The Internet is becoming [...]]]> Study says humans now use the internet as our main ‘memory’ – instead of our heads

• People remember where to look up information – not the info itself
• People actively forget information if they think they can look it up later
• Tests on how people remembered items they would normally Google

The Internet is becoming our main source of memory instead of our own brains, a study has concluded.

In the age of Google, our minds are adapting so that we are experts at knowing where to find information even though we don’t recall what it is.

The researchers found that when we want to know something we use the Internet as an ‘external memory’ just as computers use an external hard drive.

Nowadays we are so reliant on our smart phones and laptops that we go into ‘withdrawal when we can’t find out something immediately’.

And such is our dependence that having our Internet connection severed is growing ‘more and more like losing a friend’.

Researchers from Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Columbia University in the U.S. carried out four tests to check their theory.

They involved giving test participants a trivia quiz and then seeing whether they recognised computer-related words more quickly than other words.

The other tests involved seeing if people remembered 40 pieces information they would typically later have normally looked up.

The third and fourth parts of the study involved checking how well people remember where to look up information on-line and whether or not they remembered the location more than the actual data.

The results showed that when people don’t believe they will need information for a later test, they do not recall it at the same rate as when they do believe they will need it.

In fact, some of those in the study ‘actively did not make the effort to remember when they thought they could later look up the trivia statements they had read’, the paper says.
‘People actively do not make the effort to remember when they think they can look up information later,’ says the study

The other results showed that when continuous Internet access is expected, people are better at remembering where they can find it than the details.

The study was lead by Betsy Sparrow, an assistant professor at the department of psychology at Columbia University.

In their paper, the researchers say that we now have access to the Internet 24 hours a day meaning we are ‘seldom offline unless by choice’ and it is ‘hard to remember how we found information before the Internet became a ubiquitous presence in our lives’.

The paper reads: ‘The advent of the Internet, with sophisticated algorithmic search engines, has made accessing information as easy as lifting a finger.

‘No longer do we have to make costly efforts to find the things we want. We can ‘Google’ the old classmate, find articles online, or look up the actor who was on the tip of our tongue.

‘When faced with difficult questions, people are primed to think about computers and that when people expect to have future access to information, they have lower rates of recall of the information itself and enhanced recall instead for where to access it.

‘The Internet has become a primary form of external or transactive memory, where information is stored collectively outside ourselves.’

The study is not the first to touch on such anxieties and similar fears were addressed in ‘The Shallows: How the Internet is rewiring our brains’, a book released last year.

Its author, American technologist Nicholas Carr, talks of how we are unable to concentrate for long periods because of how using the web has affected us.

In research he commissioned for the book, test subjects said they were unable to read copies of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ because their minds had been altered.

Others were disturbed at how they could only think in ‘staccato’ bursts because they had become little more than ‘decoders of information’.

參考資料:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2091127/Google-boggling-brains-Study-says-humans-use-internet-main-memory.html

歐洲普遍使用現金交易, 要數電子交易平台只有信用卡一類. 歐洲雖有歐元這個統一貨幣, 但各國仍使用自家貨幣. 這個可能與滙價有影響, 甚至銀行操作上所限. 老實講, 電子平台推出已久, 今次 google 只是在既有基礎上再加入新的概念, 並不是一個全新產品. 不過新的概念增強了使用層面, 例如用戶資料更統一, 而且資料可用於地區性推廣或會員制消費等.

香港因為電子貨幣多元化, 八達通, EPS 及信用卡等佔有率太高, 所以 google wallet 未必可以獨創潮流. 以八達通為例, 差不多每個香港人都擁有一張八達通, 至少香港人十個有九個都知道八達通是什麼. 與銀行緊密合作的 EPS 更是推行已久既實時電子貨幣, 除了提款機外現在連大型連鎖超市及便利店交易時都可以提款. Google [...]]]> Google 早前推出了 Google Wallet 電子銀包手機程式, 自 Samsung 代工的 Nexus S 後, 開始多了支援此功能既手機. 傳言即將推出既 iPhone 5 都內置了電子銀包功能, 不過能否支援 google wallet 就言之尚早. 小棗估計 google wallet 未必有很大既發展空間.

