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I have been seeing a lot of social media sites mentioned, and there is no way that I have the time or energy to try...


I have been seeing a lot of social media sites mentioned, and there is no way that I have the time or energy to try them all out myself. So I thought it might be helpful to have some screenshots of various alternatives. This is the main page of my journal on Dreamwidth.

Most of it is obvious, I guess. The Reading page contains posts from people and communities that I have designated. I can create many different views for my reading page, with different communities and individuals, of course. I have great flexibility and control for who can see each post, including me-only and public. Public posts can be shared with non-members and indexed by outside search engines.

From the posting page I can also post to any community that I'm part of. The inbox allows private messages as well as containing copies of any comments made on my posts.

I'll include a second screenshot with more detail in the comments.

#WhatItsLike

Comments

  1. Here's another screenshot. As before, Google Plus has made it look terrible.

    I can allow comments from everyone including anonymous people (who don't have to be Dreamwidth members), or just registered users, or disallow comments altogether. I automatically crosspost to my LiveJournal, but I can choose not to do so for any individual post (or I could turn off crossposting completely). I can go back at any time and edit the entry, the tags, or my own comments. I can also change the keywords or the security of the post (i.e. who can see it).

    I can choose to get notifications by e-mail when someone comments on the post, or when the author posts anything else. I can request the same thing for other people's posts, as long as I am permitted to see them. And of course I can get a permalink for the post, or for any individual comments that are made on it.

    I use my Dreamwidth account for more personal interactions with old friends. I also used it to document my son's life as he was growing up, with photos and memories. It's definitely a more thoughtful community of users there, in my experience.

    And that's what it's like.

    #WhatItsLike

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so angry at Google right now. Those screenshots were made with my Pixel XL. They look great on my phone, and on Google Photos. So why do they look so terrible here on Google Plus? Is Google trying to drive us away early?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I erased the local copy of my screen shot from the phone, and tried posting it to my personal G+ directly from Google Photos. Same lousy quality. I've sent feedback to Google, not that I expect them to care.

    It's amazing how Google has managed to turn me from an advocate and admirer into someone who loathes Google in less than a year!

    ReplyDelete
  4. And yet a regular photo posted from Google Photos looks great!

    I suspect there's a problem with compression, although I am supposed to have full resolution backup on Google Photos for the life of the phone.
    plus.google.com - This is another test. I am posting a regular photo from Google Photos. Let's ...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PNy28-ojn6xjTHT0wOuc69HXHSPvKSPfDT9xkjgYJus6rylvAySqd55wtzpJSMsei-wRRN0xcJA6XbK-4WJH_i5JfyuBJ8RCluIm=s0

    ReplyDelete
  6. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9pFBIat4gU8gnfE_UQVZW9fIp1mIssECfrNZFT-4q8GMP7TvL4yHcNeGNeT9e190qIFE1AoOlcrYkoMXZMX8xLlvb1ELBVMhKAKd=s0

    ReplyDelete
  7. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/57EkIH5dRu8mtARSoW1FVJ8DsDKYL8OvKi-RY_jFHcQz0t5P5WMAUv3qekqdlGeqldAvjP56x2CkwbmyWu67_FJKwh2seua5QCL9=s0

    ReplyDelete
  8. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LrpvHVEgctlsRtye-PeJPxsX_yvPGjp_w_3iC_ek3BVpfRXbqvBROzrcfPHPtWmyk6z253iwiZ6fk6OkvZ96gwG1arRHn8v4_QU-=s0

    ReplyDelete
  9. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uvFzDhE4AJEXJVMuFZopVMg9QJOVx2u0i1fYCgsTYiJIXGulfKY01ickD7JgAlrbqwCeAAkIU1tKLbTweoV3ECLiZIgnmkWFehqA=s0

    ReplyDelete
  10. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Bcs0vZhPvVVwLPnX6_5Pw0WCt05aLBA9Rh79fHsDHz9Isqineq-DPR_9Uq8oxLG3JamydqbgvGBjNiEsgpSuuoDPuvZ9e0VaDDaj=s0

    ReplyDelete
  11. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iEwALOS2pm68Hk0ED-LSHKv0XYxz_z86Rey3AgtpFHgGtrLmP2c46LSfVbWkKJyMl69s2mTA9pT9tus22HMssDEB91hbC3tksT6B=s0

    ReplyDelete
  12. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rxU-cVqmRlt2NCxRcLVt_nsgi3P3tzSzJA2rWXx6fxWZfF33VU_4MGKrR2yQObWUiYEr4JKkyQ4DkpRqJs7drJ6T8SGgGXllUcTO=s0

    ReplyDelete
  13. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cb4IxrX8FXKx78e2QTRm59rzy_sgQB5ZOFSmJaTS_b71H0Czpfk3zFkYrEzThzeQ-dSVgKEEsh_jdNZGc9jCS_N8jTQxbvnUQ8yu=s0

    ReplyDelete
  14. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KnlJsUR6IDSI7useWPY9BDlmbbxGVlIo-PsRhhgRp04AngiDUtQ7gCrMq5RUTMveyjTbohV8am9G7a7QTnjA2-FE-nLW8k9efTWG=s0

    ReplyDelete
  15. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yb2Hg9rBzTQTj_o8LI_QG9szo77o6k2f99CwjxmIJjyAq0jPKbx6pAGJaUMWGhCu5zz2dh7G3hpNXwum5r0fJlM-55LFMODnFoYb=s0

