What's next for Google? Options

[bragadocchio]

What is on the horizon for Google?

If you blinked your eyes, you might have missed something coming out of the Googleplex this year.

A couple of blog posts on that topic make some interesting observations about Web-based Applications such as gmail and Google Suggest.

They discuss Google's hiring of people like Adam Bosworth and Aaron Boodman and Chris Wetherell.

They also mix in some nice links to blog posts and articles about Google over the past year.

From Relax, Everything Is Deeply Intertwingled

Weblications

and

Googlecalifragilisticexpialidocious

What do you think is next for Google? What would you like to see from them?

[bwelford]

I still believe an interactive relationship with the human searcher is the most effective way to go. I really like Google Suggest and I hope they work on expanding that kind of functionality.

[rustybrick]

I would suspect new creative ideas on how to make more money. You know, since they are now a public company.

Good question Bill.

[CelesteK]

augle (google auction)
hooggle (google hosting)
morgle (mortgage google)

Really those are all ways to make money directly. Google wants to get visitors so we would expect things to attract people for free services.

Um.....

I bet it will incorporate searching and purchasing with the google tollbar.

Google will find where are the best deals...

Oh wait, they can't do that, because those are the companies paying all the ppc's. They might spend the time making deals directly :?

So.....

What else....

Fascinating opportunities, but what. Market watch. How do they tap into the popular marketing "cults". Google has the potential to become a "cult marketing engine", if they can profile users. Takes a genius to figure out how... or a few.
:?:

But really we should be more focused on how they will take advantage of their technology, not their power. (Just beware that the power is a result of the technology).

When they start hiring these guys we should be worried
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sh...ers/interviews/

[bwelford]

Threadwatch.org notes the gauntlet has been thrown down to Google.

[bragadocchio]

Excellent post over there, Barry.

When the neighbors come over, and help you raise your barn, you're expected to participate in future barnraisings yourself.

Google may be a public corporation, but much of the software and effort that got them where they are was from the efforts of others. It would be interesting to see them getting involved in helping other people raise their barns. I'll agree that doing no evil is easy. Doing some good can be harder.


Celeste,

I could see them finding some folks like that on their payroll. There's an awful lot of data that they track on what people search for, and what they are thinking about. I can't help but think that someone over in the Googleplex is paying attention to the stream of information about they receive every second from queries, and how to use that information.

[mugshot]

Although G does use a lot of open source (if not all) to develop their technology, the concept behind open source code is that anyone and everyone can use it and modify them willingly at their own risk. Playing devil's advovate, if G decided to take advantage of that, I don't see how they owe anyone anything? If I used an open source code and enhanced it to make me a million dollars with my own resources and "skills", why should I owe anyone?

*Devil's advocate off*

G may not do something to contribute back to its "creators", which I think they may not due to the fact that G "belongs to the public" now. But if they decided to, a good idea imo would be to create something similar to the "GREEN LIGHT PROJECT."

-2 cents

[JVRudnick]

Hmm....what I hear is that they just hired 7 more browser experts outta the Mozilla fold...

Hmm.....



Jim

[James]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to cre8asiteforums!

Kind Regards,
James

[Nick_W]

Open Source

Actually a fair point mugshot, there is absolutely no reason why google have to give back.

It's not about having to do anything though. I use OS in almost everything, from my Operating System to the CMS that powers my sites, my graphics program and well, the list goes on quite literally forever

I contribute code on a tiny percentage of those projects but there are some things that I do try to do that would constitute 'help' in some way. Like:
[list]

[*]Submitting detailed bug reports

[*]When seeking help on a list, seeing if there are any questions i'd be qualified to answer whilst im there

[*]Commissioning development of modules - that in many cases can be given back to the project (drupal specifically) for all to use
[list]
It really is about the spirit and ethos of OS, not the having too (though i do know you are playing "devils advocate )

Google should give back, they've taken soooo much.