Forum Moderators: Robert Charlton & goodroi
"The perception has shifted dramatically," said Rob Enderle, technology analyst with the Enderle Group. "Google has become incredibly heavy-handed."
"Our goal as a search engine is to give users the info they're seeking as quickly as possible," Google spokesman Adam Kovacevich said. "Sometimes that means embedding our own content ... at the top of the page when it benefits users."
"We've long subscribed to the theory of transparency and openness and have worked hard in recent years to engage with critics and fans alike," Google spokesman Matt Furman said. "We recognize that our competition is one click away."
Whole story at San Francisco Chronicle, start here for first page headlines [sfgate.com] or go for article here [sfgate.com]
What I find slightly ironic about the sentiment expressed by some bloggers on this is that many of the same ones that used to say Microsoft was too big for it's boots and (Linux / Firefox was the way to go) are now saying people should stop using Google for similar reasons and go use.....Bing. :)
Because when you are a small mamal it's only when the big dinosaurs have ripped the crap out of each other and are too weak to stomp on you or step on you deliberately ..that's it's save for you to venture out
keeping them at each others throats ..keeps them from yours ..be it giant reptiles or search engines
BTW no one with any sense is saying dont use linux or firefox ..just we need the big dogs to be too busy fighting each other to have us for lunch.
Compared to many, it goes to great lengths to earn consumers' trust, said Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank."By dint of its size, it is threatening, but I think it's trying to do the best it can in that context to be a good corporate citizen," he said.
<emphasis added>
It is the size and reach of Google that has caused Google to lose its "cuddle bunny" image.
