Slashdot Mirror


Google's Sinister(?) Plans

puppetman writes "This week, Robert X. Cringely makes some interesting observations as to what Google's up to next. He theorizes that Google is looking to create a bandwidth shortage that will drive ISP/cable/telephone customers into it's open arms (often with the blessing of the ISP/cable/telephone company). The evidence: leasing massive amounts of network capacity, and huge data centers in rural areas (close to power-generation facilities). The shortage will only occur if the average bandwidth consumption by individual consumers skyrockets; think mainstream BitTorrent, streaming moves from NetFlix, tv episodes from iTunes, video games on demand, etc, etc. Spooky and sinister, or sublime and smart?"

34 of 287 comments (clear)

  1. Google? by Columcille · · Score: 5, Funny

    Come now, Google don't do evil.

    --
    I love my sig.
    1. Re:Google? by User+956 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Come now, Google don't do evil.

      This prediction sounds less like google and more like Skynet. Especially the "piggybacking on power-generation facilities" part.

      --
      The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    2. Re:Google? by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      Come now, Google don't do evil.

      You'll start seeing a new search results paging icon:

      Eviiiiiiiiil

    3. Re:Google? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      No, just a new option : I'm feeling evil

  2. Re:What? Me worry? by dreddnott · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quit your whining; at least your roads are paved.

    I've been waiting for something faster than dial-up for ten years!

    --
    I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.
  3. Skynet by teal_ · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's Skynet, of course. Somebody get John Connor into hiding.

  4. Google wants to be YOUR Internet. by cyfer2000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Does that mean the blue E will be replaced by a blue G? Yeah, I know what is Internet, the blue E...

    --
    There is a spark in every single flame bait point.
  5. Re:Is it by Wonko+the+Sane · · Score: 3, Funny

    You're comparing him to Dvorak?
    That's harsh. What did he ever do to you?

  6. Re:I'll believe it when it happens by rob1980 · · Score: 5, Funny

    For serious. I've seen more credible conjecture come from 13 year olds arguing over who would win in a streetfight between Batman and Wolverine.

  7. Re:bandwidth shortage? by Colin+Smith · · Score: 2, Funny

    With an axe... Obviously.

    --
    Deleted
  8. Re:Is it by dreddnott · · Score: 3, Funny

    You're right. On further investigation, Cringely reminds me more of Art Bell.

    --
    I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.
  9. Re:I'll believe it when it happens by shigelojoe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Batman.

  10. Re:I'll believe it when it happens by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nah, Wolverine.

  11. Re:Here's a column for you, Cringe... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 2, Funny

    You do know that Apple is located in California?

  12. Re:What is he smoking? by kfg · · Score: 4, Funny

    Did he ever think. . .?

    No.

    KFG

  13. Re:Yet another moronic mistake in the blurb... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    Think: HIS HERS ITS.
    Yes, Her tits!!

    Wait a.. Oh.
  14. Re:bandwidth shortage? by Tony+Hoyle · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm sure google could afford to lease the dark fiber in an area... the stuff is all over the place and plentiful supply normally -- cheap.

    The problem comes when you want to light it. Then it gets expensive.

  15. Re:Plotting for the inevitable? by k12linux · · Score: 5, Funny

    <pedantic>
    (meaning .0000000000001% of Slashdotters)

    I know you are trying to make a point but that % of all people alive on earth today is about 1/15,000th of a person.

    </pedantic>
  16. Re:I'll believe it when it happens by User+956 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Nah Aunt May beat the Hulk too, so that's not a very good unit of fighting abilty.

    Aunt May did not defeat the Hulk in a fight. That's ridiculous.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  17. Dial-up? I would vote for (odious) to get dial-up! by smittyoneeach · · Score: 4, Funny

    I have to snail-mail cassettes from my Vic-20 just to get posted on /.
    Do you believe that?

    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  18. Re:What, and miss out on a chance... by Columcille · · Score: 4, Funny

    oooh I can't wait to see it come out in beta!

