Too Big to Quit

UncleBob

UncleBob

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This is somewhat related to the SOPA thread, but really a different subject all together.

So, as you likely know, several sites are participating in a "Blackout" period against SOPA. We were talking about this at lunch today, and the name "Google" came up. I just looked it up and didn't see where Google was actually doing a full-on blackout, but...

Imagine for a moment that Google *did*, one day, decide there was an issue so important that they were going to shut down for 24 hours. I'm talking Google search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google+, Google Voice, Google's IM service, all services owned by Google including Youtube and Blogger, etc. Anything that Google isn't contractually required to provide for the day, gone, for 24 hours.

I'm curious - what do you think the government response would be?
 
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Use Yahoo, Bing, or another search engine with maps, mail, IM, etc.

Blackouts aren't going to help unless all sites do it. If not there are alternatives so it won't make any difference
 
[quote name='docvinh']Sure, I'll bite. I don't think they would do anything.[/QUOTE]

This was, mostly, my opinion on the subject. I figured we'd see some half-***ed bills make their way to the floor (if that far) before being shot down.

[quote name='thegreatest']Use Yahoo, Bing, or another search engine with maps, mail, IM, etc.

Blackouts aren't going to help unless all sites do it. If not there are alternatives so it won't make any difference[/QUOTE]

The reason why the conversation about Google took my interest was because of how big Google is. Personally, for maps, I still use Mapquest and for email, I'm still on Hotmail (I've had this e-mail since the first year HoTMaiL started... I can't get rid of it at this point... but man, you wouldn't believe the SPAM I get...), so it wouldn't effect me too much... but depending on how far Google (and their lawyers) would be willing to take such a thing - look at all the websites that use a Google search engine. That's not really something you swap on a dime. Many businesses use Gmail accounts - 24 hours with email access? Ouch. And imagine if they were able to take this blackout in some significant way to their Android-powered phones... I'm sure they wouldn't be able to disable all calls, but how much can they temporarily brick a phone before anyone would actually have grounds to sue? I can't imagine the phone doesn't have some kind of previsions in it that gives Google a free pass if some of the software-based features stop being supported... Is everyone supposed to just swap phones out for the day?

I think it'd be an interesting social experiment to see how society would react to such a thing...
 
It's more for awareness, it means tons of people will learn about an upcoming bill, but I don't think Google would do anything too extreme for a bill like SOPA. Wiki and Facebook can do it because they are pretty much leisure websites. But if it's a hypothetical question, I don't think it'd be a huge deal unless they prolonged it.

If Google ever has to get that serious and take such a huge hit to itself, then the country is probably already in flames at that point.
 
[quote name='UncleBob']

I think it'd be an interesting social experiment to see how society would react to such a thing...[/QUOTE]

Eh, I think a more interesting experiment would be to cut off internet to everyone for a day.
 
I was thinking of a scenario in which Google really did blackout and not pussy out like it just did. My school's email system, and many other's, is basically Gmail. You have name@stupid_college.edu but it's basically a Gmail account. Everybody who has that kind of system set up would basically be screwed, especially in a week in which many semesters are starting up.

I wish they would do it. That would really wake people up.
 
[quote name='UncleBob']The reason why the conversation about Google took my interest was because of how big Google is. Personally, for maps, I still use Mapquest and for email, I'm still on Hotmail (I've had this e-mail since the first year HoTMaiL started... I can't get rid of it at this point... but man, you wouldn't believe the SPAM I get...), so it wouldn't effect me too much... but depending on how far Google (and their lawyers) would be willing to take such a thing - look at all the websites that use a Google search engine. That's not really something you swap on a dime. Many businesses use Gmail accounts - 24 hours with email access? Ouch. And imagine if they were able to take this blackout in some significant way to their Android-powered phones... I'm sure they wouldn't be able to disable all calls, but how much can they temporarily brick a phone before anyone would actually have grounds to sue? I can't imagine the phone doesn't have some kind of previsions in it that gives Google a free pass if some of the software-based features stop being supported... Is everyone supposed to just swap phones out for the day?

I think it'd be an interesting social experiment to see how society would react to such a thing...[/QUOTE]
My entire galaxy would be fucking wrecked.

