Google's OS

Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

To be announced today.

I welcome competition, but I'm actively rooting against Google these days.

For all of Microsoft's flaws and abuses of their consumer base, they never came off as evil, just greedy and/or incompetent. I cannot say the same of Google, and I know that I'm not alone in that thinking.

If their search engine wasn't so good, they'd be in trouble.
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Malcolm
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Post by Malcolm »

Leisher wrote:For all of Microsoft's flaws and abuses of their consumer base, they never came off as evil, just greedy and/or incompetent.
Really?
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
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Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

Really. I think Gates and his cronies were just nerds who knew they'd never get laid without money and power.

Trying to make cash isn't evil, even if you try to break some rules to do so. Name a company that doesn't do shit like that. Corporate espionage isn't a big business for nothing.

Google, however, helped China squash their citizens' ability to get uncensored info. They have pulled similar greed fueled tactics as Microsoft, thus the DOJ investigating them. They do everything they can to offend those who served this country and gave us our freedoms, while simultaneously gratifying those who believe socialism and/or communism would be a better form of government in the U.S. (There are other things I'm not remembering at the moment.)

Now they're trying to push SAAS on the public, which means they would theoretically control (or at least have access to) your data and your ability to use it.

People used to call Microsoft the "Evil Empire". What does that make Google?
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Malcolm
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Post by Malcolm »

Leisher wrote:People used to call Microsoft the "Evil Empire". What does that make Google?
Smarter & more successful since Google doesn't've that label yet.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
TheCatt
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Post by TheCatt »

So, are they all evil?
A similar dilemma faces foreign content providers such as Yahoo!, AOL, Google and Skype who abide by PRC government wishes, including having internal content monitors, in order to be able to operate within mainland China. Also, in accordance with mainland Chinese laws, Microsoft began to censor the content of its blog service Windows Live Spaces, arguing continuing to provide Internet services is more beneficial to the Chinese.[64] Michael Anti, a Chinese journalist whose blog on Windows Live Spaces was removed by Microsoft, agreed that the Chinese are better off with Windows Live Spaces than without it.[65]

The Chinese version of MySpace, launched in April 2007, has many censorship-related differences from other international versions of the service.

...
A couple of days ago, I heard that the new Microsoft search engine, Bing, censors results in Chinese-language searches, even if they are conducted outside China. With the help of a coterie of Chinese friends around the globe, I tested this and found it’s true.
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Post by Malcolm »

Exactly. Lots up companies willingly take it up the ass from China because they've got a huge market to tap. What pisses me off about Google is that they envision a world where everyone uses cloud computing to hook up to remote networked Google services for EVERYTHING. & they record every fucking click you make.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
TPRJones
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Post by TPRJones »

I'm not convinced Google is evil for that. From what I understand, the filters are easy to get around by careful word choice and/or selective misspellings. If that is true, isn't it less evil for Google to play along but provide a crappy filter than to refuse to play along so that China blocks them and no information gets through at all?
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
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Post by TPRJones »

What pisses me off about Google is that they envision a world where everyone uses cloud computing to hook up to remote networked Google services for EVERYTHING

Well, okay, yeah, I don't care for that idea either. I certainly don't intend to trust them with my processing. But I'm not sure that necessarily makes them evil, not until they actually abuse the power this garners. Potential for evil is not the same as evil.
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

Well, first of all I can think that Google is filled with cocksuckers simply because of the fact that they go out of their way to celebrate shit like Earth Day, but ignore all holidays that involves veterans.

Don't get me wrong, I served so that they could have the ability to shit on those who gave them the ability to even setup a company like Google, but that doesn't mean I have to like what they do with that freedom.

As for the China thing, I remember Google's being a much bigger deal. Don't remember the details now, but something about it made bigger news. And truthfully, I expect companies to bend over to get into the Chinese market, but it would be fucking refreshing if ANY company had the balls to tell China to blow it out their ass.

