akmac - 10:00 pm on Aug 12, 2005 (gmt 0)

"Google cannot win the hearts and minds of the public with this kind of attitude."

I would agree with your sentiment, but amend the statement to read:

Google cannot retain the hearts and minds of webmasters with this kind of attitude.

The public (as in users) wants features like this. They are the audience that Google caters to- for good reason.

When I'm wearing my "internet user" hat, I cheer features like this. When I'm wearing my webmaster hat-I sharpen my pitchfork.