歐洲普遍使用現金交易, 要數電子交易平台只有信用卡一類. 歐洲雖有歐元這個統一貨幣, 但各國仍使用自家貨幣. 這個可能與滙價有影響, 甚至銀行操作上所限. 老實講, 電子平台推出已久, 今次 google 只是在既有基礎上再加入新的概念, 並不是一個全新產品. 不過新的概念增強了使用層面, 例如用戶資料更統一, 而且資料可用於地區性推廣或會員制消費等.

香港因為電子貨幣多元化, 八達通, EPS 及信用卡等佔有率太高, 所以 google wallet 未必可以獨創潮流. 以八達通為例, 差不多每個香港人都擁有一張八達通, 至少香港人十個有九個都知道八達通是什麼. 與銀行緊密合作的 EPS 更是推行已久既實時電子貨幣, 除了提款機外現在連大型連鎖超市及便利店交易時都可以提款. Google Wallet 要打入香港市場似乎仍有難度.

現在 google+ 仍以 google 形式既 beta 試用階段, 但某些功能已令使用者留下深刻印象. 作為社交網絡始祖既 facebook 未來能否繼續領先 google+ 似乎言之尚早. 不過, 今日一則新聞報導 facebook 與 microsoft 旗下既 skype 達成合作, facebook 用戶可在 facebook 介面內使用 skype 作一對一既視像通話. 這正是 facebook 回應 google+ 既開始.

在社交網絡服務比較, facebook 確實擁有絕對優勢. 不過, 社交網絡是 facebook 核心業務, [...]]]> 自之前由 google 到 facebook 後, google 近日終推出 google+ 社交網絡服務. 其中當然對 facebook 既弱項 – 安全性 – 大大提高之外朋友既分類亦更貼近現實既生活圈概念.

現在 google+ 仍以 google 形式既 beta 試用階段, 但某些功能已令使用者留下深刻印象. 作為社交網絡始祖既 facebook 未來能否繼續領先 google+ 似乎言之尚早. 不過, 今日一則新聞報導 facebook 與 microsoft 旗下既 skype 達成合作, facebook 用戶可在 facebook 介面內使用 skype 作一對一既視像通話. 這正是 facebook 回應 google+ 既開始.

在社交網絡服務比較, facebook 確實擁有絕對優勢. 不過, 社交網絡是 facebook 核心業務, 與 google+ 只是 google 其中一個服務不同. Google 核心業務係搜尋服務, 而且它亦曾嘗試在此領域失敗過. 假若 google+ 再次失敗 google 仍是輸得起. 以此分析 google+ 似乎還未 “出盡力”.

在資源運用上亦有相同情況, google 投放在非 google+ 既資源肯定比 google+ 多. 這代表 google 仍有充足資源去應付 google+ 既發展. Facebook 卻與 google+ 相反, 這令人更擔心其長遠既發展.

因為小棗仲未有幸擁有 google+ 戶口, 所以未能較深入地去比較. 這場社交網絡大戰似乎已經展開, 而且這場戰爭需要很長時間至會有結果.

當啟用了這個服務，簡稱 2-Step verification 後, 每當第一次使 用你的 google account 來登入google 的 web apps 或使用 google account 的 3rd parties web apps 或裝置(devices) 如手機，Google 就會要求再輸入另一組驗證碼 來登記你所使用的application/device。

這有什麼好處呢？

例如當你的 gmail account 給人盜用了，對方在自己的電腦登入時，因為 hacker 那部電腦之前沒有做過驗證登記，所以 Google 會要求輸入驗證碼。到這裡看到好處嗎？對方知道你的密碼也不能登入讀取你重要的 emails 或其他依賴 Google account 做用戶驗證的 web apps。

到 [...]]]> 最近 Google 推出了一個叫 Google Two Steps Verification 的驗證機制。簡單而言除了用日常的 Google account 密碼來驗證還帶來另一組編碼作雙重驗證。

當啟用了這個服務，簡稱 2-Step verification 後, 每當第一次使 用你的 google account 來登入google 的 web apps 或使用 google account 的 3rd parties web apps 或裝置(devices) 如手機，Google 就會要求再輸入另一組驗證碼 來登記你所使用的application/device。

這有什麼好處呢？

例如當你的 gmail account 給人盜用了，對方在自己的電腦登入時，因為 hacker 那部電腦之前沒有做過驗證登記，所以 Google 會要求輸入驗證碼。到這裡看到好處嗎？對方知道你的密碼也不能登入讀取你重要的 emails 或其他依賴 Google account 做用戶驗證的 web apps。

