In a recent story, Google has been praised for offering terabytes of free storage (along with the hardware and the support) needed for scientists to transport large amounts of data between various teams. Up to 120 TB in fact, if we look at the example of data received from Hubble. [fg]->tj!

This sounds almost too good to be true, but I’m an optimist and a believer in most of Google’s endeavours (though I choose to not hold any of their stock if only to be able to claim objectivity). This move makes sense from a business perspective when one considers Google’s mission, its business goals, its evangelical R/D approach and its sheer data-storing ability.

It also mark’s Google’s ability to learn from Microsoft’s (and many other once-monopoly holding companies’) errors: no matter how good or popular a product may be, if it’s forced upon people, the people eventually rebel in one way or another. Either way, there’s resistance. Nowadays, on many IT forums, people are asking why isn’t Google doing more. The question, while perfectly valid, may be somewhat of a moot point: there are doing as much as possible within the constrains of public acceptance into Google’s overwhelming intrusion into almost all IT/IS sectors. The limitations are clearly self-imposed and mostly a sign of extremely good top-level management on all fronts. This, combined with Google’s vast support of the Open Source sector, takes care of almost all existing and foreseeable resistance.

Some may see this as an example of hegemony in practice. To me it’s social capitalism at its best – a perfect example of how it is possible to make a profit while rendering the rest of the world more than happy to help generate that profit.