In Google We Trust
I find it funny when people say that they never use online services. They tell me - read the EULA , they can do anything with your data, don't you know!
Yes, I know, and I do not worry. Don't you see, I sold my soul to Google. I let them know everything about me, and in return, they give me all these super classy web-based applications that make my life a lot easier. And if you want my opinion, this is a really good idea. And I'm not some kind of secret agent or something. For my online soul, I get a whole set of utilities - Gmail, Picasa, News, Calendar, Notebook, Bookmarks, Doc. This is really great.
Although it was great. I'm not sure about this anymore. Google has always been a special “don't be evil” (“not diabolical”) organization for me. They more and more amazed me with their cool free services that they always supported. I mean, how can you not trust a company that gives you free access to such an amazing service as Google Earth. Well, this is Google. You have never compared them with RIAA or Microsoft. But then a lot of things happened that made me think about what was happening and I again thought about this aspect of “don't be evil”.
')
The first thing that happened was that Google announced that they would stop developing Google Notebook. Notebook is a very, very cool application. With the installed browser plugin, it allows you to easily save information from web pages to a notebook, always available online. I find it extremely helpful, and recommend to anyone I know. It works great, it's one of the best things Google has ever done. But if you want to try it, well - you're late. Google said that I can store my data, that is, from this side, they behaved well, not “devilishly”, but they stopped registering new users for this service.
They shocked me so hard to explain. From the moment I first heard about Google, they were always innovative, expanding, doing new and amazing things. Traveling to Labs was like a walk to a candy store. And it was the first time I learned that they had stopped supporting the service. Of course, they could also close other services, but this was the first time for me. Google stopped the service. Google stopped it.
The next thing is a cryptic letter about interest-based advertising. This was the second shock. I know that Google is watching my surfing on the internet, I can see it on my Google Web History page. I also have no doubt that they are tracking much more than they show on this page. They know things about me that I forgot about a long time ago, and that does not bother me. But, owning this story and selling it to advertisers is already starting to bother me. And quite strongly. It’s already like being a little devil, don't you think so?
It annoys me because Google could go other ways to increase its income, without selling people who trust them. I can think of other options that Google could use to subscribe its users to interest-oriented ads, options that could give people the opportunity to be part of something. But instead, Google went the way we could expect from any other company in tough times. They fire people, stop innovation and pump out money in the easiest way that could be.
This is not at all like Google. It feels like there has been a coup, and accountants have taken control. I have a feeling that Google is becoming an “adult” corporation, which entails the loss of innocence. I'm not sure that I can still trust them. I just do not know what to do next. And although I’m not quite ready to go back from the clouds, I begin to think that maybe I want my soul back.
* A note is a translation, as indicated by the translation icon next to the article title. after several comments on a similar topic, I decided that all the same it is worth directly mentioning this fact :)
Yes, I know, and I do not worry. Don't you see, I sold my soul to Google. I let them know everything about me, and in return, they give me all these super classy web-based applications that make my life a lot easier. And if you want my opinion, this is a really good idea. And I'm not some kind of secret agent or something. For my online soul, I get a whole set of utilities - Gmail, Picasa, News, Calendar, Notebook, Bookmarks, Doc. This is really great.
Although it was great. I'm not sure about this anymore. Google has always been a special “don't be evil” (“not diabolical”) organization for me. They more and more amazed me with their cool free services that they always supported. I mean, how can you not trust a company that gives you free access to such an amazing service as Google Earth. Well, this is Google. You have never compared them with RIAA or Microsoft. But then a lot of things happened that made me think about what was happening and I again thought about this aspect of “don't be evil”.
')
The first thing that happened was that Google announced that they would stop developing Google Notebook. Notebook is a very, very cool application. With the installed browser plugin, it allows you to easily save information from web pages to a notebook, always available online. I find it extremely helpful, and recommend to anyone I know. It works great, it's one of the best things Google has ever done. But if you want to try it, well - you're late. Google said that I can store my data, that is, from this side, they behaved well, not “devilishly”, but they stopped registering new users for this service.
They shocked me so hard to explain. From the moment I first heard about Google, they were always innovative, expanding, doing new and amazing things. Traveling to Labs was like a walk to a candy store. And it was the first time I learned that they had stopped supporting the service. Of course, they could also close other services, but this was the first time for me. Google stopped the service. Google stopped it.
The next thing is a cryptic letter about interest-based advertising. This was the second shock. I know that Google is watching my surfing on the internet, I can see it on my Google Web History page. I also have no doubt that they are tracking much more than they show on this page. They know things about me that I forgot about a long time ago, and that does not bother me. But, owning this story and selling it to advertisers is already starting to bother me. And quite strongly. It’s already like being a little devil, don't you think so?
It annoys me because Google could go other ways to increase its income, without selling people who trust them. I can think of other options that Google could use to subscribe its users to interest-oriented ads, options that could give people the opportunity to be part of something. But instead, Google went the way we could expect from any other company in tough times. They fire people, stop innovation and pump out money in the easiest way that could be.
This is not at all like Google. It feels like there has been a coup, and accountants have taken control. I have a feeling that Google is becoming an “adult” corporation, which entails the loss of innocence. I'm not sure that I can still trust them. I just do not know what to do next. And although I’m not quite ready to go back from the clouds, I begin to think that maybe I want my soul back.
* A note is a translation, as indicated by the translation icon next to the article title. after several comments on a similar topic, I decided that all the same it is worth directly mentioning this fact :)
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/55500/
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