Why I left Google

[shimpster]

Why I left Google

Very interesting read

The Google I was passionate about was a technology company that empowered its employees to innovate. The Google I left was an advertising company with a single corporate-mandated focus.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jw_on_tech/archive/2012/03/13/why-i-left-google.aspx

 

[Rottie]

Good for you!

 

[gmaster456]

I'm trying to get away from google as well but I'm pretty much locked in because of gmail. That and I really like Google Music. What's not to like about backing up 20,000 songs for free? As well as being able to listen to, and download them anywhere?

 

[IlllI]

that 'free' comes at a hidden cost ?

 

[gmaster456]

that 'free' comes at a hidden cost ?

If that hidden cost is them collecting data about my music collection, I couldn't care less. It's not that embarrassing.

 

[TheSlamma]

Reports of companies saying they are innovative and allow staff to be creative are usually told by the C levels, when you look further in the truth always displays a different case.

I see Google is as a company that only has a couple products out of Beta, other than that it's a bunch on unfinished apps that never seem to get complete. Google Apps is the leader of that joke, the feature requests are pages and pages long and at the top of most of them are things MS had in office 20 years ago.

 

[Pretty Cool]

If that hidden cost is them collecting data about my music collection, I couldn't care less. It's not that embarrassing.

Real Player got such a bad reputation for this that years later, people still avoid it. However if Google or Apple does something nowadays that used to be objectionable, people think it is fine.

 

[gmaster456]

Real Player got such a bad reputation for this that years later, people still avoid it. However if Google or Apple does something nowadays that used to be objectionable, people think it is fine.

It's not just that it's apple or google. It's that I just don't care who see's my music collection. If it were other information, I'd be a little more skeptical.

 

[lxskllr]

It's not just that it's apple or google. It's that I just don't care who see's my music collection. If it were other information, I'd be a little more skeptical.

It's not just the music collection. Trivial bits of data can be woven into a rich tapestry that far surpasses the parts. Once the damage is done, you can't take it back. I don't completely trust Google. I trust them enough right now, but the future is unknown. I prefer to keep as much out of their databases as I can.

 

[gmaster456]

Privacy on the internet is no longer possible. It's like walking into Walmart naked and not expecting weird looks. You can't go online and not expect data collected about you. Every website you visit is collecting information about you. When people visited my sites, I could see where they had been, what they were doing, where they were, and what web browser and version of windows they were running. And that's extremely basic stuff. If you don't want information collected about you, don't go online. Because that's the only way your going to have complete privacy. Come to terms with that, and you'll be fine. But I do agree with you about trying to limit what information their databases can store about you.

 

[Mirox]

I guess wanting to use a site for free means giving up something in return.

The issues surrounding ads is overblown. As an online marketer I can say that a lot of the data about visitors is not very accurate. I've spent $xxxx on data layer, on top of an ad campaign, for 25-34 year olds and ended up getting majority of customers in the 38-48 year range!

It's funny though that people forget how much your cell phone, bank and credit card companies know about you. Or your grocery store. Walmart even watches you as you shop.

That said once Google went public things changed. They were very friendly to small-time advertisers. After they bought DoubleClick they started going after big ad companies and budgets and started coming up with all these hoops you had to jump to get your ads running under the pre-text of adding value to the visitors. Yet you see major companies that advertise who do stuff for which you had your ad campaigns declined.

Aaron Wall over at SEOBook.com has a blog and he has described in great detail how Google's changed over the years and how the search pages are now dominated by ads and other Google products. It's quite the read

 

[Dulanic]

I've always been of the opinion that if Google knows what I have looked at and researched... ummm good? Honestly, I block most ads, but if I see some, would I rather see a ad for a tech gadget or womens shoes? Yeah at least show me something I MAY be interested in. What's wrong with that?

If there was ever any time they used any information in a bad way, then I may feel other ways but this is the price we pay for free services.

 

[lxskllr]

If there was ever any time they used any information in a bad way, then I may feel other ways but this is the price we pay for free services.

True enough. The only free cheese is in the trap. It goes beyond ads though. If that were all it was being used for, I wouldn't have a bit of problem with it. Technology is being developed for companies to profile people based on their web life, and it can negatively affect your bottom line. You can be denied employment, or given higher insurance rates. All the government has to do is ask for the data. The standard is set much lower than if they get it from you. From you they need a search warrant; from Google, they just have to ask. This isn't some paranoid fantasy. They get these requests all the time. Our Constitutional rights are being removed a bit at a time, and I DO NOT ever trust the government, and I consider Google, and related aggregators agents of the government. It's just as easy to get data from them as it is from a government office in a building across town.

I can't foresee all the different ways data can be put together, and I honestly don't feel like thinking about it. I have enough to deal with keeping my physical machine secure. Once your data's in the wild, it never comes back home, and I think it's better to keep it close in case the databases align in a way that subverts your end goal. "Whoops" isn't good enough.

 

[GoStumpy]

I can't be the only one noticing that any slowdowns on Anandtech's site and forums are always hanging, in the status bar I see:

"b.scorecardresearch.com"
"renment.fmpop.com"
"ads.doubleclick.net"
"a.tribalfusion.com"
"edge.quantserve.com"
"pixel.quantserve.com"


Crap like that is slowing AT down... Sometimes it will literally take 3-5 seconds to open a thread...

 

[Remobz]

I guess wanting to use a site for free means giving up something in return.

The issues surrounding ads is overblown. As an online marketer I can say that a lot of the data about visitors is not very accurate. I've spent $xxxx on data layer, on top of an ad campaign, for 25-34 year olds and ended up getting majority of customers in the 38-48 year range!

It's funny though that people forget how much your cell phone, bank and credit card companies know about you. Or your grocery store. Walmart even watches you as you shop.

That said once Google went public things changed. They were very friendly to small-time advertisers. After they bought DoubleClick they started going after big ad companies and budgets and started coming up with all these hoops you had to jump to get your ads running under the pre-text of adding value to the visitors. Yet you see major companies that advertise who do stuff for which you had your ad campaigns declined.

Aaron Wall over at SEOBook.com has a blog and he has described in great detail how Google's changed over the years and how the search pages are now dominated by ads and other Google products. It's quite the read

I pay cash for most of my purchases. I get paid in cash as well. I rarely use my Credit or debit cards.

 

[GoStumpy]

I pay cash for most of my purchases. I get paid in cash as well. I rarely use my Credit or debit cards.

Well aren't you special :sneaky:

Especially the paid in cash part... oohh la la :hmm:

 

[silvan4now]

the problem there is no better choice out there; just name something better and i will take it

 

[SkullWalker]

I pay cash for most of my purchases. I get paid in cash as well. I rarely use my Credit or debit cards.

For most people it is not easy the get off the grid, so lucky you (?)