如何啟用2-Step verification

到 http://www.google.com/accounts/ 登入你的Google Account

點擊 ”Using 2-step verification”

一些簡單的介紹文字；直接按 ”Set up 2-step verification”

之後會問你用什麼方法來產生驗證碼(verification code)。Google 主要支援兩種方法來產生驗證碼，

1. 智能手機(smartphone) app, 目前支援 Android, BlackBerry 和iPhone
2. 通過其他手機/固網電話發出SMS text 或語音

這裡，以 Android 手機為例，在你的手機，到 Android Market 搜 ”Google Authenticator” 這個 app 並安裝。

設置畫面會產生一個 QR 碼，用剛安裝好的 Google Authenticator app 來掃描一下。

Google authenticator app 掃描後， 會產生一個驗證碼，在頁面上輸入這個碼。

驗證成功就出現這個頁面，按 ”Next”

Google 會產生10組的後備驗證碼， 目的是用來日後如果沒有手機在身上而要輸入驗證碼就可以用這10組後備驗證碼來作驗證。
列印出來作好好保管。

Google 同時要求提供第二個電話號碼以作日後有需要時通過這個電話號碼來產生驗證嗎。
以我為例，我登記了一個家裡的固網電話，用語音來說出驗證碼的。

因為我的手機有跟 Google account 聯繫，所以這個頁面說明 Google 偵測到需要建立application-specific passwords。（容後就知道這是什麼東西）

最後按 ”Turn on 2-step verification” 就完成了設置。

Google 提示會將你自動登出目前你已登入了的 Google account 包括手機。

因為設定 2-step verification 後，第一次登入 Google web app, Google 會要求你輸入驗證碼；用 Google authenticator app 來產生並輸入。

後話

咦…為什麼我的手機突然要求我輸入 Google account 密碼， 試了很多次也錯誤，花了一點時間在網上找出問題。
最後原來這就是剛才提到的 application-specific password。 什麼是 application-specific password 呢？

Application-specific password 就是 web apps, native mobile, desktop applications 例如 desktop mail client, 使用了 Google account 而不兼容 2-step verification 之下不會彈出要求輸入驗證碼。因此 Google 就會要求你輸入一組密碼，這就是 Application-specific password. 如何產生呢？ 請繼續下去…

登入你的 Google account http://www.google.com/accounts , 按 “Authorizing application & sites”

在textbox 內輸入任何文字以作識別

然後按 ‘Generate password’ 就會產生一組密碼, 在你要求輸入密碼的 application/device 輸入這組密碼就完成驗證。

再據多一個使用例子, 要是你有用 Thunderbird 或其他 email client 來收取 gmail 郵件, 當你啟用2-Step verification 後,
你會發現email client 登入不到像下圖， 就算你確認自己輸入的gmail 密碼正確無誤

其實這個密碼不是你的 gmail 密碼而是 application-specific password, 跟剛講過的方法再產生一個 application-specific password 再輸入就 OK 啦.
以我使用為例，就需要 Android 手機和 Thunderbird mail client

最後，大家會看到右邊 ”Revoke” 的字樣，當你按下 ”Revoke” 後，這個 app 或 device 就會除消登記, 當你再次登入會再次問你一次驗證碼的. 通過這個機制, 要是遺失手機或個人手提電腦, 你就可以按下 ”Revoke”, 對方就不能用web browser, 手機使用你的Google account 了.

參考:
Google’s Two Step Verification – Why everyone needs to use it :
http://jpwhiteblog.net/2011/03/15/googles-two-factor-authentication-why-everyone-needs-to-use-it/
Google Accounts Help – 2-step verification :
http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=28786

原文的短地址是 http://bit.ly/ejUGzI , 歡迎大家隨便轉載, 分享

adrianmak
發表於 2011-3-26 13:50

差不多個多月前, Google 推出了一個優化網頁速度的小工具, 它可針對網頁內容提出改善既建議, 如將圖片縮小. 當然還有其他建議, 不過現時網站已很少犯上 “找不到網頁” 或 “斷鏈” 這些低層次錯誤了. 因此在技術上可以優化的便是網頁載入的速度. 其實這個概念並不是第一次提出的, 以前只會針對 html coding, 但現在這個小工具注意的卻是更多細微既地方, 如網頁圖片,外部 javascript 檔案及 file caching, 還有一些前瞻性的建議.

