While Europe’s media gathered at the UK’s ‘Google Zeitgeist‘, kissing up to Google‘s billionaire owners – Microsoft boss Steve ‘monkey man’ Ballmer was in Hungary, being pelted with eggs!
Internet fact: Steve Ballmer can’t catch eggs!
The public perception of Google and Microsoft could not be more different. Microsoft, as we all know, are pure evil. Google, on the other hand, are the people’s champions. That’s why Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt get their asses kissed, while Ballmer gets turned into a human omelette.
Now, as someone who has followed the tech industry for over 25 years, I am not going to stand up for Microsoft. Nope, I am writing this article on a Linux box, I use a Mac most days and only two of my computers run Windows. But – where do people get the idea that Google are any better or less likely to screw you than the evil empire are?
Google run a near monopoly with their search and advertising business. It has often been said that Google know more about the average Internet user’s private and personal habits, than their wife, husband or best friend! That data can be processed to develop massively accurate personality profiles – and it already is. Every heard of targeted advertising?
What’s more, on Monday, Google launched the beta of Google Health; encouraging people to store their private health data on Google! So, imagine you had a heart condition that was being treated – BUT – you didn’t necessarily want your employer or future employers to know….you see where I’m coming from here? Good luck with that health insurance!
Google are also eagerly encouraging ‘cloud computing‘ – where you create and store YOUR business and personal data on THEIR servers. So, Google already know what you search for online and soon they will know whether you are a good health risk or not – PLUS they will hold all your company’s files, if you use their flavour of cloud computing.
What more do Google have to do, for the public’s perception of them to change?
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