And yes, the cloud computing (SAAS) irritates the shit out of me. Here's hoping that IT people across the nation are too smart to recommend this crap to their clients. Being that the key selling point is cost, I doubt it.
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Post by Vince »

TheCatt wrote:So, are they all evil?
A similar dilemma faces foreign content providers such as Yahoo!, AOL, Google and Skype ... blah blah blah...
For me with Google was their anouncing they were going to stroke China's cock about a week after telling our DoJ they couldn't have statistics on searches of child porn due to their concerns about people's rights.

MS wants to make a buck. Google wants to make a buck AND control you.
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Malcolm
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Post by Malcolm »

TPRJones wrote:
What pisses me off about Google is that they envision a world where everyone uses cloud computing to hook up to remote networked Google services for EVERYTHING
Well, okay, yeah, I don't care for that idea either. I certainly don't intend to trust them with my processing. But I'm not sure that necessarily makes them evil, not until they actually abuse the power this garners. Potential for evil is not the same as evil.
A buddy of mine got invited to Google's East Coast HQ. He said the campus was like a Scientology cloister. Each programmer they talked to had their own PR handler hovering over them like a demonic nanny.

They had plants in the audience asking softball/loaded questions at the Q&A session.

Evil.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
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Post by GORDON »

11 Undocumented Features Of Google Chrome OS

1. Your family photos are accompanied by text ads for skin care and diet plans.
2. Removes all Falun Gong references from your files.
3. Every month, the hard drive is automatically defragged and investigated for anti-trust violations.
4. Invests in, develops, acquires, and abandons your best ideas.
5. Integrated tax preparation software includes "I'm Feeling Lucky" deductible button.
6. Changes your icons daily, forcing you to look up which obscure scientific figure is having a birthday.
7. Spends 20% of its time not doing what you tell it to do.
8. Prevents all evil activity unless it is deemed to be for the good of the shareholders.
9. Masseuse comes by every Monday afternoon.
10. Constant crashes won't bother anybody as long as it's labeled "Beta".
11. "Beta" status won't expire until 2038.
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Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote:Well, first of all I can think that Google is filled with cocksuckers simply because of the fact that they go out of their way to celebrate shit like Earth Day, but ignore all holidays that involves veterans.
Google Voice give priority to military personnel.
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Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

TheCatt wrote:
Leisher wrote:Well, first of all I can think that Google is filled with cocksuckers simply because of the fact that they go out of their way to celebrate shit like Earth Day, but ignore all holidays that involves veterans.
Google Voice give priority to military personnel.
Nice, but it doesn't make up for the front page snubs. Not even close.

You know what the difference is between a girl you screw, but never go out in public with and a girl you screw, but parade around like a trophy?

Respect.
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Troy
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Post by Troy »

Leisher wrote:You know what the difference is between a girl you screw, but never go out in public with and a girl you screw, but parade around like a trophy?
Blood alcohol content while screwing.
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Post by Malcolm »

Troy wrote:
Leisher wrote:You know what the difference is between a girl you screw, but never go out in public with and a girl you screw, but parade around like a trophy?
Blood alcohol content while screwing.
An itching or burning sensation the morning after?
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
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Post by TheCatt »

Leisher wrote:Google, however, helped China squash their citizens' ability to get uncensored info.
Google will stop censoring google.cn
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Post by Malcolm »

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered—combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web—have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China
.

One wonders about the extent of the surveillance to which they're referring. Or perhaps they're just backing out of the crossfire of the Chinese cyberwars.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

TheCatt wrote:
Leisher wrote:Google, however, helped China squash their citizens' ability to get uncensored info.
Google will stop censoring google.cn
Hooray...but, why censor them in the first place?
“Activism is a way for useless people to feel important, even if the consequences of their activism are counterproductive for those they claim to be helping and damaging to the fabric of society as a whole.” - Dr Thomas Sowell
Malcolm
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Post by Malcolm »

Leisher wrote:
TheCatt wrote:
Leisher wrote:Google, however, helped China squash their citizens' ability to get uncensored info.
Google will stop censoring google.cn
Hooray...but, why censor them in the first place?
Because it sounded profitable at the time.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
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