小棗估計這個工具與最近 Google 改變搜尋運算法有關, 不過就算無關都無損網站運作.

各位有興趣既話可以到下列網址試用一下.

http://pagespeed.googlelabs.com/

眾所周知各搜尋引擎運算法就像可樂公司既汽水調配一樣, 既是商業秘密但又與對手的差不多. 所以今次運算法既變動亦不知道改動了什麼, 以小棗既觀察主要是減輕了存在網頁內既搜尋關鍵字的重要性. 搜尋引擎就是透過這些關鍵字將網頁分類, 可以估計 Google 未來將以網頁內容直接分析關鍵字, 亦代表必須把文章內容及結構質素提升.

最近 Google 在其 Google Webmaster Central blog 提供了這方面既資料:

Our site quality algorithms are aimed at helping people find “high-quality” sites by reducing the rankings [...]]]> 自小棗將網站名稱由清心小棧轉為小棗棧後, 一向都留意網站排名既變動. 早幾個月前開始發現網站流量較之前少, 而且網站排名亦較之前下降了. 最近有雜誌報導解答了小棗既礙問, Google 將搜索引擎運算法 (Search Engine Algorithm) 轉換了. 搜尋引擎 (Search Engine) 更改運算法主要原因除了避免搜尋結果老化外, 亦可防止人為操控搜尋結果.

眾所周知各搜尋引擎運算法就像可樂公司既汽水調配一樣, 既是商業秘密但又與對手的差不多. 所以今次運算法既變動亦不知道改動了什麼, 以小棗既觀察主要是減輕了存在網頁內既搜尋關鍵字的重要性. 搜尋引擎就是透過這些關鍵字將網頁分類, 可以估計 Google 未來將以網頁內容直接分析關鍵字, 亦代表必須把文章內容及結構質素提升.

最近 Google 在其 Google Webmaster Central blog 提供了這方面既資料:

What counts as a high-quality site?

Our site quality algorithms are aimed at helping people find “high-quality” sites by reducing the rankings of low-quality content. The recent “Panda” change tackles the difficult task of algorithmically assessing website quality. Taking a step back, we wanted to explain some of the ideas and research that drive the development of our algorithms.

Below are some questions that one could use to assess the “quality” of a page or an article. These are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves as we write algorithms that attempt to assess site quality. Think of it as our take at encoding what we think our users want.

Of course, we aren’t disclosing the actual ranking signals used in our algorithms because we don’t want folks to game our search results; but if you want to step into Google’s mindset, the questions below provide some guidance on how we’ve been looking at the issue:

• Would you trust the information presented in this article?
• Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
• Does the site have duplicate, overlapping, or redundant articles on the same or similar topics with slightly different keyword variations?
• Would you be comfortable giving your credit card information to this site?
• Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?
• Are the topics driven by genuine interests of readers of the site, or does the site generate content by attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?
• Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research, or original analysis?
• Does the page provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?
• How much quality control is done on content?
• Does the article describe both sides of a story?
• Is the site a recognized authority on its topic?
• Is the content mass-produced by or outsourced to a large number of creators, or spread across a large network of sites, so that individual pages or sites don’t get as much attention or care?
• Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?
• For a health related query, would you trust information from this site?
• Would you recognize this site as an authoritative source when mentioned by name?
• Does this article provide a complete or comprehensive description of the topic?
• Does this article contain insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?
• Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
• Does this article have an excessive amount of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content?
• Would you expect to see this article in a printed magazine, encyclopedia or book?
• Are the articles short, unsubstantial, or otherwise lacking in helpful specifics?
• Are the pages produced with great care and attention to detail vs. less attention to detail?
• Would users complain when they see pages from this site?

Writing an algorithm to assess page or site quality is a much harder task, but we hope the questions above give some insight into how we try to write algorithms that distinguish higher-quality sites from lower-quality sites.

What you can do

We’ve been hearing from many of you that you want more guidance on what you can do to improve your rankings on Google, particularly if you think you’ve been impacted by the Panda update. We encourage you to keep questions like the ones above in mind as you focus on developing high-quality content rather than trying to optimize for any particular Google algorithm.

