Forum Moderators: goodroi
Google CEO Eric Schmidt tells reporters:
“(During the 2004 IPO process), between the time we filed and the time we went public, the press was among the most unpleasant I have ever experienced.
“We (Google management) were ‘idiots,’ we were ‘useless’… I thought ‘God.’…It is a terrible feeling of being on the other side of that (press coverage).
“So we looked at (Google’s Web site) traffic and revenue and they were exploding… We had a very, very strong quarter right after the worst possible press about ‘the idiots running the company.’
“I don’t know what that tells you.
Schmidt then paused and begged the reporters to create a new Google press frenzy:
“So, yes we are IDIOTS — and please WRITE THAT DOWN.”
[edited by: engine at 3:21 pm (utc) on July 18, 2006]
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Google seems to be fostering a culture of arrogance. Witness the employee who sent an Adwords advertiser a packet of tylenol and a hand-written note saying "I hope this helps", after the advertiser had complained publically that he had a headache from the recent Adwords quality page changes.
We all know where such a culture eventually leads. It's just a matter of time. In the mean time, the culture will reinforce itself, and become less amusing and more and more outrageous.
I think Schmidt's telling a joke about and for idiots.
[edited by: Edge at 6:27 pm (utc) on July 18, 2006]
"A reasonable man adapts himself to suit his environment. An unreasonable man persists in attempting to adapt his environment to suit himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - George Bernard Shaw
[edited by: Jane_Doe at 7:20 pm (utc) on July 18, 2006]
In the Tylenol case, it sends a message that "all you are going to get from us for your loyalty is a packet of Tylenol". The ONLY response the poor fellow got from Google was a joke. Nice.
Regarding the IPO - I read it as gloating. These things can come back to haunt. Sure, Google's on top now. So was Enron.
In the mean time, the children who run Google are arguing about the size of the beds on their new flying toy.
Google seems to be fostering a culture of arrogance. Witness the employee who sent an Adwords advertiser a packet of tylenol and a hand-written note saying "I hope this helps", after the advertiser had complained publically that he had a headache from the recent Adwords quality page changes.
No kidding. What if MICROSOFT had sent Tylenol to someone over MSNAdcenter (I could surely use some)
It would have been a huge slap in the face, not a joke.
Google will grow up when their stock hits $12/share and they are written up as the "has-been" company of Web 2.0
Go MySpace! (Not a user)
What if MICROSOFT had sent Tylenol to someone over MSNAdcenter
Actually, there's a good story and lesson about arrogance in the Microsoft story. And it even involves an aircraft. :)
Microsoft's big break was the decision by IBM to get behind MS-DOS for the IBM PC in a big way.
Digital Research's CP/M-86 was the odds-on favorite as the OS for the IBM PC. It was THE operating system for the previous-generation 8-bit Intel chips.
Digital Research's CEO, Gary Kildall, kept an IBM rep waiting for hours, while he was off flying his aerobatic biplane. His arrogance lost him the opportunity.
After being snubbed, IBM contacted Gates, who quickly arranged to buy Seattle Computer Product's DOS. The rest is history.
(The story is now widely considered either inaccurate or an urban legend. However, it was reported as described above at the time. Most debunkings rely on the fact that Kildall's wife handled business negotiations, and so the supposed meeting is unlikely to have ever taken place.)
Good for them that they are successful enough to enjoy that kind of benefit... We should all aspire to reach that level of success.
Not to mention that the hours wasted going through airport security by the top executives probably pays for a jet alone. Private plane -- no waiting.
Sergey, you can have whatever bed you want in your room; Larry, you can have whatever kind of bed you want in your bedroom. Let's move on. - Eric Schmidt
The two are currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the designer of the aircraft interior.
"It does seem to be a tremendous fight over relatively few issues," says Bruce Cleeland, a lawyer for Mr. Jennings with Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Santa Ana, Calif.
OK, to bed with you both, and no TV or pudding for you until you can play nice!
And what will be on the TV when they can play nice, and it IS allowed? "Bratz", no doubt.
I wasn't referring-to the fact of having a corporate jet. I was referring to the well-publicized childish spat between Brin and Page over the sizes of the beds on same.
Some WW members might claim that it's good to keep Brin and Page distracted. :-)
Of course, in the long run, things could be different. For now, let them have their fun.
