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Topic: Social Enterprise

Capt Kirk banned from Google+ then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

Summary: We're all learning how Google+ works, and that apparently includes T. J. Hooker himself, William Shatner.

David Gewirtz

By for ZDNet Government |

We're all learning how Google+ works, and that apparently includes T. J. Hooker himself, William Shatner.

A few days ago, Shatner apparently logged into his Google+ account and said hello to everyone. He's not entirely sure what he did wrong, but the next thing he knew, his account was banned from Google+.

Fortunately, according to Bill, he's back online:

I am back plusers! I still do not know what happened but I will refrain from saying hello again for a while just in case. My best, Bill

Although it's not fully clear why Shatner was banned from Google+, Shatner's latest entry hints at a problematic limitation:

So there you go. 5,000 people max across all circles. This better change if Google's going to stay in this particular game.

Topics: Social Enterprise, Apps, Google

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26 comments
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  • Interesting...

    I find it very interesting that the first person to bump this is Bill Shatner. The Google+ nerd quotient must be very high. If it were Facebook, Paris Hilton would hit it first. I guess that Kirk is better...

    Well at least we finally have an answer to who is the more popular star ship captain.
    grant@...
    Reply Vote

    • There are no other captains

      @grant@... There are no other captains aboard the USS google+ yet, I have check and could not find any yet.
      Knowles2
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @grant@... Paris who?
      blueskip
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

        @blueskip Must be referring to Lt. Tom Paris, I think.
        The One True Fnerd
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @grant@... I'm sticking with Col. Carter.
      nkfro
      Reply Vote

  • Shouldn't 5000 be enough?

    I can't think of a reason for an individual to have more than 5000.
    30otnix
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @30otnix For a normal person, adding friends, yes. For a celebrity, trying to get in touch with his/her fanbase, no.
      jetsethi
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @30otnix Typical Google Fanboi response. The system is designed this way, why would you want to not use the system in the way it was designed?
      Your Non Advocate
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

        @facebook@... I'm a Google nut and I vehemently disagree with you. That's a typical Apple fanboi response. Google needs to address this. There are MANY people on facebook with thousands of friends. Some people do that just to play those stupid games on facebook. (I personally find that a total waste of time but all the same - to each his own)
        blueskip
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

        @facebook@... System rarely operate at their optimum when first introduced. Google Corporation is neither stupid nor infallable. They will make changes if they intend to compete.
        nkfro
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @30otnix I can think of plenty of reasons.
      blueskip
      Reply Vote

    • You're kidding, right?

      @30otnix ... These social networks don't just connect you to the people you REALLY know ... they connect you to all of their friends as well. You've certainly heard of six-degrees of separation. What that means is that, on average, you can talk to any six complete strangers and at least one of them will know someone that you know.

      The number of fans who relate to a celebrity just increases the number of people that want to associate themselves with you.
      M Wagner
      Reply Vote

      • It's not only that...

        @mwagner@...
        The 6 degrees of separation also includes the concept that you can talk to 6 strangers - any one of them might know someone who has a claim to fame (or infamy...!)...

        Case in point - I know two people who have met Charlie Manson. Yes, THE Charles Mason, psycho extraordinare.

        Also, wasn't there a game or some such - 6 degrees of Bacon (as in Kevin Bacon)?
        Wolfie2K3
        Reply Vote

    • what about the President of the United States?

      @30otnix if this or any Presient would have a Google + account don't you think they would have more than 5,000 buddies?
      AtlantaTerry
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @30otnix knowledge isn't known until discovered. What you or I can't understand just isn't that important.
      nkfro
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @30otnix - Actually, I think you meant to say that 640 should be enough.
      tanishaj
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

    Circles are people _you_ follow, right? Not people who follow you?

    If that's correct, then I'm confused - zillions of people can add Shatner to _their_ circles, but does he, personally, want to follow more than 5000 fans? How big a staff would he need to read the stream from 5K or more fans? I'm sure he couldn't read it all himself.
    zellich
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Capt Kirk banned from Google then reinstated. Reason: 5,000 circle buddies max allowed.

      @zellich His choice I feel. Maybe he wants to add thousands and read them randomly to find out how fans in general, not just the hard core ones, feel about the things he does.
      blueskip
      Reply Vote

    • Dude.. Seriously...

      @zellich
      Shatner's been in "the biz" for what?.. 50+ years now. How many people do you think he would have met, made friends with, and would like to keep in touch with in that time? I'm not talking about people like Leonard Nimoy, or any of his other co-stars. There are producers, directors, other actors, actresses, crew members, agents and other Hollywood types. Could it be more than 5000? I'd say that's entirely possible.
      Wolfie2K3
      Reply Vote

  • Different rules for different classes

    There should be different classes; for example, MySpace had this musician/group class which allowed their page to behave somewhat differently, and Facebook has somewhat of an equivalent. You have to anticipate having tens of thousands of fans.
    davidr69
    Reply Vote
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