
  23. Re:Please rtfa first... by MindNumbingOblivion · · Score: 1

    If you need to have a video to adequately explain how a social media promoter operates, You Are Doing It Wrong (tm).

    --
    #define CLUE 0
  24. Not Primarily an Effort at Social Networking by apostle+matt · · Score: 1

    While there is definitely a social aspect to this, the primary thrust behind this is SERP quality. Social Media is a great way to determine which sites are relevant, and which sites are spammy. This is about increasing the relevancy of search results... not a redo of Buzz.

    --
    lowmileageengines.com
  25. Um duh? by chucklebutte · · Score: 0

    Google, it is simple, to compete with facebook make your google profile have fucking friends! Let Gprofile users add other users, just giving us a pseudo facebook page does not cut it!

  26. OK, IMG URI please... Adblock is waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anybody already has the button's image URI already? My Adblock filter list says it's eagerly awaiting a regex for this one...

  27. Re:where is -1? by Jake+Griffin · · Score: 1

    This is the 21st century. We can't afford to offend anyone.

    --
    SIG FAULT: Post index out of bounds.
  28. April 1st, 2011 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    n/t

  29. Dear Google Fanz: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll wait for the Google memo.

    Thanks anyway for your irrational optimism.

    Yours In Osh,
    K. Trout

  30. Another way to game googles algorithms? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    while(true)
    {
    $('.plus_one_button').click();
    }

    or the like?

  31. Re:Please rtfa first... by rainmouse · · Score: 1

    ... it appears to be a very pro Google article.

    Well their single quoted source was the Official Google Blog, so their bound to 'like' it.

  32. I like this comment

  33. Why do we need this? by lee1 · · Score: 1

    I thought Google's algorithms were supposed to decide which results were the best and put those at the top. I thought the "+1" was supposed to be a link to a site from another authoritative site. Is this an admission that this mechanism doesn't work? That it's been hopelessly gamed by spammers?

    Who is going to bother, after going to a site from Google and finding it useful, to return to the search result page in order to click the "+1" button?

    Also, why is Google still using Flash simply to serve up a movie? I thought they were interested in pushing HTML5.

    1. Re:Why do we need this? by Trieuvan · · Score: 1

      It helps personalized search.

    2. Re:Why do we need this? by Animats · · Score: 1

      I thought Google's algorithms were supposed to decide which results were the best and put those at the top. I thought the "+1" was supposed to be a link to a site from another authoritative site. Is this an admission that this mechanism doesn't work? That it's been hopelessly gamed by spammers?

      Basically, yes.

      It's surprising that Google did this, after their disastrous experience with counting Yelp and CitySearch recommendations to compute ratings in Google Places. Last October, Google merged Places results from the previously independent Google Maps system into main web search results. Google Places ranking is based on location and recommendations, both of which can be easily faked and spammed. Within a month, we were seeing SEO firms advertising "Guaranteed first page listings or your money back". Within two months, Google Places spam was dominating results in local service categories like "dry cleaners" and "locksmiths".

      Then Google was humiliated by the New York Times investigation into the J.C. Penny spam job. That was classic link farming, something Google supposedly knew how to stop. Google penalized J.C. Penny, but that created a political backlash. Now Google had admitted that they manually adjusted search results. The European Union's antitrust authorities started investigating that.

      Blekko started sniping at Google for being so inept at dealing with web spam. Blekko improved results just by manually blocking the usual suspects, like "about.com". Demand Media went public and raised awareness of all the junk coming from "content farms". Google tried penalizing content farms, but it turned out that Google can't tell a content farm from a catalog shopping site, and was applying penalties to catalogs of real, buyable stuff. This angered some legitimate companies.

      Google added a "mark as spam" link on search results a few weeks ago. (So they do have a "hate" button.) Now they've added a "like" button. They seem to be chasing after Blekko's "crowdsourced" search.

      But it won't work. Blekko works only because nobody bothers to spam Blekko. They're too small to bother. Google's "like" mechanism will be spammed. Google can't stop people from creating massive numbers of phony Google accounts (see Jiffy Gmail Account Creator). As the previous Slashdot article points out, there are now far more social networking accounts than humans on the planet. Most of them were created by programs, not humans.

      Really, though, Google has a "like" button because Facebook has a "like" button.

    3. Re:Why do we need this? by lee1 · · Score: 1

      Good summary of recent Google issues.

      I don't see the "mark as spam" widget anymore; it is still there for some people?

      I guess it won't be all that easy to spam the +1 deal by making phony Google accounts, because, if I understand correctly, I only see the results from people whose email addresses are in my contact list. Anyway, I won't see the +1 dealies because I never made an account "profile" and I don't expect to any time soon.

    4. Re:Why do we need this? by tepples · · Score: 1

      Also, why is Google still using Flash simply to serve up a movie?