    --
    I love my sig.
  19. Re:Is it by Adult+film+producer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I take exception to that remark because Cringely is just a tool whereas most people recognize Art Bell as a serious investigator of the paranormal, a professional respected by collegues in his field. Art Bell has uncovered and revealed many dark secrets about google on his show, including their plans to harvest energy from the unborn. A caller to the show who only identified himself as "Mr. X" claimed to have been part of a team that designed the amorphous bio-pod that the unborn would be stored in, in a semi-concious state of dreaming stasis whereby quantum energy guides would capture excess xeon particles for current generation. I'm sorry if you missed it because the truth about google's plans will blow the lid off of civilization once it's known.

  20. Re:Dial-up? I would vote for (odious) to get dial- by cralewyth · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do you believe that?

    No.

    --
    "Women are just like ninjas; They lie even when it is more convenient to tell the truth." ~ Unknown
  21. Re:bandwidth shortage? by grammar+fascist · · Score: 3, Funny
    I'm sure google could afford to lease the dark fiber in an area... the stuff is all over the place and plentiful supply normally -- cheap.

    Well, if astrophysicists are to be believed, only 4% of all communications is visible fiber, 22% is dark fiber, and the remaining 74% is a strange and exotic substance called "dark light." Personally, I think they're on crack.
    --
    I got my Linux laptop at System76.
  22. Re:Here's a column for you, Cringe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I thought we already went over this, but you PC users are so slow to learn. It's because you're boring, unadventurous folk, so intimidated by passion that you'll shy away even from missionary. But we Mac users? When we have sex, we don't just have sex. We have S E X. It's not news to those of us longtime Macworld and WWDC attendees that Rendezvous (cum Bonjour) lives up to its name. And when it comes to juggling commitments, the word "reschedule" is not in our vocabulary, if you know what I mean. There's a reason events in iCal are see-through.

    And somewhere in that frantic fuckfest, sure, you're bound to stick it in a pooper or two. But you know what? We're not the neurotic type of person to care. Even leaving the sausage out of it, we're still having more sex than you.

    Lonely and loveless as is your life, perhaps it's time you came to realize that beige really ain't all that hot.

  23. Re:bandwidth shortage? by Korin43 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Imagine millions of people jumping online, downloading entire porn sites..

  24. Re:What, and miss out on a chance... by stunt_penguin · · Score: 2, Funny

    So, all the fire and brimstone of regular evil, but with email notification and search built in?

    Sounds good to me :D

    --
    When the posters fear their moderators, there is tyranny; when the moderators fears the posters, there is liberty.
  25. Re:I'll believe it when it happens by cdrdude · · Score: 2, Funny

    Batman vs. Wolverine? Chuck Norris, hands down

    --
    This sig is neither interesting, nor humorous. Including meta-humor.
  26. Re:Dial-up? I would vote for (odious) to get dial- by Jotii · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't complain. The stones with binary dots are too heavy for FedEx, so I have to walk to their headquarter in two meters of snow.

    --
    [sig]
  27. Again and again? by Freedom451 · · Score: 2, Funny

    You can't really 'beat' Wolverine, of course, he just keeps coming back. Eventually, Batman's technology would run out of charge and his armor would be shredded, and he would be toast.

    Of course he would talk Wolverine down long before that, and they'd go get a few dozen pints...

    Of course Wolverine would also be able to out drink the Bat, but Batman would hook up with the best looking babe in the joint and take off before that ("wanna shee my basht mobeeel"), and Wolverine would get pissed and beat the cr*p out of everyone left at last call.

    --
    When the country falls into chaos, politicians talk about 'patriotism'. Lao-Tzu
  28. Re:Plotting for the inevitable? by Satorian · · Score: 3, Funny
    Anybody who has ever planned a large network (meaning .0000000000001% of Slashdotters) already knows that getting users to hog MORE bandwidth doesn't require an evil plot.

    No. Just porn.

  29. Re:Dial-up? I would vote for (odious) to get dial- by wild_berry · · Score: 3, Funny

    The smoke sign67 for this post was c0rrptued by r41n.

  30. Re:Here's a column for you, Cringe... by Caffeinate · · Score: 5, Funny
    We have S E X.
    No no. Mac users have iSex.
    --
    Godless heathen.
  31. Re:Here's a column for you, Cringe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't know about you, but I could go for less iSex and more wiiSex.