4 ms·

It's hard for me to feel the same way about a Google-sponsored open source project as I do about Microsoft's commercial ventures. Maybe it's just the masterful

by sz 16y ago

It's hard for me to feel the same way about a Google-sponsored open source project as I do about Microsoft's commercial ventures. Maybe it's just the masterful PR, but I really do believe Google is actually doing good here.

bruceboughton 16y ago
Google aren't doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. Just like with WebM/VP8, there's huge commercial value in this for them. This doesn't make the project any less worthy, but their OSS approach shouldn't veil their corporate gain.
- jjs 16y ago
  This doesn't make the project any less worthy, but their OSS approach shouldn't veil their corporate gain. On the contrary, that actually makes it more worthy, since they're providing a clear example of how a publicly-traded company can profit by being a good corporate citizen.
  - macrael 16y ago
    Google open sources things when it is beneficial to them to do so, or when it is not very central to their business strategy. Every time an oem takes the android source and makes it run on a new device, they are doing Google a favor, and missing an oppertunity to differentiate themselves from other handset makers. So yes, it is good to show that there is a way to make money giving away open source software, but i'm not at all convinced it is an example other companies out there right now could actually follow. Google is in a position where they can make lots of money off of people's attention without directly taking their money, so they can afford to give away a MASSIVE piece of software to anyone who asks. Who else could do that? Maybe Microsoft. But I can't think of anyone else. The amount of money and man hours Google has spent on Android must be truly staggering, the fact that they can recoup it on advertising dollars alone is really, really impressive.
    - jjs 16y ago
      I'm thinking more along the lines of a general accomplishment. This "doing well by doing good" thing could inspire people who run companies in other industries as well.
    - Tichy 16y ago
      It's called win-win. The handset makers are not doing Google a favor, they are saving the costs for developing their own OS.
      - dublinclontarf 16y ago
        Exactly, do you have any idea how bad phone software is? Have you ever tried to use Nokia's MusicXpress? God what a nightmare. Most phone related software is diabolically horrible. The sheer torture I had to go through to get playlists synced to my phone is unreal. The reason the iPhone (and more recently Android based systems) are doing well is the great software, which has been lacking since phones started doing more than calls & SMS. For the good of humanity this part of phone development must be taken from the phone makers hands. The next greatest thing to come out after sliced bread will be an Android -Lite for use in normal, low end phones, I look forward to this day with bated breath(Google Android developers, if your reading).
      - cakesy 16y ago
        Yeah, everybody is going to want to buy an unheard of OS, with 20 apps for it. People know about apps these days, and it is a huge boon.
Bossman 16y ago
I agree. I mean, most of Google's software projects are open source lately. Not only that, but they encourage developers from all over to work on their projects to make them better. I think the comparison to Microsoft in this article are kind of off base here. I mean, look at WebM... Google acquired the codecs and technology when they bought On2 a while back and now instead of sitting on it or using it for proprietary purposes, they completely open it up so people have a choice for an open web standard.
- loewenskind 16y ago
  So if google does one thing you like, then their off the hook? > Not only that, but they encourage developers from all over to work on their projects to make them better. Of course they do... free labor that they can make money off of, even if indirectly.
  - Bossman 16y ago
    No, that's not what I mean. I just think there's a lot more merit in what Google is doing than what Microsoft did with things like IE, entering in gaming, etc...and keeping everything proprietary on top of it. Google shouldn't be immune to criticism, but I just think it's misplaced here. Yeah, the draconian comment was stupid and probably not the best reasoning to give, but they're doing things in a good way in my view.
    - loewenskind 16y ago
      It's true, they're not like Microsoft in their method. But every good thing they do makes us more dependant on them. Even if the founders are without spot (hard to believe given the "if you have something to hide" comment), they wont live forever. What will we do when all competition has died off thanks to Googles goodness and they decide that "evil" means "things that don't make us more profits"? I don't hate google, I use them for things. But I really hate the wreckless abandon with which people embrace them. The market can't "correct" them when they do wrong because they have another source for their income.

by sz 16y ago

bruceboughton 16y ago

Google aren't doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. Just like with WebM/VP8, there's huge commercial value in this for them. This doesn't make the project any less worthy, but their OSS approach shouldn't veil their corporate gain.

jjs 16y ago
This doesn't make the project any less worthy, but their OSS approach shouldn't veil their corporate gain. On the contrary, that actually makes it more worthy, since they're providing a clear example of how a publicly-traded company can profit by being a good corporate citizen.
- macrael 16y ago
  Google open sources things when it is beneficial to them to do so, or when it is not very central to their business strategy. Every time an oem takes the android source and makes it run on a new device, they are doing Google a favor, and missing an oppertunity to differentiate themselves from other handset makers. So yes, it is good to show that there is a way to make money giving away open source software, but i'm not at all convinced it is an example other companies out there right now could actually follow. Google is in a position where they can make lots of money off of people's attention without directly taking their money, so they can afford to give away a MASSIVE piece of software to anyone who asks. Who else could do that? Maybe Microsoft. But I can't think of anyone else. The amount of money and man hours Google has spent on Android must be truly staggering, the fact that they can recoup it on advertising dollars alone is really, really impressive.
  - jjs 16y ago
    I'm thinking more along the lines of a general accomplishment. This "doing well by doing good" thing could inspire people who run companies in other industries as well.
  - Tichy 16y ago
    It's called win-win. The handset makers are not doing Google a favor, they are saving the costs for developing their own OS.
    - dublinclontarf 16y ago
      Exactly, do you have any idea how bad phone software is? Have you ever tried to use Nokia's MusicXpress? God what a nightmare. Most phone related software is diabolically horrible. The sheer torture I had to go through to get playlists synced to my phone is unreal. The reason the iPhone (and more recently Android based systems) are doing well is the great software, which has been lacking since phones started doing more than calls & SMS. For the good of humanity this part of phone development must be taken from the phone makers hands. The next greatest thing to come out after sliced bread will be an Android -Lite for use in normal, low end phones, I look forward to this day with bated breath(Google Android developers, if your reading).
    - cakesy 16y ago
      Yeah, everybody is going to want to buy an unheard of OS, with 20 apps for it. People know about apps these days, and it is a huge boon.

Bossman 16y ago

I agree. I mean, most of Google's software projects are open source lately. Not only that, but they encourage developers from all over to work on their projects to make them better. I think the comparison to Microsoft in this article are kind of off base here. I mean, look at WebM... Google acquired the codecs and technology when they bought On2 a while back and now instead of sitting on it or using it for proprietary purposes, they completely open it up so people have a choice for an open web standard.

loewenskind 16y ago
So if google does one thing you like, then their off the hook? > Not only that, but they encourage developers from all over to work on their projects to make them better. Of course they do... free labor that they can make money off of, even if indirectly.
- Bossman 16y ago
  No, that's not what I mean. I just think there's a lot more merit in what Google is doing than what Microsoft did with things like IE, entering in gaming, etc...and keeping everything proprietary on top of it. Google shouldn't be immune to criticism, but I just think it's misplaced here. Yeah, the draconian comment was stupid and probably not the best reasoning to give, but they're doing things in a good way in my view.
  - loewenskind 16y ago
    It's true, they're not like Microsoft in their method. But every good thing they do makes us more dependant on them. Even if the founders are without spot (hard to believe given the "if you have something to hide" comment), they wont live forever. What will we do when all competition has died off thanks to Googles goodness and they decide that "evil" means "things that don't make us more profits"? I don't hate google, I use them for things. But I really hate the wreckless abandon with which people embrace them. The market can't "correct" them when they do wrong because they have another source for their income.