It’s pretty much meaningless drivel because any of those numbers +1 IS a bigger number and saying it does not count is schoolyard game rules. If adding one is not convincing, then double or triple the whatever number. I don’t see the point in studying such numbers. Unless your counting Trump votes of course. .... Just kidding
Exactly my response when I first heard the “rules.” Then I thought, “okay, if those are the rules, then they’re the rules.” It’s like a game. You play by whatever arbitrary rules are set down. Now... given that... what is the largest positive integer you can come up with? Following the rules?
BTW, did you get a chance to check out the Googology Wiki? Fascinating. I can see I’ll be spending some time there.