      Which version of which web browser are you using? If IE 9, which codecs do you have installed?

    5. Re:Why do we need this? by Fastolfe · · Score: 1

      I think that the idea of what pages are "better" is frequently subjective. People pay attention to the recommendations of their friends, and this is a way of letting you express those recommendations directly in Google search results, and affect the results of your friends. IMO, this seems completely orthogonal to the issue of search spam, except that both relate to search quality.

    6. Re:Why do we need this? by lee1 · · Score: 1

      Google Chrome 10.0.648.204 on OS X.

    7. Re:Why do we need this? by lee1 · · Score: 1

      I'm skeptical about the utility of this kind of thing in general. The last thing I googled for was the name of the guy who discovered a closed-form expression for an integer's partition number, and links to his papers. Not a good target for spammers, so the good results were at the top. How would the votes of my friends enhance this experience? I suppose it might help if a number of my contacts were searching, fairly recently, for the same thing I am, and in addition that their judgements about what is a useful search result aligned with mine. I just can't see this as being likely enough to bother with.

    8. Re:Why do we need this? by Fastolfe · · Score: 1

      It's easy to come up with specific cases/searches that this won't be useful for. (Porn would be a whole class of its own.) For someone that doesn't participate in social networks, only performs very targeted searches, and is never influenced by the recommendations of people in his or her social circles, it doesn't sound like this feature is going to provide that person much value. I rather suspect, though, that people in this category are a minority. Lots of people participate in social networks. Lots people perform very general searches (like product recommendations). LOTS of people are indeed influenced by the recommendations of their friends (even if the recommendation has to be filtered by who the recommendation is coming from, and the nature of the recommendation). It seems like this has value for some people, IMO.

    9. Re:Why do we need this? by lee1 · · Score: 1

      OK, you have a point in that my example was bad for this. But how about another recent search that I did: where to buy an internal notebook drive. Not that obscure. Suppose one of my contacts recently bought such an item and had a good experience, so +1ed the vendor's site. Is that useful for me? What if the site she +1ed is actually a terrible vendor, but she happened to luck out? What if next week she finds that the seller overcharged her credit card, or sold her a grey-market product that she can't return when it breaks? These social recommendations replace useful reputational and aggregate data by anecdotes. You don't know whom the recommendation is coming from (do you?) and, more importantly, you don't know the reasons behind it. Actual social interaction is useful, because you can actually talk to people and learn why they like things. If someone I trust tells me that she's been ordering equipment from a vendor for 12 years without any problems, that means something. A +1 on a site from a random person who happens to be in my contact list tells me nothing at all.

    10. Re:Why do we need this? by Fastolfe · · Score: 1

      It does tell you who it's from. "So-and-so +1'd this" or "So-and-so shared this on Twitter."

    11. Re:Why do we need this? by lee1 · · Score: 1

      It looks like you're right about that. That's more useful, but since it doesn't tell me the basis for the recommendation, most of my objections above still stand.

  34. Re:Please rtfa first... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    whose bound?

  35. Google Reader has already 5 buttons by ciantic · · Score: 1

    Google Reader has following buttons after each post: Add star, Like, Share, Share with Note, Email

    Finally I can also have the "+1" button!

    I swear none of the buttons could be stacked, they really must be separate.

  36. Re:Please rtfa first... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think that you mean "so they are bound to +1 it"

  37. I now invert . . . by hduff · · Score: 1

    . . . the "Hell, YES!" button.

    --
    "I believe in Karma. That means I can do bad things to people all day long and I assume they deserve it." : Dogbert
  38. UI overhead won't work for Google by theazureshadow · · Score: 1

    If we developed the ultimate taxonomic system for all reactions to things on the internet... it might be epic, but nobody would ever use it.

    "Thumbs Up / Down" is appropriate when you are okay with a learning curve and you can afford to get more data for your ranking (StackOverflow, Slashdot).

    "Like", on the other hand is appropriate for high volume sites (Digg, Hacker News), and social sites. It has a far wider (non-jerk) range of applications, even if it doesn't cover your friend's car crash. In those situations where "Like" isn't appropriate, you'll just have to comment instead -- as you should be doing anyway. "Hey, I cared enough to spend half a second pressing a button!" just doesn't cut it.

    Google has the most usage and the least average commitment of any of the examples here, so they probably can't afford even the slight complication of "Thumbs Up / Down". They probably won't even show the aggregate of "+1" votes; it'll just figure as a signal into result rankings.

    (TIME's ongoing "best feed" twitter showdown is an interesting example. It uses both, but only calculates ranking by "+1" votes. It currently shows Sarah Palin at position 23 of 140, while she only has a 0.14 approval ratio. That is the largest disparity between position and approval in the poll, which tracks Palin's record perfectly.)

