I know Google seems to be everyone’s favorite company especially with their supposed “do no evil” written into their mission statement and yet they seem to be doing the exact same things that when Microsoft does them are considered evil.
First off, Google complained that Microsoft’s IE7 will default to Microsoft’s search. Yet Google’s own toolbar not only defaults to Google and it’s not even settable unlike IE7.
Google’s toolbar can help you post to blogs…..but only if the blog is on Blogger.com which is run by Google. Why can’t I pick any blog service? Standards for posting to blogs have been around long before Google even introduced the toolbar. You could argue Google is not supporting standards since they are clearly only supporting their proprietary solution. Something that when Microsoft does it is considered evil.
Google’s toolbar can also let you send a page to a friend through e-mail….But only if you use gmail, their email service to send it. Sending through e-mail is also a standard and yet Google is not supporting it. If Microsoft did this it would be considered evil.
Google’s newest toolbar now supports online bookmarks. The advantage to online bookmarks is no matter where you are when you create the bookmark it will be available anywhere else you login and use the toolbar. There have been several sites which support this, one of the most famous is del.icio.us which also supports an API for allowing any program to add and edit bookmarks. But, here again, Google only supports their proprietary solution.
Google has a free image organizing program called Picasa. It has also has features for posting to blogs, in this case photos. But, here again Google only supports their proprietary solution and again there is no excuse as standards for doing this existed long before Picasa.
Of course Google supporters will point out that Microsoft is a monopoly and that the Google Toolbar and Picasa among other Google software are optional. Unfortunately that completely misses the point.
Google says “we will do no evil”. When Microsoft tries to keep you locked in to their proprietary solutions people claim they are evil. Clearly Google is attempting to do the same thing. They make all of their tools work with only other Google services. Through their web presence (they are to the net what Microsoft is to OSes) and their tools they are trying to make it as hard as possible to not use 100% Google services. This is no different what people claim is Microsoft’s evil. It’s clear Google’s goal is to wall their users into using everything Google. The same techniques that people claim Microsoft used to get a monopoly Google is now trying to use to create one themselves.
Come on Google, Live up to your own mission! Don’t be evil!
Didn’t you know? Double standards are an industry standard.
Here’s the point you’ve failed to recognize: Microsoft is an abusive, OS monopoly, billions-in-revenues company, while Google is a search engine monopoly, billions-in-revenues plucky underdog company.
/sarcasm
As for Google complaining about the IE7 defaulting to MSN, that does seem hypocritical, or at least playing the oft used monopoly card unfairly. I might support the complaint, however, if the process to change the setting is too complex for (let’s say) my parents.
I think there is a difference between the practices of the two companies, though. Except for IE, you pay up front for Microsoft software and have certain expectations as a consumer that the product works and conforms to necessary standards. On the other hand, the Google products you mention are “free”, and you pay for them buy using Google services. I don’t see that as “evil”, just a different business plan. Yes, it would be better if they also offered pay versions of these products that included the features you want. In fact they do that with some of their software, like their recently purchased Sketchup. But that’s not why they make (or buy) their “free” tools.
The point in your article “they are trying to make it as hard as possible to not use 100% Google services” sounds naive to me. Of course they’re trying to get you tied into their stuff because it’s how they make money. You can opt into that knowingly, or use any of the tens (hundreds?) of alternatives that can be found (using Google search, perhaps) on the internet.
If they blocked you from finding the alternatives, or like Microsoft threatened hardware vendors against using alternatives, then I’d understand calling them evil. And Google is nowhere near the definition of a monopoly. Yet.
I use Google’s stuff and will continue to do so. I haven’t trusted them for years now though. I agree on some points kongorilla made, but that’s getting too technical. These people aren’t saints. I prefer them to microsoft (for the moment) but they do have a hint of Microsoft type evil in them. Not as bad, or as easy to see, but it’s there. Only time will tell if they go the Microsoft way I guess.
I agree Google is not a monopoly. My point is they are trying to lock people into their services. That specific term “lock-in” is what Microsoft gets shit for all the time. One for doing it as a monopoly. Another for doing it in order to create a monopoly (ie, before they became one). People all over the net call that evil. Google is not now a monopoly but they are argubly using the same “lock-in” tactics. Hence they are using the same *evil* tactics.
I do think Google is becoming a big bad company as well. They just try to hide behind their old reputation as a cute, cuddly, independent company.
I use their search because it is better than the others, but I’m not so sure their motto is correct. They need to change it to “Do no evil… to Google” instead. I wish MSN’s search would improve to give them a run for the money, but the new Live search is even slower than before (takes five seconds to fully load).
Gentleman,
We are programmers and as such we try to get high ranking for our clients. Recently one of our clients domain has been dropped by Google for reasons which are totally idiotic and unethical – such as – having a black background on some table with black text. (there is no freaking text – just a picture in the table). As we all know Google is the largest SE and as such is vital for many businesses Internet viability.
At the same time their ethic does not allow to filter child pronography out of their Database Indexes – this is not only hypocracy but in my point of view bordering dangerously on criminality!!!
We programmers have elevated Google to its present position and nobody else, by promoting their purity and simplicity with the Internet community. This seems to be forgotten and Google now turns on us, who invest time, expertise and intellect to boost some poor bastards ranking to make a buck. – result is – you get banned.
They are best advised to review their policy of sensorship and rather invest more money on hacking- and virus protection.
90% of Internet viruses come through Google searches!!
Reason is in reality: make a search on any term on Google and apply the same phrase with MSN and one will find that Google results are many times more than MSN. The difference though is that MSN returns question specific results and Google brings in anything – so people are actually tricked into the believe that Google is better – the opposite is true. The same applies for the Google Search Bar – sometimes it stuffs up a browser and depending on Operating system is only removable if one does a micro-surgery.
This is unacceptable and Google has to keep in mind – that everyone is vulnerable on the Internet and if they cross the wrong people – well who made you – can bring you down!!
Short answer: Google – like Microsoft try to play GOD – in the end often tried – but never succeeded.
cheers to all
the big difference is that, Google is free while Microsoft isn’t