One other specific piece of guidance we’ve offered is that low-quality content on some parts of a website can impact the whole site’s rankings, and thus removing low quality pages, merging or improving the content of individual shallow pages into more useful pages, or moving low quality pages to a different domain could eventually help the rankings of your higher-quality content.

We’re continuing to work on additional algorithmic iterations to help webmasters operating high-quality sites get more traffic from search. As you continue to improve your sites, rather than focusing on one particular algorithmic tweak, we encourage you to ask yourself the same sorts of questions we ask when looking at the big picture. This way your site will be more likely to rank well for the long-term. In the meantime, if you have feedback, please tell us through our Webmaster Forum. We continue to monitor threads on the forum and pass site info on to the search quality team as we work on future iterations of our ranking algorithms.

Written by Amit Singhal, Google Fellow

很多人都知道 google 是一間巨大既公司, 他們最值錢既正正是他們既員工 (因為員工負責研發及生產) 管理層明白及重視這些財產. 但這則新聞最突出既地方係 google 作出大幅加薪, 獎金及花紅後員工們仍然選擇到那間擁有 5 億用戶既公司打工. 作為打工仔既小棗便聯想到他們既舉動並非純與金錢有關, 當中好大程度與公司既發展前景有關.

Google 最出名既莫過於搜尋器業務, 因為它是整間公司最主要資產, 沒有它沒有廣告就沒有今日既 google. 在網上賣廣告最大問題係廣告成效, 就算收費以點擊計算, 廣告是否真的被針對既客戶群發現成了最大疑問. 而 facebook 發展網上廣告既好處是客戶群資料比較真實及容易掌握. 加上宣傳是以人傳人方式發放, 能持續不斷方式擴散. 所以廣告商亦樂於將部份開支放在 facebook 內.

雖然擁有強大既用戶群, 但 facebook 未來唔一定會超越 google, 始終 google 除搜尋器業務外還提供不同類型既服務, 部份服務仲屬於收費服務. 反觀 facebook, 論多元化不及 google, 論安全性更欠一段距離. [...]]]> 上年 I.T. 界其中一則重要既新聞並不是甚麼新產品發佈, 更加不是 iPhone 有甚麼問題, 而是 google 有員工跳槽至 facebook. 當然他們不是因被炒而過檔.

很多人都知道 google 是一間巨大既公司, 他們最值錢既正正是他們既員工 (因為員工負責研發及生產) 管理層明白及重視這些財產. 但這則新聞最突出既地方係 google 作出大幅加薪, 獎金及花紅後員工們仍然選擇到那間擁有 5 億用戶既公司打工. 作為打工仔既小棗便聯想到他們既舉動並非純與金錢有關, 當中好大程度與公司既發展前景有關.

Google 最出名既莫過於搜尋器業務, 因為它是整間公司最主要資產, 沒有它沒有廣告就沒有今日既 google. 在網上賣廣告最大問題係廣告成效, 就算收費以點擊計算, 廣告是否真的被針對既客戶群發現成了最大疑問. 而 facebook 發展網上廣告既好處是客戶群資料比較真實及容易掌握. 加上宣傳是以人傳人方式發放, 能持續不斷方式擴散. 所以廣告商亦樂於將部份開支放在 facebook 內.

雖然擁有強大既用戶群, 但 facebook 未來唔一定會超越 google, 始終 google 除搜尋器業務外還提供不同類型既服務, 部份服務仲屬於收費服務. 反觀 facebook, 論多元化不及 google, 論安全性更欠一段距離. 究竟 facebook 可否在今年內直逼 google? 就讓餘下既時間做見證.

事件報導後, 令很多人才開始知道 Google 有能力遙控用戶手機及擔心個人資訊問題. 其實, Android Market 使用條款中已列明:

2.4 Google 有時會在「Market」發現違反「Android Market 開發人員發佈協議」或其他法律協議、法律、法規或政策之「產品」。您同意在該等情形下，Google 可以保留權利，酌情將這些應用程式自您的「裝置」中移除。

我相信這是一般用家忽略使用條款既後果, 只要同意了使用條款即同時代表用家明白並遵守該等規則. 如果唔同意那些條款, 唯一可以做的就是停用那些功能. 其實, 當啟用 Android 電話時, 用家必須擁有 Google 賬戶, 其實此時 Google 已經擁有了用家既個人資料. 如果真的擔心個人資訊問題, 可能一開始就不應選擇 Android 電話了.

