europeforvisitors - 12:48 am on May 11, 2007 (gmt 0)

No need. I find it interesting that you suggest it is appropriate for Google to clean up the Internet. Simply reinforces my main point regarding paternalism, don't you think?

I never suggested that it was Google's job to "clean up the Internet." However, Google certainly is entitled to clean up its search index, and if Web users benefit from the cleanup, what's wrong with that?

Some of you keep saying that "Google isn't God." You're right: Google isn't God--or Satan, for that matter--so why do you keep on acting as if Google were one or the other or both? Google Search isn't your daddy, either: It's just a search engine. It isn't even the only search engine, and it most definitely isn't the only way that intelligently-managed businesses (especially e-commerce businesses) can acquire traffic.

Reading the constant Google-bashing here is like listening to a smoker rail against the tobacco companies while refusing to give up cigarettes. I'm reminded of an old joke that Ronburk quoted in the AdSense forum: "The food here is terrible." "Yes, and the portions are so small!"