Google sells its soul for AOL

The nightmare of geeks everywhere has come true; the company that was thought to be the world’s saving grace has turned on us. Google is evil. They have joined the ranks of Microsoft as one of the evil corporations that control the world. They have sold the user out in favor of money. They have become evil. Simply put Google is now officially evil.

Now that my evil ranting has gotten out of my system lets get down to the facts. Google has spent $1 Billion ($1,000,000,000= the price Google put on what’s good for its users, sorry I had to throw one more evil rant in) to buy a 5% stake in AOL from Time-Warner. With that they have limited majority control of AOL, ownership of the AOL Search business, and a say in any additional selling of AOL, along with other perks.

What Google also gave up in return for AOL deals with search results from Google. In the past Google has solely relied on PageRank technology for its results, but now they will feature AOL-sponsored search results on the main page. That’s right it sounds like you can now buy your PageRank from Google/AOL. In addition to Search, AOL and Google will also link up their IM networks so GoogleTalk users will now be able to communicate with AIM/AOL users. There are more details to the deal that will come out and I will be sure to keep you updated.

Hopefully I’m getting riled up over nothing. But it seems to me that Google has sold out to try and hurt Microsoft. In doing so they have become what they once hated. It seems making money is the most important thing to Google now. I guess the “do no evil” motto that they once used is no longer valid. I was pulling for Microsoft in the battle for AOL, but sadly it seems I lost.


Update (12/20/05-10:03PM)

The AOL, Inc. Press Release, http://www.corp.aol.com/press/release/122005.shtml

Some details of the deal:
-Creating an AOL Marketplace through white labeling of Google's advertising technology- enabling AOL to sell search advertising directly to advertisers on AOL-owned properties;
-Expanding display advertising throughout the Google network;
-Making AOL content more accessible to Google Web crawlers;
-Collaborating in video search and showcasing AOL's premium video service within Google Video;
-Enabling Google Talk and AIM instant messaging users to communicate with each other, provided certain conditions are met; and
-Providing AOL marketing credits for its Internet properties.