    ReplyDelete
  16. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gCs4qZmfuQBWH_hZACNlWAxfj6D9T3FtwueWFLLH22xJRLPT8AH_lEG2yQNgA8cbA0Bf4ASMav8R68lUzmjknJDM59oHD3j7V_AN=s0

    ReplyDelete
  17. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/11G0WZWAER3_gmbjJDfoVoBPVB8Um575h8mmx_okJUGhR1kFpNq2HoY7ODVZkE3pa2dD-CyLkm_gZ_J11hAZGCtg-KM8FKhkuG2O=s0

    ReplyDelete
  18. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aQXaT1l-GGeiVc02rEOnr7L5FeuzStVRJhwsCge8lq4vcj2zLPUsCtNFyztGjI0NfJUkDbWG2F7ie5BNmlUpM7Z_NxzXK6MiaTyy=s0

    ReplyDelete
  19. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Yw1uwmvgclTl3j0l-uaKaaiuS9UhYvq48zdmbi3jsAi934ndY76TdCbjk3eI8wM9q0UVJIeVOrJ_Mq9NCthYUOOTuKSA_MdsG_yE=s0

    ReplyDelete
  20. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TQIcrDVhiXu1SnQwpWFzd0yi8ymVd7e0HmZRbtxFXGmeHQKKjpziRbUOjx5y1sEIHfXMWz3qdnclUBxLuHDqMxhme_RHyetTIeNg=s0

    ReplyDelete
  21. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BmPdqaKhMOYY9EAbeDYiX2BazA2tORSWQF1yf3_Cep7GdGWH4V0fBMs7O-_d6qHwiRPau1Z2RLC-xwaNdDAg4IwZ0pK4zqh5pppi=s0

    ReplyDelete
  22. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/E2-HnbfGJg9PuWxfazmeLH6-IEJarIq4tBFElB1_eg4Q54oFFYe6Bz1Y4CIO1hV-zq23bebxYQFwbpjRovEUJrQ3jDo7E6PHQBe2=s0

    ReplyDelete
  23. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YnhprW9jwTMlFWy0aW8XYLq6WmajB53kNfdJ2mQM1Vop_qvGvlbnO-h-By40WDs1R1ytGvG3FM9zcqvrl9y33rAKsWh_y4esRXHP=s0

    ReplyDelete
  24. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sErdqqvoJPjzqe1mf4Tl75fz1G6wj64tj42WTjfS25VVE9bPpzGSiT1A7SUujjiiC_1OPcgIfVfi19nVJdyf5NE0of5l7ROVnAMl=s0

    ReplyDelete
  25. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Bl1V8RUtJYJ_C7tCLMMdSI9MNUFfAgnOZO9O4FLk9UsKQZfy8rtyVH0laDkGSi0DMLGv7plyqyrw0yQaX03o6n6Eqr3T9R79VE_y=s0

    ReplyDelete
  26. Okay. I downloaded the screenshots from Google photos, converted them to jpegs, and uploaded them back to Google photos. The thumbnails still look terrible here, but if you click on a screenshot it will display clearly.https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lhzPdD6bRYMGBDTlTbqr7Ht4FxLh4ynJqWV4iewqnVY6aHHTQ7o3KN1hx14FCGFNolWY5RT5TvgbNNqJ0Z59c_vr2Yu58z5Y3peM=s0

    ReplyDelete
  27. Thank you. It certainly helps to be able to see what it looks like without having to create an account yourself!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Wayne Harris Thanks! I'm hoping that others will do the same thing for other services.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Dreamwidth also allows commenting via OpenID, and OpenID users who later sign up for DW accounts can claim their OpenID content.

    Peter Maranci, I'm curious now... Wanna try uploading one of your screenshots to DW and linking to that? DW's image hosting is pretty embryonic and limited, but it exists.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sallie Alys Montuori That's a great idea! I just tried it. Let's see if it works!


    bobquasit.dreamwidth.org

    ReplyDelete
  31. Dreamwidth, so far, has been the only alternative to Google+ that, with the exception of a distributed node model, substantially satisfies my criteria for an acceptable substitute. I have voluntarily decided to subscribe for a paid account with a number of extra services, although a free account could have also sufficed.

    The minor inconveniences that I have experienced with Dreamwidth so far are the need to open an extra tab/window (as opposed to a pop-up window) to edit posts, and the need to search for a representative image and associated URL in order to insert an image representative of a post. In particular, the latter problem causes me to go on a wild goose-chase for an image and associated URL every time that I wish to contribute a post that is not text-only (99% of the time).

    For example, if I post a link to an article on Wikipedia, I would prefer that an image representative of that article on Wikipedia appear in my post automatically. Currently, I need to dig up a link to an image of a Wikipedia logo on the associated page if I wish to display some appropriate eye-candy.

    Otherwise, however, so far I have not encountered any problems with Dreamwidth (either in terms of the content of the posts or the types of users there).

    ReplyDelete
  32. Holger Jakobs Yes; I also created an account on Goggleplus, a node of HubZilla. Unfortunately, unlike with Dreamwidth, I was unable to find any posts on topics of interest (in this case, topics related to interactive online digital entertainment) there.

    ReplyDelete
  33. José Pedro Paula No, to both questions; I gained access to Goggleplus by reading an invitation, with an invitation code, to that node here on Google+. Then, I created an account there; however, searches for posts matching my interests came up blank. Therefore, I have not been using Goggleplus substantially since then.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Holger Jakobs How about making that a post itself? I think everyone in the group would be interested, but not all of them may drill down in the comments here and see it.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Great post, thank you for sharing this!

    ReplyDelete
  36. José Pedro Paula they are available and they work very well.

    ReplyDelete

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