This article is a random list of annoyances, not a horror story about setting up Google+. Ultimately, it sounds like the author's mom would prefer email to Google+.
I think Google+ is a good tool for groups larger than families, like companies. You might want to share things with your coworkers, but email doesn't scale. So you can instead have a nice access-controlled internal sharing site, and people that are interested in pictures of your CNC mill or whatever can see them. ("Pages" are great for things like your cafeteria posting menus or pictures of food.)
The issue I have with G+ within companies is that it leaks to the public side.
You can switch off some parts of it so the content is visible only internally, but your account picture, name, company you work for and the fact that you have an account are visible to anyone on G+.
I think Google+ is a good tool for groups larger than families, like companies. You might want to share things with your coworkers, but email doesn't scale. So you can instead have a nice access-controlled internal sharing site, and people that are interested in pictures of your CNC mill or whatever can see them. ("Pages" are great for things like your cafeteria posting menus or pictures of food.)