OT: Hands Off Google!

[Craig White]

On Thu, 2006-02-02 at 11:21 -0700, Daniel P. Stasinski wrote:
> On Thu, 2006-02-02 at 10:53 -0700, Randy Melder wrote:
> > What's really sad is that if it were Microsoft agreeing to censorship,
> > you'd be all over them... for some reason, Google gets a pass? Why?
> 
> I find myself in the same boat, and not sure of the reasons.  Perhaps
> it's the perception that Microsoft's goal is to dominate the world -vs-
> Google, who only wants to be the greatest thing since sliced cheese,
> block cheese and cheese in a can.
> 
> Then again, perhaps it's the perceived difference between the barbarian
> busting down the door and the barbarian who knocks on the door, smiles,
> and then gets invited in.  In the end they're still barbarians.
> 
> I like Google's stance on "Do No Evil" but then I always look back to a
> great quote by C.S. Lewis:
> 
> "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may
> be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons
> than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may
> sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those
> who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do
> so with the approval of their own conscience... To be 'cured' against
> one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to
> be put on a level with those who have not yet reached the age of
> reason... You start being 'kind' to people before you have considered
> their rights, and then force upon them supposed kindnesses which they in
> fact had a right to refuse, and finally kindnesses which no one but you
> will recognize as kindnesses and which the recipient will feel as
> abominable cruelties."
> 
> It applies in a highly vague sence.
> 
> I love what Google offers, but I am wary.
----
boy - that's deep and somewhat astray from the direction intended by the
OP

Microsoft is a government sanctioned monopoly - it's fair game to hate
them I think...ala Ma Bell (in whatever incarnation), the cable company,
etc.

I gathered that it was Justin's opinion that Google's acquiescence to
the Chinese government was less than a capitulation and ultimately more
of monument to their own people that their Internet experience was
sanitized...

"What's more, when results are censored on Google.cn, a notice appears
informing the researcher that a specific item has been omitted due to
Chinese government regulations – which is arguably far more subversive
than the censored links. In effect, Chinese readers are being told, in
so many politely understated words, that their government is frightened
to death of its own people."

I think in the long run, the Bush administration adopted Karl Rove's
philosophy that fear is the glue that binds and they have continually
used the American public's fear to pursue their agenda. I find it hard
to fathom that a majority of Americans believe that the administration
is doing the right thing with their secret spying.

But this is a Linux list and not a political discussion group and trying
to get back to the original topic...Google and China (and trying to be
respectful of Alan's invocation of Godwin's law)...if the oil companies
and the defense companies are already exchanging technology with the
Chinese, why not Google? Why worry about their political investment when
there are so many other American corporations doing business with the
Chinese?

Craig