Metaist

Discontent Grows with Google: Wave, Closure and Go

Commentary #

Recently, programmers have been grumbling about Google on several fronts, although none of the issues seem unsurmountable. Complaints about (the currently invite-only) Google Wave and, more recently, Google's Closure Library and Go programming language, all seem to wonder at how these formerly Google-internal technologies could lack Google's characteristic polish.

Buried in snow

Now is the winter of the programmer's discontent.

(Photo: Wikimedia)

For example, Lukas Mathis is concerned about Wave's scrollbars), while others seem to have more general concerns. Similarly, while Closure seems to be providing the world with Google's internal toolset, Dmitry Baranovskiy points out that the library is riddled with poorly written code leaving many scratching their heads thinking "how could this come from Google?"

And then there's Go. Go is Google's new programming language that is attracting a lot of attention. Aside from the previously used name (a surprisingly lively discussion), apparently many of its advantages (namely its compiled, concurrent nature) are apparently not as stellar as Google supposes.

Yet unlike other companies that dig themselves into a hole, Google has a great escape plan: outsource the work to the community, and with enough interest, they'll polish your product for you. This only works, of course, as long as Google continues to give off the impression that they care about the communal input. Without that respect, Google is stuck under an avalanche.

Updates #

2009-12-06 #

2013-03-07 #

2023-11-28 #