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I sold my soul to Google, can I get it back?

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Well, this question was not asked by me but by a guy called Joe Wilcox on Betanews: I sold my soul to Google, can I get it back?. He raises a few points I never really though of:

While the organizations all charge something, not one puts content behind a true paywall. To do so would prevent Google search bots from indexing the content.

So, basically the way search engines work (and this is not limited to Google I guess), limits the way you can drive business models – obvious but I never looked at it that way. The challenge is how do you balance “free” with still earning money? Joe quoted an Open Letter by Bill from 1976:

Most of you steal your software...One thing you do do is prevent good software from being written. Who can afford to do professional work for nothing? What hobbyist can put 3-man years into programming, finding all bugs, documenting his product and distribute for free?

To be fair: Even though I love my job, I do not work for free – I expect Microsoft to pay me for the work I do – and so far they keep doing it.

The conclusion is:

Google's free worldview and business approach is fundamentally changing the value of content and other intellectual property produced at cost. I'll end with this question: Should people be paid for things they produce?

It is actually an interesting philosophical debate to look at – something, which should be discussed without the usual emotions in but on a factual basis.

Roger

Comments

  • Anonymous
    December 14, 2010
    Yes, I Love Google.

  • Anonymous
    January 19, 2011
    A man can't serve >1 master, so choose: you either act to get a reward, xor you act to do something new, interesting, good.