"Google Is Not Your Friend"
Fred: An interesting article you may want to read if you have not already: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6034666.html?tag=st.num . I am interested in your opinion on this subject matter; do you think zdnet is sensationalizing this topic or is this a real concern?
Keep up the good work! I look forward to every issue of the newsletter. ---Kevin T.
Thanks, Kevin. Google is the Big Dog in search engines now, so it's falling prey to the simplistic mindset that thinks, "If [name of company here] is tops in their field, they must be evil in all things; and their smaller competitors must be righteous in all things."
It's the same silly mindset that assumes that, say, Microsoft (the Big Dog in PC software) is automatically evil in every regard, while a company like, say, Apple is always on the side of the angels.
Gimme a break.
Google sure ain't perfect, but it was the *only* major search engine NOT to cave into the US government's requests. Yahoo, AOL, and MSN all folded without any resistance whatsoever, and turned over their records--- *your* records and mine. Somehow, they all get off the hook, but Google--- the one company that tried to preserve its customers' privacy--- came off as the bad guy.
Similar thing in China: *All* these companies work within the Chinese government's repressive restrictions, but somehow Google comes off as the bad guy.
Again, Google isn't all sweetness and light; and when they're in the wrong, they should be nailed for it. But then, so should every other company that acts the same way. Singling out a company for censure while ignoring actions by other companies that are as bad, or worse, is just plain bad journalism.
In short, *none* of these companies is our friend; they're in business for themselves. But in this particular instance, I think Google tried to take morally higher ground than its competition. For that, I think it deserves praise, not censure.
Plus! subscribers might also want to see #13, "Gmail's Long Tail" in http://langalist.com/plus/newsletters/2006/2006-03-13plus.asp , too.
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Other
Permalink