    1. Re:UI overhead won't work for Google by NatasRevol · · Score: 1

      Did you really take 5 paragraphs to say "+1" works, but "-1" won't?

      --
      There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
    2. Re:UI overhead won't work for Google by Juanvaldes · · Score: 1

      Thats how you know he is an engineer.

    3. Re:UI overhead won't work for Google by afabbro · · Score: 1

      Thats how you know he is an engineer.

      ...even though he's really a consultant.

      --
      Advice: on VPS providers
  39. Right idea, wrong implementation. by MrCrassic · · Score: 1

    This would be extremely useful in increasing the quality of search results if people could '+1' search results anonymously. Instead, Google's using this EXACTLY like the "Like" button on Facebook, which relies on having friends on Google already to be useful.

    I think it's the right idea, but wrong implementation. Then again, I'm not a creative.

    1. Re:Right idea, wrong implementation. by Rary · · Score: 1

      This would be extremely useful in increasing the quality of search results if people could '+1' search results anonymously. Instead, Google's using this EXACTLY like the "Like" button on Facebook, which relies on having friends on Google already to be useful.

      If it were implemented in a public way, it would be useless, and nothing but another avenue for gaming search results. It's useful precisely because it is influenced primarily by people who are most likely to have interests similar to your own.

      --

      "You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein

  40. Re:Please rtfa first... by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1

    The article does not refer to any concerns. I think that was a generic "helpful frist psot" trying to garner karma instead of scorn.

    --
    Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
  41. Re:Please rtfa first... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Man, I just can't stand posts titled like yours. If you're going to suggest they RTFA first, in the title, it should also contain something regarding the fact that the article probably covers their concerns.

  42. Robert Bunsen? by blair1q · · Score: 1

    Google changed its logo to an unreadable collection of chemisty glassware glyphs to honor a guy who invented a liquid candle, but they never once changed it in February to honor Black History Month?

    What. The. Fuck?

    1. Re:Robert Bunsen? by blair1q · · Score: 1
    2. Re:Robert Bunsen? by BitZtream · · Score: 1

      Right ... because they don't do ANYTHING to honor black history month ...

      http://searchengineland.com/martin-luther-king-day-logos-from-google-others-33703

      Nope, never have they done anything ...

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    3. Re:Robert Bunsen? by blair1q · · Score: 1

      Hate to tell you this, but MLK day is not in BHM, and MLK is not BH, it's just H.

    4. Re:Robert Bunsen? by LordLucless · · Score: 1

      Probably because they think reverse-discrimination is as idiotic as the rest of us.

      --
      Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
    5. Re:Robert Bunsen? by WWWWolf · · Score: 1

      Google changed its logo to an unreadable collection of chemisty glassware glyphs to honor a guy who invented a liquid candle, but they never once changed it in February to honor Black History Month?

      I know who Robert Bunsen was, but what's a Black History Month? (- signed, a confused European.)

      My point being, Google operates internationally and they have the whole world to draw inspiration from. They do these doodles pretty sparingly - under normal circumstances, they don't do these doodles.

      February occurs every year, and Google hasn't announced that they're going *poof* before the next February; It's not like they'd be running out of opportunities to celebrate some locally occurring celebration thingy. And it's not like they're celebrating Robert Bunsen every year - they do this stuff once properly, which is better than doing something half-assedly every year.

  43. WROOOOOOOOOONNNGGG by JustAnotherIdiot · · Score: 1

    I'm going to picture Lex Luthor screaming that every time I press this +1 button now.

    --
    What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
  44. good idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    +1 good idea

  45. We'll see by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Great idea, but the astroturfers and SEO sharks will have a heyday with this....

  46. Re:Please rtfa first... by Goffee71 · · Score: 1

    At least Google had the decency to Labs-launch it rather than blow every trumpet... http://www.cmswire.com/cms/web-engagement/googles-1-makes-searching-more-social-010713.php

    --
    If he's the Walrus then can I be a penguin please?
  47. And are they going to pay royalties to Slashdot? by amper · · Score: 1

    They really ought too. We know where +1 came from.

  48. It seems more like by geekoid · · Score: 1

    slashdot moderation.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  49. April fools by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From Google, a tad early.

  50. It may...... by moodel · · Score: 1

    .......have already been mentioned previously but I cannot be bothered to read all the responses. Pushnote already does the same for websites.

  51. Popularity not relevance will be rewarded by Cidtek · · Score: 1

    Totally stupid. Search results should be based on relevence and not popularity. With today's mobilization of large groups of voters the results are going to totally gamed by those who have networks.

