My general observations about the Online Happenings!
Its been more than decade, since world is using Google for finding anything on internet. People have started using google as alternate word for "Search" since long ago.
But is the world same as it was in Y2k?, Then everyone had one glorious example of how to be successful. Many started new businesses for covering up for Google's weaknesses (It was technique to attract attention to one's nasty ideas by trying to competing with Google, It was fools play), There was futile attempts from some companies to start Search Engine war, but I guess, Google won it by large margin, Google became King, and I guess, is still a King of Search! and There motto was "Don't be evil".
Google is now busy in trying their hands in non-core businesses like Social and Hardware. May be they want rediscover themselves and Grab buzz away from Facebook, Twitters of the world.
10 years ago, when people wanted to search anything, they only had Google and some fancy search engines. But Google was preferred.
But whats scene now,
If someone wants to search people, they go to social sites (not owned by google),
When they want to search products, They go to ecommerce sites (Not owned by google),
When They want to go looking for specific area of interest, they have mobile, tablet apps, serving data in readable format (not owned by google),
They want to search Jobs, they have Job Search Engines.
In guerilla way, smaller indirect search competitors are eating google's pie. I think, World is getting flatter, in terms of search or discoverability too. Google can't dominate the market, smaller players who will be specializing in Content Discovery using user generated data will eat google's market share of internet. It may or may not harm google in ad-revenue. But I guess gradually domaination will end, as user's habits will change.
Let me end it, using Bob Dylan's song,
Come gather 'round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin'
Then you better start swimmin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.
It seems that they "Dont" word from their motto is disappearing too! Have look at following article from Wired:
http://www.wired.com/business/2012/06/opinion-google-is-evil/
Mahalo & Bye
