Google__ The Missing Manual - Kevin Purdy [4]
AS THE OWNER OF a Missing Manual, you’ve got more than just a book to read. Online, you’ll find example files so you can get some hands-on experience, as well as tips, articles, and maybe even a video or two. You can also communicate with the Missing Manual team and tell us what you love (or hate) about the book. Head over to www.missingmanuals.com, or go directly to one of the following sections.
Missing CD
This book doesn’t have a CD pasted inside the back cover, but you’re not missing out on anything. Go to www.missingmanuals.com/cds, where you’ll find a list of clickable links to all the websites in this book so you don’t wear down your fingers typing long web addresses.
Registration
If you register this book at oreilly.com, you’ll be eligible for special offers—like discounts on future editions of Google+: The Missing Manual. Registering takes only a few clicks. To get started, type www.oreilly.com/register into your browser to hop directly to the Registration page.
Feedback
Got questions? Need more information? Fancy yourself a book reviewer? On our Feedback page, you can get expert answers to questions that come to you while reading, share your thoughts on this Missing Manual, and find groups for folks who share your interest in Google+. To have your say, go to www.missingmanuals.com/feedback.
Errata
In an effort to keep this book as up to date and accurate as possible, each time we print more copies, we’ll make any confirmed corrections you’ve suggested. We also note such changes on the book’s website, so you can mark important corrections into your own copy of the book, if you like. Go to http://tinyurl.com/gpluserrata to report an error and view existing corrections.
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Chapter 1. Getting Started
ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING IS A YOUNG BUT CROWDED FIELD, and any new site that makes people jump through hoops to get started isn’t long for this world. Luckily, getting started with Google+ is easy, and if you already use another one of Google’s services, diving in might require just a click or two.
Once you sign in, you get to decide how you want to use Google+. You can use it to connect with a very select group of friends, or to network with acquaintances, friends-of-friends, and the wider public through your profile and posts. The best part is that you get the final say over who can see every little bit of info you put online.
This chapter walks you through setting up your account, creating your profile, and setting visibility options to control who gets to see what.
Signing In and Joining Up
AS IS THE CASE with most Google offerings (such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar), you need a Google account to use Google+. Most people get a Google account by signing up for Gmail, Google’s free email service (if you use Gmail, hop to the next paragraph), but you don’t need a Gmail address to use Google+. As long as you have some kind of email address, you can sign up for a Google account by heading to www.google.com/accounts. Simply click the “Sign up for a new Google Account” link in the upper right of that page, fill in the fields that appear, and then click “I accept. Create my