Google Schadenfreude Club
One way to ensure that technology users begin to hate you is to become successful. Just ask Bill Gates. People hate him because he made some smart deals in the 80s and capitalized on them in the 90s. (Then he began to lose focus and put out increasingly crappy products, but that’s for another Insider post – or perhaps one I’ve written already).
Get ready to hate Google, people. That is, if you don’t already. The search engine has trounced the competition, bought a pantload of the other stuff and made publishing online a total nightmare (anyone understand search engine optimization? I don’t).
Some people hate Google so much they’re trying to beat them at their own game. Actually, I don’t know if these people really dislike Google all that much, but it must be some kind of incentive, I’m sure. And by these people, I mean, people who are trying to build a better search engine. This Newsweek piece outlines all the companies and individuals that are trying create something better than Google – more accurate results, fewer results, less obnoxious splashing around of cash of jets and space programs.
Online junk everyone hates
Our sister site, PCWorld.com, has posted a Top 10 list of universally hated stuff online. Not sure I agree with this list entirely. Number one, for example, is Dubious Privacy Policies. I’m assuming that these are not listed in order of annoyance, but I can’t remember the last time I even read a privacy policy. Don’t even really have time to get annoyed by one. The article points out that Amazon’s policy is a 2,700 word page that links to a marginally shorter 2,600 word page. Yeah, I suppose I’d be annoyed by that too if I actually read it. The rest of the list is a mish-mash of other annoying stuff like over commercialization (pop ups, rollovers, ads with sound),forum trolls and buying event tickets. I recently walked into a record store to buy concert tickets rather than use ticketmaster online. Just as annoying. Almost as expensive.
Where’s the Shat?
According to sources I only have a modicum of faith in, William Shatner is upset that he’s not been approached to feature in next year’s Star Trek movie. The film has been largely cast – and if you follow that kind of stuff, you’ll know most of that information by now – but no Shatner. What’s really got Bill all riled up is that Leonard Nimoy is expected to appear in the movie, presumably as a geriatric Vulcan. Well, I’m hear to vocalize my support for Shatner. Any man that has worn a wig for 30 years without people snorting at him derisively deserves to milk every last ounce of screen time he can get. Go, Bill!
