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Google was founded 25 years ago today

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Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#11

Post by msoad »

drt5b7j wrote: post #4

Google is a great example of "it's difficult to get someone to understand something if their paycheck depends on not understanding it". Even before google was founded and the founders discussed how they could monetize their search, they understood that paid ads create a conflict of interest: the point of search which is to to return the most relevant results, but the incentive in paid ads is to return the best paying…

Now think of ChatGPT with this framework. Because it is paid to do, it will slowly try to convince you to buy something or even worse think of some politician or party differently. Scary stuff!

Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#12

Post by [deleted] »

guessmyname wrote: post #9
lemper wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well articulated. if any of you google employees reading this thread, if you love open and free web, get out of google. you're part of the problem.

> if any of you google employees reading this thread, if you love open and free web, get out of google. you're part of the problem. Shouldn’t we give the opposite advice? To stay at Google in order to gain influence as to create initiatives to guide the company into a better direction?

[deleted]

Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#13

Post by robertlagrant »

drt5b7j wrote: post #4

Google is a great example of "it's difficult to get someone to understand something if their paycheck depends on not understanding it". Even before google was founded and the founders discussed how they could monetize their search, they understood that paid ads create a conflict of interest: the point of search which is to to return the most relevant results, but the incentive in paid ads is to return the best paying…

> Even before google was founded and the founders discussed how they could monetize their search, they understood that paid ads create a conflict of interest: the point of search which is to to return the most relevant results, but the incentive in paid ads is to return the best paying ads. One of their papers contains this point _in writing_.

It's not just their papers. Their philosophy - which was a big part of everyone moving from other search providers in the late 90s - was never having ads in the search results.

Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#14

Post by generic92034 »

guessmyname wrote: post #9
lemper wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

well articulated. if any of you google employees reading this thread, if you love open and free web, get out of google. you're part of the problem.

> if any of you google employees reading this thread, if you love open and free web, get out of google. you're part of the problem. Shouldn’t we give the opposite advice? To stay at Google in order to gain influence as to create initiatives to guide the company into a better direction?

You will not get into such a position if you are advocating for things that harm Google's bottom line (or at least you would not stay there for long).

Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#16

Post by gizmondo »

drt5b7j wrote: post #4

Google is a great example of "it's difficult to get someone to understand something if their paycheck depends on not understanding it". Even before google was founded and the founders discussed how they could monetize their search, they understood that paid ads create a conflict of interest: the point of search which is to to return the most relevant results, but the incentive in paid ads is to return the best paying…

> I've never worked at Google, but I would bet that part of their induction is to train their employees how to combat these ideas.

You'd lose the bet. Rather I think the entire topic of monetization is glossed over.

Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#19

Post by scarface_74 »

lemper wrote: post #6
drt5b7j wrote: post #4

Google is a great example of "it's difficult to get someone to understand something if their paycheck depends on not understanding it". Even before google was founded and the founders discussed how they could monetize their search, they understood that paid ads create a conflict of interest: the point of search which is to to return the most relevant results, but the incentive in paid ads is to return the best paying…

well articulated. if any of you google employees reading this thread, if you love open and free web, get out of google. you're part of the problem.

So how do you have “free” without ads?

Re: Google was founded 25 years ago today

#20

Post by foota »

PuffinBlue wrote: post #5

I'm curious if there's another company in history that became so pervasive so quickly? Not just in terms of size, but in impact/reach? I realise this question somewhat requires defining what Google is and it's current size and scale, which is quite the challenge. To me Google seems uniquely impactful, uniquely quickly, but I'd love to learn of other comparable companies from history.

To name a few (US centric ones) from guesses.... Ford, the British East India Company, Bethlehem Steel, Standard Oil, Bell, Apple, Boeing, and probably Amazon.
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