不過事情又不是想像中需要用家擔心. 因為 Android 是建基於 Linux, 眾所周知, Linux 有一套權限標準. [...]]]> 近日科技網站報導了一則比較關注既新聞, Google遙控刪除用戶已下載既程式. 當中原因是有兩個 Google Market 內的程式被發現有安全問題, Google 發現後已即時從 Market 內移除該程式. 不過, 故事還未完結, Google 同時亦運用遙控權, 先通知受影響用戶後, 再遙控刪除用戶手機內有問題既程式.

事件報導後, 令很多人才開始知道 Google 有能力遙控用戶手機及擔心個人資訊問題. 其實, Android Market 使用條款中已列明:

2.4 Google 有時會在「Market」發現違反「Android Market 開發人員發佈協議」或其他法律協議、法律、法規或政策之「產品」。您同意在該等情形下，Google 可以保留權利，酌情將這些應用程式自您的「裝置」中移除。

我相信這是一般用家忽略使用條款既後果, 只要同意了使用條款即同時代表用家明白並遵守該等規則. 如果唔同意那些條款, 唯一可以做的就是停用那些功能. 其實, 當啟用 Android 電話時, 用家必須擁有 Google 賬戶, 其實此時 Google 已經擁有了用家既個人資料. 如果真的擔心個人資訊問題, 可能一開始就不應選擇 Android 電話了.

不過事情又不是想像中需要用家擔心. 因為 Android 是建基於 Linux, 眾所周知, Linux 有一套權限標準. 除了 Root 是最高系統管理員外, 其他一般賬戶只有特定權限. Google 所使用既遙控戶口相信只有刪除程式既能力. 用家可把手機 Root 了以後修改手機內各賬戶權限, 令 Google 失去遙控能力, 當然這又涉及保養問題.

另外,  從條款中發現使用 Android Market 是有年齡限制的:

1.4 您必須年滿 13 歲，方能使用 Android Market。如果您的年齡介於 13 到 18 歲，則必須擁有家長或法定監護人的許可，方能使用 Market。

透過這些報導, 希望各位提高對使用條款或服務合約既意識. 否則, 發生問題後才追究只會令用家自已承擔後果.

In order to continue to improve our products and deliver more sophisticated features and performance, we are harnessing some of the latest improvements in web browser technology. This includes faster JavaScript processing and new standards like HTML5. As a result, over the course of 2010, we will be phasing out support [...]]]> Dear Google Apps admin,

In order to continue to improve our products and deliver more sophisticated features and performance, we are harnessing some of the latest improvements in web browser technology. This includes faster JavaScript processing and new standards like HTML5. As a result, over the course of 2010, we will be phasing out support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 as well as other older browsers that are not supported by their own manufacturers.

We plan to begin phasing out support of these older browsers on the Google Docs suite and the Google Sites editor on March 1, 2010. After that point, certain functionality within these applications may have higher latency and may not work correctly in these older browsers. Later in 2010, we will start to phase out support for these browsers for Google Mail and Google Calendar.

Google Apps will continue to support Internet Explorer 7.0 and above, Firefox 3.0 and above, Google Chrome 4.0 and above, and Safari 3.0 and above.

Starting this week, users on these older browsers will see a message in Google Docs and the Google Sites editor explaining this change and asking them to upgrade their browser. We will also alert you again closer to March 1 to remind you of this change.

In 2009, the Google Apps team delivered more than 100 improvements to enhance your product experience. We are aiming to beat that in 2010 and continue to deliver the best and most innovative collaboration products for businesses.

Thank you for your continued support!

Sincerely,

The Google Apps team

Email preferences: You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important changes to your Google Apps product or account.

Google Inc.

1600 Amphitheatre Parkway

Mountain View, CA 94043

1. Google failed in China

Google’s China operations contribute a small fraction of the company’s overall [...]]]> From Silicon Valley to Zhongguancun, Google’s surprise announcement that it may pull out of China has fueled an enormous amount of discussion in recent days, not all of it 100% accurate. Below are some misstatements and misunderstandings we’ve seen:

1. Google failed in China

Google’s China operations contribute a small fraction of the company’s overall revenue – the company doesn’t disclose the amount, but analysts estimate it was a few percent of its total $21.8 billion in 2008 revenue, or several hundred million dollars. But Google has made significant progress in China in recent years, raising its share of the Internet search market to roughly 36% in the fourth quarter of 2009 from 13% when it started its Chinese-language google.cn site in early 2006, according to data from research firm Analysys International.

