Why Google Can Offer So Many Apps

Ever wonder why Google can offer so many different new applications? Well aside from having superb engineers working for them, great ideas, and lots of money, there is also one other dirty secret. They don’t offer any support!

Seriously, have you ever tried access support for ANY of Google’s services? I have tried, repeatedly, on a number of different products (Sites, Toolbar, Custom Search Engine) only to be thrown into a neverending maze of Google groups and the shittiest documentation this side of Microsoft (which is saying something). I consider my information literacy skills to be pretty high, but I am just left baffled by Google’s attempts at support.

Don’t get me wrong – I love most things Google and will continue to use many of their offerings. They “get” the web at a deep level and continue to innovate in exciting ways. But a support company they are not. Dealing with the morass of discussion forums and shoddy documentation would almost have you believe it is intentional… – SWL

3 thoughts on “Why Google Can Offer So Many Apps”

  1. I really like Goolge’s documentation. Being concise it is much better than the boring documentation of the same Microsoft.

    No Support… this may even be beneficial to all of us. Let them do what they should really be doing – the development! 🙂

  2. Kia ora Scott!

    Google? I tend to agree with Karen about the documentation.

    But, hey, I wouldn’t have thought that a bright, informed, erudite chap like you would have needed much support. Are you sure you were looking in all the right places? 🙂

    Support is most often needed when the sofware is shitty. In fact, the shittier the software, the more need there is for support. It says it all.

    Kakite
    from Middle-earth

  3. yep. See the word “beta” above just about every single app Google develops? Such a great deal they have! I wish all my development projects could get away with that!

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