Google Damaging Innovation?
The New York Times has an article that I like to describe as “patently absurd” saying that Google, with its slew of smartly designed products, is actually hurting technology industry innovation. Really? Please.
While Google can be rightly accused of a very dangerous arrogance and of making cultural mistakes, they deliver on their products and improve the industry as a whole. If anything, Google is fostering an industry-wide need to developer smarter products. These days, because of Google and others, bloatware is almost entire unacceptable.
A perfect example is Microsoft. In response to Google’s successes, they are revamping a lot of MSN products to fit a more “Google style”. Look at the Hotmail beta, or MSN Search, or MSN Virtual Earth or Start.com. Every product designed with speed and usability and rich web applications in mind. In some ways, Google has forced Microsoft and so many others to do better, and everyone is benefiting as a result.
And don’t tell me small teams are having trouble competing. Findory is a two-man operation, and it blows anything Google is doing in personalization and news out of the water.
The Times loves to take the sentiments of a few and try to make it seem like a pandemic. The world isn’t as stupid as it used to be, and we don’t all believe such drivel just because the Gray Lady says so.
(via Brad Hill)
I find it funny that the article actually disputes it’s main point. 5-10 years ago, the same claims were being made about Microsoft. If the claims were true, then Google should not exist!
Comment by anonymous | August 24, 2005