AT&T Tech Support 360
August 16, 2006 1:54 PM PDT
Google wants people to stop googling
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The Internet search giant said such phrases were potentially damaging to its brand.
"We think it's important to make the distinction between using the word 'Google' to describe using Google to search the Internet and using the word 'google' to generally describe searching the Internet. It has some serious trademark issues," a representative for the search company said.
Julie Coleman, an authority on linguistics from the University of Leicester, said she could understand Google's concerns.
"The prestige associated with a trademark is lost if people use it generically, so I do see Google's point. They also do lots more than just search, so maybe they're reluctant for their brand name to be restricted in this way," Coleman said.
But Coleman added that once new words enter into common usage, it is impossible to stop their use.
"Google can't possibly stop the spread of the verb," Coleman said. "Normal people are using it in normal conversation and in writing, and they aren't likely to face legal proceedings."
What Google could do, said Coleman, is "force dictionaries to mention its origin in a trademarked brand name, which is what the Oxford English Dictionary already does."
Even if Google's attempts to stop this misuse of its trademark turn out to be in vain, many argue it shouldn't even be trying.
Members of the blogging community have suggested it is a sign that Google is losing its once-cool facade and that the search giant is taking itself too seriously.
One blogger also suggested Google has missed the obvious compliment in all this, which is that the use is evidence the company now owns the search industry.
"This should be the ultimate compliment, and I cannot believe Google sees it differently," blogger and computing graduate Frank Gruber wrote.
Steve Rubel, another blogger, branded it "one of the worst PR moves in history."
Morgan McLintic, a PR executive based in the heart of Silicon Valley, said Google should certainly learn when to love its addition to the English language.
"'Googling' is already common parlance for searching on the Internet," McLintic wrote. "And there is only one place you go to 'google,' so this is a good thing for Google with a capital 'G'. The media's use of the verb is simply a reflection of everyday use."
Google's move reflects the concerns of other businesses, such as Xerox, which has complained that its brand has become a generic term for photocopying respectively. Apple Computer is also taking action to defend "iPod."
AOL is another technology company that has fought the tendency of brands to become generic. It has contacting media outlets in the past over the use of "instant messenger" to describe any IM application, claiming that to be its brand.
Will Sturgeon of Silicon.com reported from London.
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Steve
"Stop the free advertising!! It must be stopped!"
But I agree, its rather annoying to use a brand name as a generic catchphrase. I don't know how many times I've backhanded someone for asking my how many songs I have on my iPod (I have a Creative ZEN Vision:M). That, and people starting arguments with me about how they think that an "iPod" does more than an mp3 player. Ahhh!!! An "iPod" is a _brand_ of _mp3 players_!! It _is_ an mp3 player!!! (a sucky one, but an mp3 player none-the-less)
Besides, I personally use search.msn.com for my web-searching needs.
http://www.spam.com/ci/ci_in.htm
words and incorporating them into everyday speech. Isn't it the
goal of a brand to the ubiquitous term for a category? I think
somebody at Google woke up on the wrong side of the trademark.
This is probably the most profound example yet that this company is driven by consumer and industry dynamics, and not a result of any shrewdness on the part of the employees.
http://www.google.com/jobs/meet.html
the curiosity and the USE of it....if as the case
of GOOGLE I understand they position but make all
this fuss!Is just a joke....Let people free of use
google in every day talks up.
the curiosity and the USE of it....if as the case
of GOOGLE I understand they position but make all
this fuss!Is just a joke....Let people free of use
google in every day talks up.
- The Google
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by Toffy20
August 19, 2006 6:55 AM PDT
- The Google is an imaginary beast illustrated by V.C. Vickers, my grandfather, published by J & E Bumpus Ltd London in 1913, again in 1931 and again by Oxford University Press in 1979. I'm sure this Google googled, and has been googling for nearly 100 years!
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