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Google Developing Database Service
QuantumT writes "Ars Technica has the details on the unannounced Google
Base service that will allow anyone with a Google Account to post information and other types of data into a massive, Google-run database. Ars believes that the company is
gearing up to take on eBay and Craiglist, which makes sense given the Google Payment service that is in development. Google has commented, saying, 'This is an early-stage test of a
product that enables content owners to easily send their content to Google. Like our web crawl and the recently released Google Sitemaps program, we are working to provide content
owners an easy way to give us access to their content.' There's a few screenshots as well."
What steps will they have to take to discourage people from using this to transmit and store illegal material?
Of course, almost every other service on the net has that same basic problem. But if you are trying to establish a gigantic distributed free database, this has got to be one of your main concerns.
to post information and other types of data
What data is not considered information, and vice-versa?
In broad outlines, and incrementally, Google seems to be replacing the need for a centralized computer/filestore with an ubiquitous web fileservice. While this may not replace the need for an OS and applications, if I could get access to my information and files securely frome everywhere that I can see a google server it really does change the computer paradigm.
I have nothing to hide. So, why are you spying on me?
It would be nice if the PhDs at Google could concentrate on getting good, reliable and consistent results out of their search engine rather than playing around with features like because it "seemed like a good idea at the time". Remember Google Answers anyone? That was a white elephant. I think this is going to be a white elephant too.
As a commercial enterprise, it seems that Google is in danger of forgetting exactly what its core business really is.
Never email donotemail@WeAreSpammers.com
Our intelligent designer has never created an animal that we couldn't improve by strapping a bomb to it.
Why would I want to put my information under your control?
Am I missing the point, or does this just seem like another version of the internet, except loosely categorized and all stored on Google's servers? What are they planning to achieve with this? I realize that they're integrating a lot of existing Google functionality into it, and I guess that could be useful, but it still seems like it's just Google Internet or something.
'Nuff said.
:)
Creepy. Well, I for one welcome our new Google overlords!
- dshaw
wee little hipaa violation there, but other than that it's a great idea
Google may not be aiming to become Big Brother, but they're certainly aiming to provide every single service they possibly can. Why they would do this is a pretty simple question to answer. They make most of their money through advertising, yes? And to make even more money off of said advertising, they sell data to advertisers, yes? The more services they provide, the more users they rope in, and the more - and more kinds of - data they collect to sell or use to their advantage as a business. Their business model thus far has proven to be virtually flawless and extremely profitable.
However, it is becoming apparent to me that they have other aims. Google is no longer the friendly, ethical being it once was. It has begun to evolve into something sinister. Google is expanding so rapidly and absorbing so much mindshare, both by raiding Silicon Valley and by garnering support from the Open Source community, that they now have the money and the human resources to do anything. Additionally, they can undercut any competitor, and they will. Expect to see these in the future:
* A Google ISP with free or extremely cheap connectivity worldwide.
* Google Phone, likely as a form of VoIP.
* Google TV, both on and offline, cable and wireless.
* Google Radio, both on and offline.
* Google Web Hosting.
* A Google ASP, providing applications on demand.
* Google Publishing, publishing digital content on demand.
* A Google record label.
* A Google printing service, printing books and newspapers on demand.
And much, much more.
This all sounds great, but the thing is, Google is poised to strike out at virtually every industry in the world that has anything to do with the transmission and distribution of any kind of information. They are going to be more than the 'Next Microsoft', as some here have put it. This will be a supermassive media monopoly; a black hole of information services from which noone can escape, with which noone can compete. They claim to support openness, but that only goes as far as what software and hardware you can use to access their services. In short order, they will be the only service providers around in many, many fields. That, in my opinion, is worse than not having a choice of how I utilize said services.
Call me a senseless fearmonger, but they really have their ducks in a row, don't they? The Authors Guild lawsuit aside, they're ready to go. They're getting ready to do some really huge things, at that, and in executing their plans, they could completely dominate the entire media and telecommunications industries within a matter of a few short years by simply undercutting all of their competitors with extremely cheap or free services, with the sale of valuable information - not subscriptions - as their bread and butter. It's possible, and they're proving that it is also feasable, and very profitable... but only if you're Google. I'm sorry, but replacing a few heaping handfuls of ugly monopolies around the world with one gigantic, unstoppable global monopoly is not a good idea, even if it's Google.
Let's not forget that the path to Hell is paved with good intentions. If Google does what I anticipate they will do, billions of dollars will be lost, thousands and thousands of people will be without jobs, and worst of all, we will all be forced to rely upon one single entity for many services essential in our day to day lives. That is always a very dangerous situation to be in. One can hope that the heads of Google are actually more sensible and less power hungry than this, and know when to stop. Alas, the word 'stop' does not appear to be indexed in Google's vocabulary. We all may be in for one very bumpy ride.
Look at some of these screenshots: http://www.seweso.com.nyud.net:8090/blog/
Specifically, the second one down, where it says "Attributes are name-value pairs that describe your item" and gives examples like "Author: Ernest Hemmingway and Area: 400 Square km".
Does this remind anybody of the Resource Description Framework? Maybe they're trying to start creating the Semantic Web, perhaps? Long talked about, but not, thus far, actually done? Maybe using something clever like OWL to search it and otherwise organize this metadata of all sorts of submitted things?
Just a theory, of course.
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Currently it's very easy for Google to be non-evil -- Google search, Google maps, GMail are all low-consequence activities. Once real money is involved this will change. Doing payment services will require a portfolio of automated processes that will, at times, appear both unfriendly and profit-motivated.
I wish them luck in the service, but fear it is the end of the Google honeymoon.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.