The difference here is that this is not formally a Google project the way Wave, G+, etc were. This is just someone's hobby that incidentally Google owns the cop

The difference here is that this is not formally a Google project the way Wave, G+, etc were. This is just someone's hobby that incidentally Google owns the copyright to because tech companies treat engineers like glorified slaves when it comes to intellectual property. Google kills social projects they run, but since they don't run this one, I don't see them interfering. Their ownership is just a technicality because of stone age IP law.