Comments on: Green Revolution in Trafalgar Square

By: Roads

Roads — Sun, 27 May 2007 21:27:09 +0000

Yes, I enjoyed Burn Rate. And Microserfs, too.

By: Eats Wombats

Eats Wombats — Sun, 27 May 2007 19:14:47 +0000

Today's Sunday Times has a quite a few stories on Google (incl., searching genes) all seemingly triggered by Eric Schmidt's remarks. I haven't read Vise's book but I did read The Search by John Battelle, which is excellent. My favourite (least reverential) Silicon Valley startup (and flameout) book is Michael Wolff's Burn Rate. It's very funny. A dotcom era classic.

Google has already established Google.org and committed substantial funds to it, though small by Gates Foundation standards--so far. Someone I know has just joined.

By: Roads

Roads — Sun, 27 May 2007 15:34:03 +0000

It’s interesting to see how Google has evolved from a slightly quirky and idealistic start-up into an ever more powerful corporate behemoth.

The Independent article appears in a week when I am reading ‘The Google Story’ by David Vise – a worthy if at times worryingly reverential review of the formation and rise of Google.

I wonder if the increasing concerns we see about Google are something of a mirror for the demonisation of Microsoft that occurred in the late 90s, following their own years on the pedestal during the ten years prior to that.

If this trend continues, then perhaps we will see Sergey Brin and Larry Page earning redemption in another decade or so, when they start pouring billions into humanitarian causes.

I would guess that Google could more or less single-handedly feed the people of Darfur these days.

It would be marvellous if they did.

And I agree, it would be great if they could fund some permanent turf in Trafalgar Square as well.