Google- The Latest Bug is Making Sharing Albums Very Difficult

Edit: Bug is Chrome related. Use Internet Explorer as a Workaround

Not sure when this started, but it seems that when trying to organize the photos in an album from the Share dialogue, or even just within the album itself, the images are no longer visible – the look like these boxes. 

Impossible to see your images to 'organize' them.

Please fix!
(If you want to report feedback on an issue, hit Shift and @ sign and then the report feedback dialogue will come up.)

39 Responses

  1. +Brian White thank you for an interesting and complete reply.

    I like your explanation of basic and social use. Perhaps one day there could be such an option to select the form of usage? I'd gladly pay for basic or professional use.

    I work in AT, thus my main concerns are usability and accessibility. I do understand the challenges to mix IT and social use with other issues. Will be watching.

  2. +BJ Bolender, you said, "It is annoying that Google+ made these changes on purpose.  Another development issue to drive more traffic to Google products."  And then you claim, "I was not saying there are purposeful breaks"?

    Google strives to make great products.  That does involve a certain amount of integration.  Features, even YouTube comment changes, are done because the people doing them are honestly trying to improve things for the majority of users.  Not everybody agrees and there is always room for improvement.  Yes, we show ads to cover the "free" services, but we do try to make them unobtrusive and useful.  Photo editing, as I recall, depends on NaCl which, sadly, only Chrome supports.

    G+ signin is because there are two levels of Google account: basic & social.  In my personal opinion, it probably would have been easier to have only one level but that would have violated previous expectations.  The "+" in "Google+" just means "more".  plus.google.com is actually part of the "+" but people often see it the other way around.

    As for accessibility, the same-named team at Google does a huge amount of work on that front but the vast majority of it goes unnoticed because it just works (color schemes for eyesight, screen-reader compatibility, etc.).  It's a very tough problem but gets a lot of attention internally.  "Universally accessible" is part of Google's core mission.

  3. +Ellie Kennard Well said, that is all I was getting to BJ too

    Just because Google responded to this – does not mean it is a "Platform" now, to air the dirty laundry list of everything you want fixed

    They are on this, leave it at this

  4. Yes, still there, but I am working with it until it is fixed. At least they respond. There are networks where you can't even contact the staff on a personal level. +Gord Birch – and +BJ Bolender – one bug at a time. I am just a user who reported a bug. I don't think that Google staff follow my posts, so this is probably not the best place to air your concerns and they are unlikely to be read by those who can address them.

  5. +Gord Birch furor?  Really?  From stating any concerns I have about the trend of services and features of Google+ you have deduced that I am some kind of wingnut?  Srsly?

    BTW, for the record, I would be very glad to be a paid subscriber to Google services should any opportunity for customized user experience be made available.  Perhaps I should have added a few more concerns to my list as posted, just in case there are Google staff listening in.  Accessibility for those who have disabilities and need to use AT with the Google services.  Gotten so much more difficult to use in the last two years.

    Bashing Google?  C'mon.  Stating my user experience, well you apparently prefer that I not even mention any concerns? 

  6. Brian, I was not saying there are purposeful breaks.  I am stating that there is a steady march by Google to keep users inside Google products.  There are reasons the Reader, iGoogle and other products were eliminated.  The ads in gmail are annoying because you can't even click them off.  The search has been returning primarily shopping, ads, and posts from inside Google+.  The youtube comment sharing with Google+ means I no longer comment in youtube lest my profile in Google+ is breached for my privacy.  There is a reason that Chrome is the only browser to allow you to edit photos inside Google+.  There is a reason Google has gone to the "convenient" "one-click" for "all of Google".

    The more the restrictions, no matter how wonderful the Google experience is purported to be, there is less freedom in many ways.  Now, when I use any google product, I am far more thoughtful about what I am doing.  I won't deny I am a big user of Google products, but I am a less-frequent user over the last few years.

    But, all this said, I do appreciate your comments.

  7. +BJ Bolender, nobody here at Google would ever purposely break something on a competing product. Such an activity would be viewed so negatively it would likely get you stoned (the old-fashioned meaning).  If a bug does slip by that affects only FireFox then it's something not in the automated tests.  Chrome is tested more thoroughly than other browsers only because that's what most people here use for their day-to-day work and so benefits from more non-automated-test-case exposure.

    Hurting competing products and/or "slinging mud" is something other companies engage in but at Google we prefer to just make, and keep, our products better than the competition.  🙂

  8. Well, since I spoke up from my own experience, I surely was not trying to say that this is not a problem.  Just gave the tip that worked for me.  And I do have the latest FF and latest Chrome.  So I still think it is not hitting everyone.  Best wishes to you all!

  9. Perhaps one of the infamous "roll out" issues with changes in Google+ coding?  Funny I had no problems at all.  I'd be surprised if I was the only one not have problems with this.  I usually find these issues often and then have to start searching with a hashtag on a term before I can find anyone else having a similar problem.  Enough folks report and use good hashtag labels and I bet there will be a resolution quicker.

  10. If I create an Album in Chrome – it is there
    If I share  (but want to edit) an album in Chrome, it is there

    No matter what, if I go to that screen in Chrome it is there

  11. Not affecting everyone, then.  In FF this morning, I got what is shown.  I switched to Chrome right afterwards and had no issues and I did the sharing and organizing just this morning a few hours ago.

  12. I think a lot of people don't share albums and so this might have gone unnoticed. I have only had it happen starting today. An album I shared the other day did not have this issue. +Gord Birch 
    If you want to report feedback on an issue, hit Shift and @ sign and then the report feedback dialogue will come up.

  13. Thank you for reporting this, it is AWFUL, happening for me for a VERY Long time, and I thought it might be cause i had 'beta' – now it turns out it is not, THANK YOU

  14. This happens when you are using FF instead of Chrome to add photos or organize.  Switch your browser and it will work fine.  It is annoying that Google+ made these changes on purpose.  Another development issue to drive more traffic to Google products.

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