Do you ever feel like there are so many cool and amazing things to do on the net, that you feel overwhelmed? If so, I have a guaranteed solution for you. Become a Google Apps user.
I ranted a few weeks ago about Google’s unwavering policy to deny Google Apps users the ability to use its newest features. Lots of people reacted sympathetically and emotionally to that post, so I am clearly not the only Google Apps user who is unhappy about this. In fact, I suspect that a lot of people are wondering why they elected to put themselves at a comparative disadvantage to the rest of the planet by going all-in with Google.
Now comes the (sort of) much anticipated Google+ Project. It actually looks great. One of the good things about being a 15-plus year tech blogger is that I know a lot of other technophiles (e.g., geeks). It’s a rare thing when I don’t get an early invite to new applications. I’d dearly love love to try Google+.
But I can’t.
Because like just about everything else Google releases, Google+ requires a Google Profile. Which Google Apps users still can’t have.
It gets even worse.
With the release of Google+, Google seems to be opening up more cloud space, in an attempt to attract more loyal Google users. As Yahoo ignores Flickr to death, it is a good time to start thinking about alternatives. Google has begun offering almost unlimited space to its loyal Picasa users. Just not its most loyal users- Google Apps users need not apply.
When I asked Google why Google Apps users are getting hosed, they gave me an unsatisfactory but completely accurate answer.
This makes no sense. At first, I thought it was just a matter of the left hand and the right hand operating separately, and at different speeds. But if we still can’t even use Google Buzz a year and a half after it was “coming soon,” no one should be holding their breath.
It’s hard to come up with any good reason for Google to continuously leave Apps users out in the cold.
Which leaves only bad reasons. Apathy? Cluelessness? Are they just being mean? Do they hate us?
Someone will inexplicably try to mount a defense for Google by playing the “Apps are for Enterprise” card. Fine, then make all the cool stuff an option, for the Google Apps Admins to select or not, as they see fit. There is simply no way that taking choices away can be spun as good for the customer. We’re not talking about skydiving here. We’re talking about using web apps. The same web apps that Google hopes will be the vanguard for its latest assault on the social web.
Come on, Google. Stop screwing with your most loyal users. The Flounderization of Google Apps users is bad business.
Do you love irony and social activism? Then +1 this post so Google will see that Apps users are getting tired of standing in the back of the line.
Newsome.Org 
This is true. It took me some poking around in my settings to realise I can finally get access to Youtube from my account, and I’m not sure when that was turned on.
But if you think it’s bad being an Apps user, try being an Apps user in Australia, where – for some reason – we can’t listen to the same music or watch the same shows as our American friends because there’s some water between us. Google Music looks pretty neat: too bad! Google Voice looks awesome: tough luck!
I know there are obstacles to overcome to get all these products into different markets, but sometimes it doesn’t even feel like they’re trying.
I’ll start using this one if most of my friends have their accounts too… Hope they have a facebook tool that would access your facebook friend’s emails
I would +1 but as a paying google apps user i cant.
I used much of their software and am very frustrated with the latest update to blogger. Simple stuff has stopped working. More effort spent making it look nice and consistent than getting it to work easily.
I can’t +1 because I’m a google apps user…. seriously.