[thekungfuman]

It's perfectly reasonable that Google would try to consolidate their properties. You used to need a YouTube account to do anything, and they own YouTube and don't feel like managing disparate databases about their users. It may be a minor inconvenience because it's a change from what people are used to, but it makes sense logistically and serves their business interests. They ARE a business after all...

[citricsquid]

Not really. "Like" and "Dislike" are a core part of Youtube, removing them and replacing them with a vote on another site (even if Google own it) is pretty lame. I "Like" stuff on Youtube when I either want to signal it's a good video and boost the videos rank or share it with my youtube subscribers, I don't do it because I want to share the video with someone on google+.

As a user and a video creator this would annoy me a lot. If they want to add a G+ button fine, but replacing a core feature? Unacceptable.

[capo]

5 start rating used to be a "core part of YouTube".

[citricsquid]

Like / Dislike is the rating system evolved, there was an article about how they had come to the decision through research that a 1 - 5 rating system doesn't work; people more often than not either like it or they dislike it, so 1 and 5 were the common votes.

If you want to be pedantic then sure, they removed a core part of Youtube when they removed the rating system, but in reality the system evolved. 1 - 5 was (at it's core) a way to rate videos: like / dislike is (at it's core) a way to rate videos, the interface and finer points are different but it's still the same thing overall.

[capo]

Then it could well evolve further. I don't see a need for the "dislike" button.

[luser001]

His point was about requiring a login on another social network to vote on a video, when you're already logged in to Youtube.

You somehow boiled it down to a discussion on the lack of a "thumbs down" button. I think you're off track here. YMMV.

[capo]

What "other social network"? Google, + ,and YouTube accounts are on their way to becoming one (if they aren't already).

[mladenkovacevic]

As a business they must realize that alienating users is against their business interests. I don't see what the big problem would be in leaving the thumbsup-thumbsdown options alongside the +1 button.

YouTube is a social network in itself (at this point a much more powerful one than Google+) so they have to respect its users and not try to force them to signup for the other network.

I don't personally vote on Youtube videos but I can understand how a video publisher might be upset that he's suddenly going to be getting fewer likes on his content.

Again it seems this was just a test, so considering the negative user feedback I certainly hope it stays just that.

[mattmanser]

YouTube is not Google. Google is not YouTube. They just happen to own it. Google should start remembering that before YouTube gets myspaced.

Which imo is looking increasingly likely.

Vimeo is one competitor which seems to already be growing like crazy for example.

[Kronopath]

Vimeo will never overtake Youtube because of their draconian policies on copyrighted content. For example, you're not allowed to upload videos that show videogame gameplay unless it's a game you developed yourself (and shows like these are a BIG part of Youtube's audience).

[luser001]

Hmm, I always thought the restriction on game recordings was just a way to curate the community.

[RobAtticus]

Man, people really like to make ridiculous predictions about which big site is going to be "the next Myspace." Youtube has DAYS worth of video uploaded every single minute. When people talk about online video they always mention Youtube, not Vimeo, not some other site. You really think that it looks increasingly likely that Youtube is going to somehow go under? Sorry but that's just bogus.

[mattmanser]

Go to any reddit video subreddit apart from comedy ones. All the 'classy' ones with high quality videos are vimeo dominated now. That's all changed in roughly a year. I know a video production company and their 'video of the week' are invariably vimeo videos now. Because all the cool indie filmmakers post there now instead of YouTube.

Youtube has lost their total dominance. Youtube is no longer the be all and end all of online video. Vimeo started off capturing business videos from youtube as they looked more professional, now they're capturing the indie filmmakers.

I said they need to be careful about not pushing YouTube into MySpace territory, not that they will. Nor did I say Vimeo are the next YouTube. You could see the video market fragment as it's not all or nothing as Social Networks are.

And who cares about the quantity that gets uploaded to YouTube, you know most of it's long tail junk. It's where the viewers go, not who has the most crappy video of their dog rolling around for a tasty treat.

[kcbanner]

YouTube isn't going anywhere

[Teapot]

youtube has been going downhill for several years now. The only thing that keeps people from fleeing is the poor alternatives out there, so far..