Dan Boland 24 Aug 05

Funny you should post an article about people resenting a former underdog, because I sense a lot of that resentment from people posting to this blog now that 37s is starting to become influential and popular…

Jesper 24 Aug 05

I still don’t get why everyone’s started to hate Google. The one ‘evil’ thing I’ve seen them do is open up business in China and bending over on censorship there regarding Google News.

Everyone’s just assuming “oh, they’ll turn evil just because they have a lot of areas that they’re active in”. This doesn’t make any sense to me.

Art Wells 24 Aug 05

In this case, I think “Don’t hate the player. Hate the game.” is applicable.

Alex Foley 24 Aug 05

Why hate at all? The world didn’t suddenly stop using every form of webmail merely because Google released GMail, and the world won’t suddenly stop using AIM just because Google released Google Talk. I’m all for new products of any form whenever they contribute to the greater good.

Just because there’s big companies like Microsoft and (now) Google doing many big things doesn’t mean there isn’t room to innovate.

Chris Carter 24 Aug 05

I actually found that article to be laughable. Frankly, I can’t take anyone in Silicon Valley seriously anymore, given that it’s probably one of the most expensive places to form a startup. I also have to chuckle about all of the slicksters bitching about Google hiring all the talent by paying them more. God forbid we actually pay developers what they’re worth. To hear a VC complain about anything just moves me. No really. It does. I promise ;)

Anonymous Coward 24 Aug 05

Bottom Line: Most people despise and resent other people’s success. PERIOD.

Rich 24 Aug 05

37s is starting to become influential and popular�

God I hope they become more influential. Most developers would benefit if their boss started thinking a little more progressively and abandoned the “old school” mindset. The company I work for could be doing some really great things, instead, they waste time and money on endeavors that ultimatley result in wasting more time and money.

beaks 24 Aug 05

I don’t have an axe to grind with Google. But I do wonder where will it all end? Where do they go from here.

There are rumors of a nationwide Google WiFi network. There are rumors of a Google OS which is kinda unfolding. There are rumors that they are developing their own browser. There were rumors he was into field hockey players… wait sorry.

Of all those rumors, the browser is the only one that bothers me. They have seemed to have developed “their way” when it comes to building their apps and from a accessibility standpoint, and they aren’t the most compliant. So if their apps work best with their browsers, it limits the choice to the consumer. I know I am stretching a bit here.

In three years I imagine Google to be a close second to Microsoft in terms of browser share. Google will have created a browser based OS that will operate like a dumb terminal of old. They will have all kinds of apps that return PDFs or some other document format to you. Papers, spreadsheets, etc… All the software lies on their servers and you rent the time to use it. This is the future.

Anyways I rarely toss my .02 cents out there… so be kind.

Abdul Ovaice 24 Aug 05

Matt,

I’m not sure that Google’s attittude to think big has changed or begun. Their focus has always been to come up with innovative and useful tools that can be used by everyone for free. No?

Articles like the one listed is no big deal. Just like 37 Signals and other companies trying to better the web, Google isn’t conerned with people in the silicon valley for “player hating’”.

By the way - if anyone has read their press release, it seems that the new Google desktop search is going to be like a comprehensive widget that will allow you to search without a browser. Cool idea!

Tony 24 Aug 05

Bottom Line: Most people despise and resent other people�s success. PERIOD.

While I agree with that sometimes, I believe that most people despise and resent the arrogance that’s born from one’s successes.

However, when you’re successful, you’re kind of entitled to some arrogance. Just not too much.

Anonymous Coward 24 Aug 05

Oh yeah, here’s one sour note from Google. They’ve banned news.com because they’ve pointed out a potential flaw in Google’s system.

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,68486,00.html

That’s leaning towards the darkside in my book.

Shedletsky 24 Aug 05

Do you ever worry that Google, the company, is actually run by a sentient evil-super computer bent on destroying humanity?

Darrel 24 Aug 05

There’s reason to hate monopolistic/behemoth companies—and google is heading that way—but for now, at least, they’re still pumping out decent products so it’s hard for me to hate them specifically at this point.

They�ve banned news.com because

I just searched for one of news.com’s headlines on google news and it showed up. Still, cencorship would certainly be one reason to start disliking Google and worrying about their power.

(Granted, news.com sucks, so maybe it’s no big deal… ;o)

(addendum…ah, I see, it was a media response ban…that does smell a bit Rovist, doesn’t it?)