At work I'm responsible for being able to respond within an hour to any emergency in the city at 450 sites. I have almost all of them in custom google maps. While on the road and using my phone in a GPS car holder thingy, I use Google Nav to get me there when I get a call. When I get a call on a site that I don't have mapped I can pull out the trusty Key Map and do it that way but it's crazy inefficient. Instead of saying "Go to X lift station" and immediately getting directions without even stopping the truck, I have to pull over, find the paper with key map blocks, find the key map block, drive there (slowly, without Nav), then start driving around in the key map block until I find the site. Doing that over and over would halve my work load.
 
[quote name='thegreatest']Use Yahoo, Bing, or another search engine with maps, mail, IM, etc.

Blackouts aren't going to help unless all sites do it. If not there are alternatives so it won't make any difference[/QUOTE]

Yep. It would affect some people, but for most of us there are plenty of alternatives.

I barely use gmail, so I wouldn't miss that. I do use Google calendar, but that is synched to my iPad and iPhone, so no big deal to not be able to get to it on my computer. Plenty of other search engines etc.


[quote name='docvinh']Eh, I think a more interesting experiment would be to cut off internet to everyone for a day.[/QUOTE]

That would have more of an impact.

Myself, most days I'd be fine. Hell I sometimes take my laptop and go work somewhere without wifi to deliberately get away from the internet so I can focus on getting some writing or other work I don't need the internet for done without all the distractions of e-mails popping up, taking forum breaks etc.
 
[quote name='Stoic Person Eater']I hate when people don't use the correct version of "too".

Ahem, OP and camoor.[/QUOTE]

Whoops. My bad. /me sometimes forgets to proofread...
 
I didn't realize how much I relied on wikipedia until I tried to access it 4-5 times today to look up something for work and I got the blackout. Then I forgot I could get the cached version, but still, ya don't realize how much you appreciate something until it's gone.
 
I've jumped on there a few times today to get some reference for sales records and some information regarding albums released by a few artists (much to the RIAA's dismay, I'm currently in the process of ripping my 200+ CDs to MP3... again...). I've discovered if you Google search the specific page you want, then hit escape as it's loading, you can still view the content. :D
 
I think the reason why they didn't do a full blackout was due to financial concerns and the inconvenience it would put upon a lot of people/businesses. Technically, Wikipedia is very important but the financial magnitude is not as crucial as it is to Google as a lot of sales would be lost from people who rely on Google search to get clients and people who actually spend $ on advertising through the Google Ads would be pretty pissed. As for GMail, again, this could put a huge burden. Imagine that you need to print a flight ticket or receive an important document from your job through GMail...
 
Didn't impact me as I didn't look up anything online today period.

I don't use Wiki all that often anyway. Honestly the main occasion is to look up some random fact to include in a forum post. Be it some sports statistic or whatever. :D
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Didn't impact me as I didn't look up anything online today period.

I don't use Wiki all that often anyway. Honestly the main occasion is to look up some random fact to include in a forum post. Be it some sports statistic or whatever. :D[/QUOTE]
I hope you made an essay due for tomorrow, man.
 
[quote name='The Crotch']I hope you made an essay due for tomorrow, man.[/QUOTE]

Nope. Don't have much in the way of writing assignments this semester. With classes of 60 and 80 students, and no TA, just don't have time to grade essays.

Wouldn't matter anyway as I require academic sources (books and scholarly journal articles) for all the paper assignments I use and specifically forbid citing Wikipedia.
 
[quote name='Stoic Person Eater']I hate when people don't use the correct version of "too".

Ahem, OP and camoor.[/QUOTE]

Camoor was mocking Bob, hence the use of the number 2 in the same post.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Nope. Don't have much in the way of writing assignments this semester. With classes of 60 and 80 students, and no TA, just don't have time to grade essays.

Wouldn't matter anyway as I require academic sources (books and scholarly journal articles) for all the paper assignments I use and specifically forbid citing Wikipedia.[/QUOTE]
I always laughed at that a bit, because most people don't realize that if it's a good wiki article, they'll have sources for the information there. Can't tell you how many times I used online articles which I found through wikipedia articles.
 
[quote name='Clak']I always laughed at that a bit, because most people don't realize that if it's a good wiki article, they'll have sources for the information there. Can't tell you how many times I used online articles which I found through wikipedia articles.[/QUOTE]

Yep. Nothing wrong with doing that.

That's part of research. One of the ways to identify literature is to go get studies cited in studies you already have and have read about the topic.

Find lots of articles you don't turn up in an abstract database search by doing that.
 
Exactly, people don't seem to realize that wikipedia has the ability to cite sources just as you'd find in a textbook. So even though wikipedia may not be the most trustworthy soruce, the writer's sources may be.
 
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