Sunday, October 23, 2011

Google: an insider's view

I recently read Steve Yegge's very interesting post cited by Rip's Rowan. According to Rip it is "The best article I've ever read about architecture and the management of IT". 


It is a very interesting post which was intended to be internal memoranda and accidently was published externally.


I read it in the right time: just after publishing in my blog a post titled: Will Google Survive until 2021? Revisited - part 1 and before publishing part 2. 


You can read it here. I recommend reading it from start to end although it is a long post. 


As a former Amazon employee and current Google employee he discusses the limitations and strengths of the two companies (more criticism than praise) and compares them to Apple, Facebook and Microsoft

He discusses both technological aspects, focusing on what he calls Internal SOA and  on Organizational Culture.  

Few Notes

The notes do not support or dispute Steve's views. They just summarize and clarify some aspects.
1. Google's main challenge is lack of Platform
It is a products company which developed a very successful product: Search Engine. Lack of Platform is more a Cultural issue than a Technological issue, therefore more difficult to change.

2. Other major challenge is lack of openness to third party developers.  
The lack of openness is not a technical only issue. It is mainly lack of openness to their ideas about what kind of applications to develop or what users of Electronic Social Networking Service would like to use.  


3. Lack of Accessibility is another concern

It can limit Service or Product use to a specific market 

share of sophisticated young people.




4. Despite Google's limitations he is loyal to 

Google because unlike Amazon its culture is  

employees friendly or makes employees feel good.  



A final note:  Google should be praised for allowing 

its employee to criticize its culture and products

internally (and unintentionally in the public). 

A corporate culture which do not shut internal criticism 

can support Innovation and Adaptation.

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