I won�t say I don�t agree that their Windows-first-everyone-else-later idea is awfu

It’s awful for a *web* company.

Simple 24 24 Aug 05

If you guys don’t like Google, build your own search engine instead of complaining like wimps @ a geek fest.

exactly. silence.

Griff 24 Aug 05

When you ask for people’s money (e.g. shareholders) you have to show them a return. That’s the way it works. I am actually surprised they had to issue more shares (something not good for shareholders) to build their warchest for acquisitions. I actually want to take the time to look at in detail so that I can try to figure out what they are doing.

Besides that, the who “don’t be evil” is just a marketing tag line and very much relative to Google’s point of view. For instance, their news service excludes certain news sources and blogs while including others. The selection process reflects a clear bias. Since I disagree with this, I am considering not using Google (search, gmail, etc) Similarly, I am sick of reality shows, so I don’t watch them. People who complain about Walmart, shouldn’t shop there. I am not against Google’s success, I just disagree with some of their practices. Other than that, I think they have great services. I wonder if I will lose my gmail now?

Ben Whitehouse 24 Aug 05

Apparently Google has also started growing a mustache and hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Anonymous Reader 24 Aug 05

Must have been a slow news. Google’s innovating and that’s it…it wouldn’t surprise me if they have an OS sooner or later.

I still can’t believe I’m using a mouse in 2005. Not even Apple has figured that out. Maybe sooner or later we’ll get rid of the box.

A.Reader

Tom 24 Aug 05

CNet does suck but Google blackballing them was what turned me. I still own the stock just because it’s still shooting upwards but it worries me that, after doing something stupid and facing a whirlwind of criticism the didn’t even respond.

Not even a press release saying “this is why we did it…”

That reeks of arrogance to me and that I don’t paticularly like.

Anonymous Coward 24 Aug 05

I still own the stock just because it�s still shooting upwards

That makes you as money hungry as the big corps.

Tom 24 Aug 05

I’d argue moreso…I wouldn’t buy Hitler’s stock or anything but short of killing people, sign me up.

Anonymous Coward 25 Aug 05

Google is slowly losing it.

Some evidence -

- Its been ages since they got Blogger. You still need a separate login to access it.

- Orkut was a damp squib

- The IM client is crapware. Contrast with the effect GMail had when it was launched.

-

Stephen 25 Aug 05

It’s all about the data. As long as they adhere to open standards and protocols so that there isn’t vendor lock-in I’m not bothered about their being big, good at what they do, or in different markets. There is nothing inherently wrong in any of those traits, despite what 37signals say about the first. Unlike many other products, computing software usually stores or manipulates user data. As long as vendors allow the users to get this data out in a widely supported format, and are thus interoperable, then it shouldn’t be a problem - as you can easily move between vendors. The competitiveness remains.

However, the companies with lock-in attitudes but big market share, like Microsoft and increasingly Apple try to hedge in their markets and this insults the customer, has monopolistic characteristics, and hurts competition.

Until customers see that open data formats and protocols are a competitative selling point, you should fear all IT companies. But Google are frankly much less scary because they are trying to break the existing model. Hence the pages explaining how to connect to Google Talk from other clients, and the forwarding and POP features of Gmail. Yahoo and Flickr have caught on to this too with their wide use of APIs for getting at the data.

worried 25 Aug 05

Am I the only one that sees 666 in the Google logo? Isn’t one of the founders Transylvanian?

Anonymous Coward 25 Aug 05

I also have to chuckle about all of the slicksters bitching about Google hiring all the talent by paying them more. God forbid we actually pay developers what they�re worth.

Do you even know what you’re talking about, and did you actually read the article? The actual fact is that Google tends to underpay their developers; most people want to work there because “they’re the sh*t” and are willing to take a slightly lower salary for the chance to work in an environment that’s a cross between a business and a research facility…but Google has really dried up the labor market in the Valley for certain kinds of developers, and yes, most of the other companies in the Valley are now having a very difficult time filling positions.

That part of the article was actually very accurate.

fact 25 Aug 05

I have never met an unhappy Google employee. Not yet at least.

Wesley Walser 25 Aug 05

Cross your fingers, and hope google doesn’s squash you.

Or better yet, hope they buy you out. (yes!)

franklin 25 Aug 05

Simple… I don’t think anyone has crossed the line into “hate” yet. I think just a few are concerned. To beaks, that is an interesting picture of the future.