  52. FSF: WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am usually a backer of the Open Source jazz, but at times the FSF sounds like a
    complete looner. They want that sites release the JavaScript code as free software.
    WTF. There excuse is to make that code more secure. Bullshit. The many eyes
    thing only goes so far, and never mind that a security issue can be a result of
    shifty JavaScript, a shifty browser, or a shifty JavaScript interpreter (one can build
    WebKit with several different JavaScript interpreters). Oh well, I guess they want
    all source code on a machine to be open source... never mind that such code
    can be buggy an insecure anyways if no one cares (which is usually read paid)
    to deal with it. Here is a riddle: Why is the Linux kernel in use, in production
    and, well working, where as HURD is none of those? Answer: commercial interest.
    People are getting paid to do it. Back the the JavaScript: those websites that
    make heavy use of JavaScript, it is in their business interest to keep it good,
    I cannot see making the code open source really helping.

    But still, if one wants to look at the JavaScript code, it is transmitted to
    a browser as plain text anyways, as is all the html code.. it's only Java crap
    that is not transmitted in plain text.

  53. Google Reader? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Google Is Introducing the +1 Button
    from Slashdot: News for nerds, stuff that matters by CmdrTaco
    19 people liked this

    Haven't they had this functionality in Reader for a while now?

  54. Re:Please rtfa first... by Daengbo · · Score: 1

    +1 doesn't appear in a stream of any kind: it's just reflected in search results.

  55. Mathematicians have a word by dotbot · · Score: 1

    for the +1 operator: succ. It's unfortunate that we feel the need to verbize everything these days because I just wouldn't feel right succing people because they're succing me, in a sort of mutual succing arrangement, just so we feel better about ourselves.

  56. Re:Please rtfa first... by hawguy · · Score: 1

    +1 doesn't appear in a stream of any kind: it's just reflected in search results.

    I'm not sure what you mean by "a stream of any kind", but all of your +1's are aggregated into your Google Profile.

  57. Re:Please rtfa first... by Larryish · · Score: 1

    +1 Internets for you, sir.

    Have some chicken.

  58. Popular, good, or useful? by formfeed · · Score: 1

    What if the majority doesn't share my interests? Will this feature make the search actually worse for me?

    What does a +1 indicate?

    • Someone found a site and just liked it as a website.
    • This site fit their search term that was similar to mine.
    • This site is useless but fit a search term that looked similar to mine.
    • This site has what I was looking for.
  59. Re:Please rtfa first... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    It was news about a change that google will be making shortly. Who would you rather they cite, the Bing blog?

  60. Re:Please rtfa first... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

    No, I was anticipating scores of users failing to understand what it actually is, and complaining that random people would be able to tamper with their search results, which is not at all how it works.

  61. Re:Please rtfa first... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If someone wants to go view your Google profile, then sure they can find them. The +1s don't go into Buzz or Reader at this point, though they might later. I was just pointing out a philosophical difference. Facebook presents a stream of what your contacts liked in near real time. Google is just using this to make search results more relevant , possibly months or years after the +1 was clicked. It's not part of a Twitter or Facebook replacement yet.

  62. This is great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    my speakers in my acer notebook are sort of low. will this make it go to 11?

  63. Gmail requirement by Elfez · · Score: 1

    Google will never grab any noticeable share of the social networking market until they stop insisting that those wanting to make use of those services also must use gmail for their email.

    Sure, you can work around that with forwarding of emails from your gmail account, but it's an extra step and setting it up is something of a hassle.

  64. You'll see a lot of this... by conscarcdr · · Score: 1

    197 ppl mistook the "+1" button for "-1"

  65. Good grief by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What a ridiculous comment. If people gave up we'd still be using square wheels, Model Ts and crap software. Oh, bugger!

  66. Mod Parent Down by AP31R0N · · Score: 1

    Think it through.

    If you don't like something, don't give a +1 or a Like. In systems where there's like and dislike it quickly becomes a trolling ground where people try to be/do things that are disliked. IT REWARDS NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR. It also becomes like Digg where people go back and forth burying and raising stuff for whatever petty reason. Heck, look no further than /. for what happens when people can use voting systems to punish and silence. There's more abuse than proper use.

    --
    Utilizing the synergization of benchmark e-solutions to pre-workaround action items!
    1. Re:Mod Parent Down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, on /. they even ban your IP address when they disagree with you or you just happen to be very well informed...

  67. foo++ by Danny+Rathjens · · Score: 1

    Why don't they use the unary increment operator? ;) (google's geek cred)--

  68. A Proven Winning Formula Online by anguirus.x · · Score: 1

    This is the same as Netflix & Amazon, the +/- score (I hope they let us weed stuff out also) could be associated with search result strings and *voila* - Google has their improved search ranking algorithm. I hope.

  69. Useful for something different... by DaVince21 · · Score: 1

    Before spambots start taking advantage of it, it can at least be used to measure how many people like or were looking for certain sites. That way, the better quality results can go to the top of the results a bit more.

    --
    I am not devoid of humor.
  70. Google Steal +1 concept by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The prove that +1 Google Button is Stolen as well Copied concept. http://tiny.cc/d6taz