Did Google Plus steal design elements? [or the things money cannot buy.]

I don’t want to write this post right now, but I have to. I damaged my wrist pretty badly yesterday and its in a splint. So here goes blogging with my non-dominant hand. I designed the website Jumpino.com. Recently me and my brother have been getting lots of comments on the similarities with Google+.

I care more about my wrist right now, honestly. Because I write with my right hand, I draw, I paint, I sew, I sketch, I type/use the mouse with it. I can’t even continue my lighting project without my right hand. And this is the crucial difference between me and Google – I am a creator. Google is a company. They pay people well to come up with ideas, to design them, to market them, and to monetize them.

I got paid nothing, I took a break from school, I didn’t work – I dedicated half a year of my life to creating something I thought at the time was revolutionary. Give me a break, I was a teenager. Two people. Zero funding. and a HELL of a lot of determination. More importantly, I gave all this up for a project that ultimately failed – and I’d do it again.

So did Google steal my idea? No.

Ideas are a dime a dozen and if you put 10 smart kids in a room and tell them to brainstorm on social networking ideas, the Jumpino idea (live discussion grouped in the construct of social circles) will be brought up much faster than you think. It’s a great idea, but not a genius one. I am no Tesla. In fact, I’m surprised I was the first person to use the term “Private Circles” in the context of live web discussions.

So did they steal the design? Maybe.

I think there is a good chance my design heavily inspired Google+

Here are four solid things that feel uncomfortably similar:

1. The terminology, specifically, “Private Circles.”
2. Hand drawn crayon style, specifically arrows and circles.
3. Circle Icon. You can make a circle a million different ways. The red, the edge thickness, the fact that it’s hollow. This was the first thing that struck me.
4. Multiply Color Effect.

I think all of these separately don’t mean much – but in the context of an app based on the similar idea of social circles, it raises a few flags. I’m still willing to believe it might be a huge coincidence or synchronicity.

I think watching our “ad” videos, looking at the graphics below and visiting the Jumpino site will help you make up your mind.

Crayon style design elements. Still on the live website today.

Similar terminology. Still on the site.

Circle icons. still live.

I don't think this is live anymore but it was on the about page for a while

an early icon for circle linking

About 90% of people I’ve asked that compare the graphics say that there was probably some inspiration going on. For one, I guarantee there is someone at Google who has the responsibility of scoping out competitor products. We did that and we were just two people. (Fun fact, there are lots of other startups based on the same concept, but only our’s has this design and only ours used the term circles pre-Google+)

So what is it that I want? Nothing, actually.

I don’t need the recognition. I already know what I made, what I’m capable of, what I will make and that I will figure this life out without a footnote in the commented code of some big corporation. I know my startup failed to get a huge following and the lessons I learned were priceless, which brings me to:
I don’t need compensation. I’m lucky enough to get freelance work here and there on top of having a loving family that gave me a roof and sustenance and a computer to start programming on at the exciting age of 7. I have enough – and I have the tools to create more.
and lastly,
I don’t want Google plus to fail. After all, I use Google Reader, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and much more.

I’ve already won – because I make stuff without caring about recognition and compensation. Google – How many of your Google+ employees would still work if you never paid them or gave them credit for their work? Maybe one, two?

Google can’t afford authenticity.

This is why real web innovation will still come from kids and young adults screwing around with code, people with or without degrees, of any gender(!), ethnicity, and class. I think alot of people get discouraged when they hear about what happened with Dodgeball and Google – but remember that we have the drive and the authenticity to move the web forward. Your competitor is not Google or Microsoft or Apple. You are competing against yourself and against time. Small time developers have this huge advantage of actually caring about what we program. We are 5 steps ahead of Google, all the time. How else did I come up with a similar idea to the circles in Google+ 2 years before they did? I’m not a genius, I’m just passionate.

I would say I’m off to make the next big thing but I’m really just going to google wrist injuries, elevate my arm, eat ice cream, and take a nap.

xoxo!

Noemi