Ask PG: Thought's on Google's "Don't Be Evil" Mantra
In the talk, you mention how companies that always (appear to) work for the net benefit of the customer do well, the two main examples being Google and the early stages of Microsoft.
In the recent turn of events with Google's new unified search policy (and their quest to make more money with ad-targeting that is not only accurate(read more expensive), but also very creepy), do you believe that Google's elixir of youth has now run dry and they are in the process of becoming like Microsoft and IBM? Will their bullying continue?
The same could be said for Facebook. In the beginning it appeared that Facebook was providing a social network with a clean UI, in addition to being a safer alternative to the sex-offender-infested MySpace. Facebook has adopted the "bullying" mantra with every new product feature, e.g. News Feed, Ticker, and Timeline. Moreover, many feel very insecure with all of their information being in Zuckerberg's control. Though, to be fair, they voluntarily gave that information up by signing the TOS.
Do you feel that Google and Facebook are now "over the hill", have matured, and in the coming years will no longer be as relevant? These giants may stand, but have their actions sown the seeds for new startups to takeover this space?