[Foundation-l] In defence of Google

[Gerard Meijssen]

Anthony schreef:
> On 1/21/07, Gerard Meijssen <gerard.meijssen at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> I have read enough to learn why Google is getting the opposition to its
>> program. I agree with that opposition. However, you will also have read
>> that Bruster Kahle acknowledges that his project is very much a reaction
>> to the Google project. The opposition that exists is not unlikely to
>> have Google to reconsider its position. When we consider Google a
>> friend, we can as a friend discuss these issues. When we consider Google
>> an enemy, we will not even try to engage in a conversation.
>>
>>     
> When we consider them a corporation trying to make a buck, and not a
> friend or an enemy, we are best positioned to engage in that
> conversation.  By all means this world we live in rewards those who
> form symbiotic relationships.  If I ever referred to Google as the
> enemy, then I admit I was wrong for that.
>
>   
>> I object to see enemies everywhere, I prefer to see friends that have a
>> different outlook, friends that may be convinced to consider an other
>> approach. I think this approach is more productive.
>>
>>     
> I prefer to see corporations as corporations, entities that are bound
> by law not to have friends or enemies but only to consider what is in
> the best interest of their shareholders in terms of making the most
> money (in terms of for-profit US corporations, anyway).  By all means
> I think we should recognize that corporations do change their
> approaches.  But that has nothing to do with them being a friend and
> everything to do with it being in the best interests of both of us to
> do, whatever.
>
> I'd love to see Google do a complete 180 on its relationship with the
> open content movement.  Do you see any way they could do that without
> destroying their entire business?  For now I think it's enough that
> they don't actively try to harm Wikipedia and other open content sites
> by biasing their search results against them.  So thank you Google.
> Thanks for not destroying us.  We love you.
>
> Anthony
Hoi,
Yes, I see Google change several of their business practices without 
destroying their business model. It is in the fact that they DID make 
their applications in such a way that you are able to remove your data 
from their applications. This gives users some confidence. It is in the 
fact that their motto is to do good. I see it in organisations denying 
Google the possibility to digitise their content because of the reasons 
given; this thwarts their objective and at some stage even Google has to 
collaborate in order to achieve what they really want. They do not 
require exclusivity here either to be the best.

In this day and age where Time makes "us" the person of the year 2006, 
it will take time to get companies and organisations to connect to the 
changed way of this new brave world. It is for us to understand what is 
key in what we do, and keep to those values. What we have to learn is 
how to make our effort sustainable giving the growth of our projects. It 
will not be easy and neither will it be uncontroversial however it is 
the road in front of us.

Thanks,
     GerardM