Google+: The Missing Manual

Chapter 3. Streams, Sharing, and Privacy

THE STREAM IS THE HEART OF GOOGLE+: It’s where you go to check out the stuff that connects you to the people you know. It’s where your friends, family, acquaintances, and all the other people you added to circles share their thoughts and lives—and you do, too. Photos, links to websites, funny one-liners, longer pieces of writing—they all go into the stream. But you control where your posts go: who can see them, and even who those people can share your items with. And you get to choose what items you see from which circles of friends.

This chapter explains how to navigate and enjoy your stream: viewing what other people are up to and interested in; writing about your own experiences; and responding to the posts of friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers, even if only to give them a quick “+1” high-five. Once you know how it works, you’ll find that it’s quite easy to learn a lot about people in Google+.

Viewing Your Stream

GETTING TO YOUR MAIN stream is easy—it’s where you land whenever you log into Google+. Simply head to www.plus.google.com. If you’re already logged into your Google account, you’ll see your main stream immediately. If not, click the red Sign In button, enter your email address and password, and then click “Sign in”—voilà, your main stream!

Tip

If you’re using another Google service like Gmail or Google Docs, you can jump to your main stream by clicking the “+[your first name]” link on the left side of the black bar at the ...