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I prefer the slightly closer kerning of the Goog in her version, however I much prefer the current kerning for the l.

Having said that, I don't think there's anything wrong with the current kerning. I actually suspect the wide spacing is more do with readability when scaled down more than anything else.

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Kerning and tracking are often adjusted differently at different point sizes, especially if you are designing logos and can easily tweak them manually.

Absolutely, and for most logos that's fine, however when you're the size of Google, controlling which version of your logo someone decides to use isn't easy. Sometimes it's better to assume that people are going to use your logo at sizes you didn't intend and in places you never expected, so having a bit of breathing room isn't a bad idea.

Having said that, I don't really expect Google would have chosen their current kerning simply so that it (potentially) downscales better - I'm sure they have more important criteria.

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