There was a time, maybe up until 10 years ago, when Google was cool. Everyone wanted a GMail address, it started out as invite only, like Facebook. "Do no evil" was the motto. And they ramped it up slowly like boiling a frog. The evil, I mean. And here we are today.
I remember when I first got my Gmail address, what... 18? 19? years ago. Google was hot shit and everyone was like "Well if Google makes it it's got to be good!"
I don't think people actually believe that anymore they just feel they have no other alternative. Google had this wellspring of good will that they have simply burned over the last 10 years or so.
It was developers who originally made Google what it was - first to search, first to Chrome.
We can unmake it as well and I think it's about time we do.
I think they started off at a good spot. Then realized they wanted more control of the data going through them. Then they realized they wanted to control the way the data flowed in an ideological way. It is a natural reaction to someone who gets a decent amount of wealth. They think 'how can I make the world a better place'. But the mistake many make is not realizing that their way is not the best way for others. Sometimes the best way is just to kick the actual trolls and just let everyone be they way they are. They are no longer satisfied with that. Doing what they are doing is going to 'dismantle' their people network. In 10 years people may be saying 'oh yeah remember google'. It can happen. At one point a lot of people were on AOL now it is a ghosttown of what it was.
Absolutely, with AOL the paradigm shifted and it couldn't change quickly enough. Google will likely predominate until another shift of similar magnitude occurs.
Seems it's impossible to make predictions in this area with any certainty.
Remember, Bill Gates was paranoid about this and about Microsoft getting caught out for similar reasons especially so around the time Windows 95 came out. Even so, MS missed the boat with search, smartphones and Android.
There was a time, maybe up until 10 years ago, when Google was cool. Everyone wanted a GMail address, it started out as invite only, like Facebook. "Do no evil" was the motto. And they ramped it up slowly like boiling a frog. The evil, I mean. And here we are today.