diberry - 10:09 pm on Aug 15, 2012 (gmt 0)

I think we shouldn't get bogged down in the discussion of smarts. Some people here probably ARE as smart as Google engineers, but nobody knows everything, and everyone is capable of mistakes. And as others pointed out, those brilliant Google engineers may get overridden by dull-witted middle managers. So, smart isn't a cure-all.

Maybe a better way to look at it is that taking it personally doesn't help you understand what's happening with Google. Because the "what" is all that matters - that's what you have to respond to. The "why" isn't important at all, except when it helps you understand the "what."

I actually have a pretty low opinion of Google - I think they play dirty. But I don't take it personally. I just try to construct an educated guess about where Google's going, and how it affects me. Because that's really all I care about - my ability to make money with, without, around or in spite of Google.