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Comment by TimCTRL | Hacker News Reader

I for one benefited so much from Google Developer Groups while at University. Google made sure we learned how to build Android Apps, and consume API's and services like Maps, Firebase, etc. Overall, I gained a good understanding of how systems work, Thanks Google!

--From Uganda

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That's fantastic to hear. The guy who leads GDG for North America and Canada grew up in Nigeria and got his education there. He's the most enthusiastic and passionate developer I've ever met. I love the reach google has in inspiring new engineers. Thanks for sharing your story.

Google did not do this out of the goodness of their heart. They did it to lock you in with Firebase, Maps, etc. And believe me, the moment they start charging you for it, you quickly realize why Google is not a company to give an ounce of trust to.

Eh, I think you’re underselling the value of “free” stuff. Even if it has an ulterior motive, giving free access to computing resources allows someone to learn concepts and even ship things that would otherwise be impossible.

None of these companies are altruistic and everyone knows it, but by not charging upfront it gives possibilities for millions of developers who don’t have US$ 50/month to spend on something (students, emerging economies, career changers, etc).

I wouldn't as knowledgeable and successful in tech without free computing resources from various companies. My parents didn't have any money and I certainly didn't either.

There's a lot of transferable skills gained in these products. You're not just operating a Maytag.

I guess you can easily transfer the knowledge to other libraries, APIs, etc. I think it is just a net benefit.

Haha, very similar to how Microsoft turns a blind eye to Windows piracy.

After all, why care? It's not like those people were gonna buy it anyway, and they're still using windows, aren't they?

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