Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why should we pay for the experience we used to have for free? It would be an easy sell if google offered some benefit to paying, but making the experience worse and then offering to put it back as a premium option rubs me the wrong way.
Because you aren't entitled to anything. It's someone else's service they ran at a loss. Remind me to never invite you over for dinner. "Why should I have to split the check now? You paid for my dinner yesterday!" Jesus christ. Grow up. Be an adult.
IANAL, but running a service at a loss until you have a monopoly position and then cranking up prices sounds illegal.
> Remind me to never invite you over for dinner. "Why should I have to split the check now? You paid for my dinner yesterday!"
I dunno; if for 18 years you give away free food, not to just to one person, but to an entire town, and then one day when nobody else is left selling food in town decide to start charging, I think it would be quite reasonable for people to be cross with you.