|
Google is 10 years old this week, and from nothing-at-all they have grown to be the most popular search engine in the world, spawned new words in the English language, and in so many ways redefined how we think of the internet.
Is the company too big? Are they making too much money? Are they too popular, to the point that no-one else could possibly hope to start a new search engine? In essence, have they done so well as a company that they've effectively sealed the market against competition?
What do you think?
Personally, I google everything. I've tried other search engines, but they simply don't produce. MSN, Yahoo, Interpath, infoseek/Go, et al. have all been given more than a shot by me, but I always return to Google because Google gets it right, gets it fast, gets it the first time.
They are not milking me for money like a certain other software development company I know.
|
And now they even have their own browser too (which I am currently using. It's not bad and not that differant from Firefox in practice so far, except that it's faster). I think they are most definately becoming a monopolizing force on the internet. I do not however, see this as a bad thing. they don't charge you to use any of their services (i think, or at least i was never asked to pay for anything), and they do deliver a premium product. does it make it impossible for smaller engines to start up? yes, but I don't see the need for them to start up anyway given that google delivers a good 99% of the time. It'd be startign up in a field where there is no demand for a new product.
and as a side note, my coworker and I predict that within 5 years Google will have it's own OS, or team up with one of the Open Source groups to synchronize a Google desktop and App collection. just my guess.
MicroSoft may be in trouble then. They have not really innovated because they have not had any real competition. They are way behind the curve. Of course you could argue they never did innovate…just steal.
|
What do you think?
I am somewhat bothered by the fact that they think they should be able to store my medical records online. You know, to save me the trouble and all. That's at least what they tell me that I want.
That and the fact that they claim there is no longer such a thing as privacy. And the fact that it's ok for them to post a picture of my house online, with my daughter playing in the yard, probably shouldn't concern me. There's all kinds of people the whole world over that have a need to be able to see my house.
Really, what's so troublesome about that?
-Skeld
RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
|
That and the fact that they claim there is no longer such a thing as privacy. And the fact that it's ok for them to post a picture of my house online, with my daughter playing in the yard, probably shouldn't concern me. There's all kinds of people the whole world over that have a need to be able to see my house.
Nice house, BTW. And cute kid. :)
|
|
Nice house, BTW. And cute kid. :)
That reminds of that scene in Tommy Boy where Chris Farley and the lady are out in the sailboat. There's no wind and they can't get back to shore. There's a couple of kids on the beach heckling him and the lady gets fed up and yells something to the effect of "I know where you live and I've seen where you sleep and, I swear, your mothers will cry when they see what I've done to you!"
Classic.
-Skeld
I love the google browser, if you haven't you should totally try it