July 22, 2011

What do you Love?: Google (Why)

The "Why" do I love Google is even important than the previous post which was mostly a free and very liberal advertisement of Google and its services. The reason it is important is because this is the question I have been asked a few times (why am I such a big fanboy), and while I have always had my reasons, I never articulated them. So here we go:

1. The first and foremost is the UI of its services (or the lack of it). I mostly find the UI not getting in my way to do what I want to do. (though I didn't like the new Orkut interface and always preferred the older one). And once you get hooked to the interface, it is kind of difficult to accept any new interface, part of reason I always came back to Google after trying its alternatives.

2. Their services are well connected. What that means is that I can easily transfer and share my data from one place to another without much of a hassle. Another reason that made it difficult to use an alternative service.

3. One ID for all. And this polymorphism enables me to use its service without making yet another account. I mean why do I take trouble to make a Wordpress account (even though it may be better) when I have a ready-made blogger account?

4. They innovate. And at such mind blowing speed that sometimes it becomes difficult for the user to keep pace with it! Of course, this may be because they want to dominate the Internet or they don't want their competitors to gain market share, but to me as an end user, it's win-win situation.

5. Everything is free (well almost). And I like free! Especially when it's better than the next 'paid' service.

6. Of course, their main source of income is advertisements and hence while using their services one is bound to come across some. But they almost never are in your face (now compare it with a site like songs.PK which is so much riddled with advertisements that it is difficult to find out where the actual content is!). Besides I use Adblocker so I don't find the pesky ads.

7. I know mostly what they do is for their own profit, but they also keep user in mind (OK in most of the situations). And they have done some fantastic things without keeping profit in mind (promoting HTML5, open sourcing Android, and WebM & WebP codecs being a few of them). They also let users participate. Getting and working on feedback from them is a very important part of their working.

8. They support Open Source technologies. I do too!

9. This may sound weird, but part of the reason I love Google is because it is great competitor to some of the companies I don't like!

10. Another weird reason is that some people hate it because of it being a monopoly on Web, while I love to enjoy/defend it. Sometimes fanboys don't have rational reasons to justify their liking! :)

I know Google is not God. It has its shortcomings. But it has definitely made my life simpler and I love simplicity...

6 comments:

  1. I dont know what this is all about!!! Getting attached to things like some internet company and its services makes no sense to me, not at all.
    And LOVE is a big term you used there. The big question is
    "Can/Will you stick on to your LOVE when it is no longer the best out there?"
    Our preferences change with time and so does our liking for the things be it some internet service or some company.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's right, "Love" is a big word to be used. I mean, of course I am not going to die for Google any day. But you know in what sense I have used it here. Besides the title was necessary to continue "What do you love?" series!

    I stick to the things which I like, even when it is not number 1 (Buzz/Wave/Orkut), but of course leave them when they stop making sense (Buzz/Wave/Orkut).

    ReplyDelete
  3. Though I read the 'intro' part few days ago, I got the chance to read the 'why' part now.
    Well I pretty much agree to almost all the points you wrote up there, except the last one because it is kind of confusing..that you defend Google because you love it..or you love Google because you defend it, but then you already said its weird and it really lived up to that :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. Also, I dont think the word 'Love' is inappropriate here. Web is a universe in itself, you 'hate' some stuff, and you love some stuff. Google is awesome but it is just a friend to me. haha :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. hehe, no first I came in this world, then Google, then Love for Google, and then defense for Google!

    ReplyDelete
  6. One thing I like about you is that you agree with me on most of the stuffs.

    One thing I like about yogS is that he disagrees with me on a lot of stuffs.

    And I know both the cases are not deliberate, it's just the way we are!

    (Note: I used "like" not "love").

    ReplyDelete