Google+ : Java Glossary

aka +1, 1+, Google Plus, One Plus, Plus One.

Google’s social networking site, like a simplified FaceBook or Twitter. It uses the concept of circles. You decide which information you post is visible to which circles of friends. (Personally, I have little patience for this kind of idle chit chat and for social networking sites in general. If am going to the effort of composing an essay, I want as many people as possible to read it.)

You will see the frequently on pages associated with Google. (The button on the left is a dummy.) Clicking it means you think the item is particularly worth reading. I think all that happens is it gets posted to some page your Google+ account. Possibly it gives the item higher weight in Google search engine rankings. If you know how it works, please let me know.

You can embed a Google JavaScript that puts the button on your web page. (The button on the left is a dummy.) You also have to add three lines to the <meta headers of your web pages. Ouch!

Putting JavaScript on my webpages is something I do only under duress. It makes browsers freeze frequently. It stalls or even aborts the loading of web pages. It limits which brands of browser can view your page. Google AdSense and Google Translate which work using JavaScript have been a major PITA (Pain In The Ass). Google uses JavaScript for these buttons so they can display a running count of how many people have clicked the button. I assume Google software prevents any one person from clicking more than once. That is why you need a Google+ account to gain permission to click the buttons.