What is Good for the Internet is Good for...

Google has been expanding a bit lately.

Android. Chrome. Gears.

A few products with a lot of hype.

They could all crash and burn and Google could still get the return of investment on the projects. Why?

I'll give an example. Chrome's V8 engine, arguably the most original thing about Chrome (Chrome is pretty much a bunch of great ideas placed together well, which while really cool, is pretty unoriginal)... V8 has the stated goal of making JavaScript faster so web developers like Google can make better applications online.

It made the "competition" scramble. And now there are faster implementations in the nightlies of some of that competition.

Even if Google was to drop V8 development, they just made the Internet better, and that is just referring to the speed of the JavaScript, not even the way it is handled.

In fact, the entire Chrome project could fail, and Google wouldn't feel it as long as the competition improves as a result of it. If Firefox gets independent process tabs like IE8 and Chrome, then Google wins. If IE gets speed dial like Opera and Chrome (and a Firefox extension) has then Google wins. If IE and Firefox adhere to standards more, Google wins.

Note that even though Google benefits, the Internet does too.

With their Linux based phone, Android, Google only has to provide more advanced features that show the power of the net on the phone. That's it. They can abandon it (and it wouldn't be so hard, it is open source) and it will improve the phone world for Google even if the project dies (i.e. if Windows Mobile becomes more popular or something).

This also applies to Gears. Gears can die in a year or a few when something else gets it functionally. Google only needs to push the features it needs and watch others get it too.

A push here, a push there, Google's R&D can be given away for free, and still help Google. As long as it is good for the Internet, it is good for Google. Google just has to provide the search, and make sure it is easy to get to it. Same thing with the email, the videos, and all the other long term ventures that hold more interest in.

The same principle applies to a few other companies here and there too. Like Microsoft benefiting from giving free Windows programs with huge amounts of functionality on the Internet for free. Like most tech companies, Microsoft directly benefits from helping everyone for free (note .NET has free implementation, and don't Wine about anything being Win32 either).

Or from mass amounts of companies supporting Net Neutrality. Google does this because it benefits them directly, but it also benefits the Internet, and thus the customer. So what is good for the Internet is good for Google... among others.