digitalghost - 2:58 pm on Jan 30, 2004 (gmt 0)

>>Aside from that - no one anywhere outside of the 'webmaster world'

Wrong. People outside of webmaster and SEM circles are noticing. Take a look at online shopping figures. It's not the SEOs and SEMs doing all that shopping.

Recently overheard: "Google is for geezers". ;) "Did Ebay buy Google"? "Google sold out, Hollywood image, no soul". (from college students at a local coffee shop)

>>switch back

I don't think they need to hit reverse, they just need to plan better and move forward with users in mind. Progress rarely comes without a few setbacks and I think we're seeing the setbacks now.