Google+ - Expanding The GoogleSphere Again

This month, Google takes on both FaceBook and Twitter, and captures the good features of both - and more.

Google+ combines the community building possibilities of FaceBook, Following / Friend Connect, and Twitter. It adds, to the functionality of FaceBook, the built in ability to separate your personal, business, and other lives - so your future prospective employer never need learn about the last summer you spent debauching yourself. And it adds, to the functionality of Twitter, an unrestricted message length - not the imitation SMS message length limitation of 140 characters, that frustrates many Twitter users.

Yet, there are limitations and pitfalls. Owners of Blogger blogs, who are unaware of the involvement of Picasa in hosting the photos uploaded into their blogs, have learned the hard way that deleting photos from Google+ is a very bad idea.

We've learned how to publish to a Blogger blog from Google+, though a seamless technique for posting from Blogger to Google+ is yet to be provided.

Overall, though, Google+ is the new feature of the year. When you get an invitation, from a friend, this is one Internet service you will want to setup immediately, and to share with your friends - when you get the chance.

Personal Cyber Warfare - Defamation Is Not Impersonation

In in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, we see a fair number of complaints asking why Blogger won't remove a blog that contains trash talk (aka "libel" / "slander"), which is targeting them, personally.

Impersonation may involve identity theft, and is a TOS violation. Blogger / Google will resolve impersonation issues, by removing a blog or website that contains impersonation, when properly reported. Defamation, however, is not so simple.

What one person sees as libel or slander, another person (maybe in a different country, and bound by a different set of customs and laws) may see as free speech. Libel and slander are civil or criminal issues, which must be decided by the courts system. Other legal conflict will involve various governmental agencies - differing from country to country.

The Internet, in it's ability to casually bring together people from different geographical, legal, and political systems, is going to cause international conflict, from time to time. As each new Internet feature, such as the recently released Google+, debuts, we're going to see new forms of personality clashes. It will be interesting to see how all of the conflict shakes down.

Continuing To Paint Ourselves Into The Corner

Long ago, I wrote about overly restrictive security, and the literal tendency to paint ourselves into corners.

This month, the tradition continues, and we can see two prime examples with recent Blogger disturbances - people who cannot comment on certain blogs, and people who can't see the Followers gadget on any blogs.

Come on folks, if you're going to protect yourself, learn how to not block the services that you need.

Nitecruzr Comment Of The Month Award

This week, following the major meltdown of Blogger after the "routine" maintenance release, we have a comment by one reader Gabriele C, who observes casually

I knew it would pay off some day to make a copy of the template code every time I tweak it.

And that makes my posts about Responsible Practices seem almost worthwhile.

Congrats, Gabriele. And thanks.

Internet Explorer V9 Is Out

Last month, Microsoft released the newest version of their Internet Explorer browser. This month, many blog owners are discovering problems with using Post Editor, Stats, and other Blogger wizards. Most of the problems reported mention Internet Explorer, just upgraded to V9.

Until Blogger updates all of their scripts, folks, you will be better off with Internet Explorer V8 - or better yet, Chrome or Firefox.

The Optional Naked Domain Redirect

In my Grants Tomb observation of the year, I'll point out a diagnosis that I make every couple months in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken. If your custom domain is properly setup, yet it's still not quite working, check the option to

Redirect mydomain.com to "www.mydomain.com".

Such a simple selection - and so easily overlooked.

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The Sky Is Falling!

In the legendary fable "Chicken Little", the main character ran around screaming

The sky is falling!

In Frank Baum's classic "The Wizard Of Oz", the main character, Dorothy, went around moaning about

Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!

This week, we have fearful blog owners wondering

What is "goo.gl", and why is their porn website linking to my blog?

It's Referer Spam, folks. Can you see the Referer Spam that this blog is getting? No, you can't. I can't see yours, either.

Ignore it - don't click on the links - and get back to work.