dredmorbius@joindiaspora.com
Doc Morbius (moved to Glasswings)

Plexodus 3 Month Status Update

I'm putting this update out a week early, mostly as things are moving swiftly and I've been busy.

Covered here:

  • Make your final or interim future choices NOW and announce them.
  • I switched recommendations for data export to the Friends+Me Google+ Exporter. It works, it's here, and it's proven.
  • Think of moving this discussion off G+ in a month or two.
  • Google API shutdown starts January 27, completes March 7.
  • 127 days, or less, until Google+ is shut down.

Make your final or interim future choices NOW and announce them.

If you've been delaying making a decision on where to go after G+ is gone, you are now out of time. Make a decision NOW. I recommend picking a platform that is available now, that works now, and that addresses your needs, if not all your wants.

Pay attention to bones, not skin. Strong houses are build on solid foundations: established technology, reliable and proven leadership, a healthy community, and solid principles. New or not-yet-released platforms are an extremely high risk. If you're looking at a Community move, mailing lists, or Yahoo or Google Groups are excellent interim choices. Reddit and Groups.io might also make the cut.

I'm a fan of federated platforms, but these may not be a match for all others. Diaspora, Friendica, and Mastodon are especially reliable at this point. The first two offer much of what Google+ does, Mastodon is a microblogging platform similar to Twitter. For maintaining a reachable presence these are excellent choices.

For others, blogs or major social media platforms may well be your best options. They may have issues, but are a known quantity with established communities. Consider a beachhead on one or more federated platforms, cross-posting or syndicating your content, as a trial run. Take actions to keep your future options open.

I have changed my recommendations for data export: Use the Friends+Me Google+ Exporter if possible. It works, it's here, and it's proven.

Google Data Takeout (GDT) does not work for the purposes of migrating from Google+ to another platform for most users. There are attempts to work with Google on this, they've proceeded slowly at best and there has been NO official communication, or even indication to Google+ Top Contributors and Product Experts serving as the Google+ Help community moderation team as to when such announcements might be made.

My initial estimate was that if Google did not respond by the two-month mark, we'd likely be on our own, and that very much appears to be the case.

You'll be far more likely to succeed in exports using F+MGE.

https://blog.friendsplus.me/export-google-plus-feeds-45926c925891?gi=8990ce9d30d0

What this does is export personal content and communities, directly imports to Wordpress or Blogger, with other targets pending, as well as future incremental updates to that archive. It does not yet have a photos exporter, but I've been in touch with the developer who is working on that.

F+MGE does not and will not support mobile migrations -- users with only mobile devices and no desktop or laptop system. More below.

If you have made a GDT and successfully converted it, you may be able to ignore this advice, though again, F+MGE does incremental updates.

(We're discussing a similar and official recommendation at G+MM as well.)

Mobile-only user data migration

For now, our suggestions are:

  • Borrow or acces a desktop or laptop system to migrate your data, if possible. Libraries may offer laptops to borrow or rent, as may other services.
  • Utilise a server- or cloud-based tool. We're aware of one though it's not yet fully polished.
  • Look for sites which offer direct import of G+ content. These will likely rely on G+ APIs and may not be available after March 7, or as soon as January 27.

We'll provide more information as it's available.

Think of moving discussions off G+ within the next month or two.

G+MM, P:TBiN, and all other Google Communities and content will very likely disappear on the April 2019 shutdown, presumably at the end of the month, although even this is not clear.

The best alternate space I have to offer is #PlexodusReddit:
https://old.reddit.com/r/plexodus

I've been posting content there, much of it from P:TBiN and G+MM, some strictly to the Reddit. Discussions there will survive, discussions here will not. I've yet to decide if I'll close comments here or not, but that's also likely at some point in February or March.

Google API shutdown starts January 27, completes March 7.

That's not a G+ shutdown, but it will affect third-party apps, some websites, and quite probably other tools at least temporarily, including possibly Google tools. Expect to start seeing glitches.

F+MGE does NOT use the API and will NOT be affected by this. Other archival tools, including some mobile-friendly options, will be.

Here's your Exodus Schedule for 2019

January

  • Provide updated status, plans, goals.
  • Commit to new platform(s).
  • Create a full Google+ data archive.
  • Create new accounts as needed.
  • Update your and community members' contact information.
  • Provide breadcrumbs, hashtags, and other discovery beacons.

February

  • Provide updated status, plans, goals.
  • No later than now declare new platform(s) live alpha.
  • Direct Google+ members to new services.
  • Deprecate Google+ services.
  • Publicise new location(s).
  • Update your and community members' contact information.
  • Select material for import.
  • Perform necessary edits and modifications.
  • Import and assess data.
  • Provide breadcrumbs, hashtags, and other discovery beacons.

March

  • Provide updated status, plans, goals.
  • No later than now declare new platform(s) live beta.
  • Direct Google+ members to new services.
  • Deprecate use of Google+ stream / communities, close comments.
  • Publicise new location(s).
  • Import and assess data.
  • Continue content edits and modifications as needed.
  • Update your and community members' contact information.
  • Provide breadcrumbs, hashtags, and other discovery beacons.

April

  • Provide updated status, plans, goals.
  • Update your and community members' contact information.
  • No later than now declare new platform(s) live primary.
  • Disable updates to Google+ services if possible (e.g., no comments, no posts).
  • Directly contact missing members, reach out through members.
  • Provide breadcrumbs, hashtags, and other discovery beacons.
  • Publicise new location(s).
  • 30 April: Presumed public Google+ shutdown date.

May

  • Provide updated status, plans, goals.
  • Direct Google+ members to new services.
  • Provide breadcrumbs, hashtags, and other discovery beacons.
  • Directly contact missing members, reach out through members.
  • Publicise new location(s).
  • Assess content integrity.
  • Assess community integrity.
  • Address content / community as necessary.

127 days, or less, until Google+ is shut down.

Google changed plans without warning once. They may well do it again.

#plexodus #googleplus #gplusrefugees #plexodusReddit

Originally posted to #PlexodusReddit: https://old.reddit.com/r/plexodus/comments/ac89wl/plexodus_3_month_status_update/

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