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Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

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Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#491
post #199

Sorry to break it to you folks but if you hated your data being with Google, you are in for a surprise on how atrociously bad Microsoft is at privacy and security. Multiple close friends who have worked at Microsoft tell me that search history data - who is searching what, is basically sitting in systems with ACLs so bad that 20-30K employees have access through transitive membership of groups. To access a customer's…

I hate Big Data(tm) as the next guy in line, but if I have to choose between Google and Microsoft nomming my data I'll happily pick Microsoft every time. Why? For one, I've had a Microsoft account for over 20 years now (anyone remember Hotmail?). It's long past due for me to be complaining, and Microsoft hasn't wronged me in that time anyway. By comparison, my oldest Google account only goes back just over 10 years,…

> Microsoft account for over 20 years now (anyone remember Hotmail?)

From memory, Microsoft used to be absolute bastards when it came to your data. They did everything they could to keep you gated in and without any control. Things like: refusing any export tools for your emails so you couldn't migrate to another provider; or, not allowing any non-web access to your email.

Then Google came along with GMail and revolutionised things: amazingly generous free data allowance, IMAP access, data download options, open standards, liberal approach to letting people set up various hacky app access, and so on. It was hugely successful for them, and forced MS to moderate their approach.

Google abandoned their Don't Be Evil strategy and sacrificed a lot of their principles (and, I would argue, a lot of their success with it), but at one point they had a positive impact and they've never been as evil as early-era Microsoft.

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#492
post #487

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't use Phone, nor Maps, nor Youtube, nor Kubernetes, all the things you listed. They're helpful to you, not me.

"I don't use phone" You have already lost the argument. I'm sorry but nobody would care about anything you say because that almost just does not apply to anyone else. Also the fact that those products have no effects on you has nothing to do with whether a company is important or if their products are significant or helpful to the vast majority of human population. And to be a bit cynical, it feels the only purpose o…

Actually i can answer more clearly on the why Typescript (example) improved human life.

I used it, and also guided other juniors to implement real world products which're running in production to help others human life in a very short time, in a maintainable way.

This was impossible before with old toolings.

Is it more clear to you ? I'm also sorry for not so clearly said, but that's how conversation works ;)

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#493
post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just search for "chocolate chip cookie recipe" and show me a single result that isn't a complete trash website. A significant number are nothing more than ad farms that just load infinite ads in IFRAMEs and similar stuff like that.

It's buried near the bottom of the page, but here's your huckleberry: https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-best-chocolate-chip... Lots of trash out there but Serious Eats is good quality.

that site has over six thousand words and maybe 20 screen heights worths of scrolling before you reach the recipie. Its incredible, like some kind of work of art parodying recipie websites

I use BBC good food, almost always straight to the point

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#494
post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not much about Microsoft. At least it improved human life in serious ways (Typescript, VSCode,...). What did Google bring to my life ? Nothing except for spam stuffs from Ad, Email,... You're responsible for your data, not Google, not Microsoft.

Uh... Maps? Open, Permissive phone OS compared to the alternative? Greatest entertainment/information system, especially one that's democraticsed producing media? In terms dev-related stuff, TensorFlow - literally something that's made today's ML possible, Kubernetes, BigTable, MapReduce, and yknow, that good old thing called Chrome.. I understand hating on Google. They're not that great, but none of the FAANG are "g…

You forgot to mention Google's contribution in open source projects. Even their hardwares are OEM unlock-able. If it wasn't for Google, smartphone market wouldn't be what it is today.

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#495

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's fine right ? Life gives you many choices.

But no man is an island, the minimum reproductive unit of homo sapiens is a village, etc. You may not use those things directly, but you're dependent on those who do.

Just because Google has it, it doesn't mean a mean to an end.

There're choices for you to make. It's your choice.

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#497
post #199

Sorry to break it to you folks but if you hated your data being with Google, you are in for a surprise on how atrociously bad Microsoft is at privacy and security. Multiple close friends who have worked at Microsoft tell me that search history data - who is searching what, is basically sitting in systems with ACLs so bad that 20-30K employees have access through transitive membership of groups. To access a customer's…

Both are evil but I agree that Google is less evil than Microsoft. Just like the OP I have first hand info on how atrocious Microsoft’s internal privacy controls are. The later versions of Windows are just ad space for Microsoft to advertise. Azure is the worst of the 3 cloud providers. Horrible developer experience and documentation and reliability. That said, I would still take Satya’s Microsoft over Balmers any da…

I would argue that Google is the worst of the 3 cloud providers.

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#498

It's been a while since they stopped innovating. Although Google, Maps, Youtube are of daily use they are monetized exclusively by advertising which is annoying and hated by many. It has been many years since Google has launched an innovative new product. I don't think ChatGPT will gain daily traction after this hype. Anyway we could say that MSFT and AMZN have demostrated more power to innovate with different busine…

Google are a mature corporation. The fact they managed to innovate for so long is really a huge achievement but nothing lasts forever. The same applies to the rest of FAANG one way or another. Netflix cannot innovate out of streaming tv and movies, and now face strong competition from others. Apple has always been more about marketing than real breakthrough tech innovation and the bits of real innovation they did do left with Jobs. Amazon has flopped most of it's recent attempts (again, respects for running BOTH the worlds best retail company AND AWS). Facebook has been flailing around doing crypto currency and VR and getting nowhere. Microsoft haven't innovated since Excel FFS. Coke at least has the occasional new flavour...

I'm not "blaming" them, it's the cycle of life. Gravity eventually wins.

This is also a key reason for all the layoffs: Growing, innovating companies cannot ONBOARD staff fast enough, because their value is decided by how big they will be in the future and how fast they can get there. People are a profit centre. But mature companies' (in mature industries) only source of increased value is in efficiency, getting the same revenues with less costs. So people are a cost centre and they succeed by showing they're efficient (aka laying off workers).

Re: Is Google’s 20-year search dominance about to end?

#499
post #388

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> becomes optional for a majority of Americans No it won't. It will be an option for those who can depend on a car service due to proximity to a city.

Data from the 2010 Census: 80.7%: Percent of the U.S. population is urban (living in Urbanized area or Urban Cluster). Sounds like a majority to me.

"Urban" includes second, third, and fourth tier "cities" with low populations and no fleet of Ubers today. There won't be a market for automated ride share for most of the US.
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