MapQuest and OpenStreetMap came before Google Maps, which in itself was mostly tech they bought from other companies. There were plenty of webmail systems befo

MapQuest and OpenStreetMap came before Google Maps, which in itself was mostly tech they bought from other companies. There were plenty of webmail systems before GMail - Google just had the financial capacity to offer more storage. Saying they "upgraded email" is more than a little bit steep. You might as well say they downgraded it, considering GMail's repeated and spurious blacklistings of completely legitimate domains. As for Chrome, there existed several browsers before it. Sandboxed tabs is a good idea, yes. Of course they've improved upon stuff. They've had a lot of money and great minds to throw at their products. There was even a time when I believed in and appreciated their "Don't be evil" motto. But, as with any technology, it's mostly work done standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before them. For a long time, they've been acting very carelessly with both that legacy and the one they themselves create.