Many other foreign companies doing business in China would gladly forgo big profits in the short term for comparable market-share growth in China—especially in an industry where China has more users than any other country (384 million according to the latest statistics). Google has also been particularly popular among the highly sought-after demographic of young, educated, white-collar urban professionals. The company’s powerful brand of business and ethics (“don’t be evil) has also earned it a fair amount of good will among Chinese Internet users, many of whom are now mourning its (still uncertain) fate. While rival Baidu still has a much larger 58% share of the search market, its brand has suffered as a result of scandals involving paid results and allegations of censorship of sensitive news stories.

Google doesn’t say if it’s profitable in China, but there’s certainly no reason to assume it’s not. Baidu, its chief rival, reported net profit of about $153 million on revenue of $468 million for 2008, when it said it had 6,387 employees. Google’s revenue would have perhaps half or two thirds that amount, but it likely has a much lower cost base in China than Baidu, since Google is believed to employ well under 1,000 employees in the country, and can use technology developed by its U.S. headquarters.

2. Google.com is not accessible in China

Before Google introduced its China-specific search engine, Google.cn, in 2006, its global site Google.com was subject to periodic blocking in China. But for the last four years, Google.com has been almost always accessible to users in China.

However, the fact that Google.com can be accessed from China doesn’t mean that Internet users can get to forbidden content listed in the site’s search results. Links to sites that are blocked in China will still return error messages or time out when they are clicked. (In contrast, Google’s Chinese search engine, Google.cn, will filter out links to sites that don’t comply with Chinese laws and regulations.)

And of course, given the unpredictability of China’s Web restrictions, there’s no guarantee that Google.com will continue to be available to users inside China, at least not without “scaling the wall.”

3. Google has Gmail servers in China

Some reports have said that the reason Chinese hackers were able to access Gmail accounts is that Google has email servers physically located in China. This is not the case. Google says it has no email servers in the country.

Indeed, Google has said keeping its servers out of China was a deliberate move to help protect user information. When the company announced its plans to launch google.cn in January 2006, executives said one of the safeguards it planned to use to protect user interests was that it wouldn’t host user-generated content like email and blogs on servers in China.

Google had reason to be careful. In 2005, there was widespread outcry among rights activists and the U.S. government after Yahoo turned over user information to the Chinese government, which was used as evidence to sentence journalist Shi Tao to 10 years in prison. Yahoo said that, because its Chinese mail servers were inside China, the company felt compelled to comply with the authorities’ request.

4. Google.cn search results are already uncensored

After Tuesday’s announcement, Web users ran amok on Google.cn, looking up sensitive terms such as “Tiananmen 1989,” “tank man,” and even “sensitive words.” But many have been disappointed with the results, as searches for these terms still turned up the familiar disclaimer that “in accordance with local laws and regulations, a portion of the search results are not displayed.”

Google says that it hasn’t yet started to remove content filters on Google.cn, a process that could take weeks.

How to explain the images of tank man and links to sites about the Dalai Lama found via Google.cn? Many of the searches yielding fruitful results appear to have been conducted in English, a trick that often turns up fuller results on Google.cn than a search for the same term in Chinese. (To see what we mean, compare these Google.cn results for “Dalai Lama” in English and Chinese).

5. Google has identified Chinese dissidents as the targets of cyber attacks

Since Google revealed that it has been the target of cyber attacks, and that it had identified two Gmail accounts that had been compromised, a number of prominent Chinese activists have reported that their Gmail accounts have been hacked, in some cases repeatedly. Google says that these intrusions were not part of the larger, sophisticated attack on its security infrastructure, but likely the result of more pedestrian phishing scams or malware.

6. Google has already shut down its business in China

On Friday, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Yao Jian said that neither MOC nor the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce had received any information from Google about a planned withdrawal of its investment. A person close to Google also denied rumors that Google employees in China have ceased to report for work.

–Sky Canaves