You're not wrong. The 2011 version had character. Google+ icons, chat per city, a people search engine. It felt like a place, not a tool.
The tradeoff was deliberate though. Serving 261 countries in 4 languages with an API and MCP Server pushes you toward structure over personality. But I do miss some of that original energy.
The tradeoff was deliberate though. Serving 261 countries in 4 languages with an API and MCP Server pushes you toward structure over personality. But I do miss some of that original energy.