John Battelle, The search: How Google and its rivals rewrote the rules of business and transformed our culture (New York: Penguin, 2005).
An interesting read, The Search: how Google. . .I never realized that a book on computers could be so interesting, as well as, frustrating; frustrating in a way that the author, John Battelle, talks about things and never explains them fully. Computer terminology without an explanation can become frustrating. I don’t know it all, and have never claimed to. If the author wanted to put a point across, he should have explained further. Points of interest are how Google has transformed out culture in a way that we no longer have to have relationships with anyone. We used to contact people and have one-on-one discussions and meetings. Not anymore! Everything is done on the Web. Sort of reminds me of how people nowadays aren’t neighborly anymore. They get in their cars, in the garage, drive to work and leave work at night to drive back into their garages, again, to enter into their house without ever setting foot outside or near anyone else in the neighborhood. No one sits outside anymore and God forbid that anyone should walk anywhere! That’s what I think of when I think of Google and internet, in general. Unfriendly and unsociable, that is what the world has become. Google has made it even more so to be unsociable. Interesting? Also, I believe that people have lost control and continue to lose it further. We haven’t any control over what happens. . .the internet does! I’m not majorly complaining, maybe, just a bit. If this is what has happened with Google and its transformation of culture I hate to see what’s in the (far) future. Once again, I’m not as so much hating the idea of all things Google, but it has had an impact, obviously, good and bad.
Another interesting point is the mantra of “Do no evil.” They, Google, has created evil. . .for instance the Google maps/streets. No privacy anymore? Even searching for telephone numbers and past histories, nothing is sacred anymore? I believe it is a bit scary. It will only get worse. This, I’m sure makes me sound like an old lady, but the world is deteriorating before our eyes. We can’t trust anyone, anymore and every one is a potential terrorist. Sound familiar? Do I believe that Google may have a hand in this. . .perhaps?
I do use Google, and often, who doesn’t? The book is more than what I have ranted about. It contains the back story of its development and the who did what and when. Google was technology on the forefront and still is. It turned failed search engines into the “perfect search.” And is trying to become that ONE company that owns it ALL! It may well do so.
How will this affect librarians. . .how has it affected librarians? We are told that we shouldn’t use Google or be reliant upon it, you know what, too late.
