Is Google+ Enthusiasm an Indicator of Demand for a Facebook Alternative?

The early reviews of Google (including mine) have been almost uniformly positive. The "Hangout" and "Circles" features seem to have gotten most of the attention, from me and everyone else, it seems.

Some might argue that, aside from the almost certain enthusiasm of early adopters, there is evidence of end user demand for a real alternative to Facebook.

Being an "underdog" works better for Google in this case. It might be hard for people to root for Google in search or advertising or mobile operating systems and so forth, where Google is a major player or a market leader. Taking on Facebook in an area where it has stumbled in the past (social networks) is a horse of a different color, as the saying goes.

Does Google Rapture Indicate “Pent-Up Demand” For Facebook Alternative?