Google sent an agent provocateur into egypt

[The-Spec]

Wael Ghonim isn't just some janitor at google who bloged about the egyptian government. He's google's damned head of marketing! This is a well paid man who owns a nice house in Dubai. He travels so much I question if he's even a citizen of egypt. He has nothing economically or politically in common with the people he used (and got killed).

Internet blackout from an entire nation (and legislations agianst street view) is bad for buisness for a company like google. The only "change" this man wants is in his pockets.

People talk about the "internet revolution" of the 1990s. But what people forget is that we hobbyist where doing revolutionary things with the technology itself... not holding plutocratic meet-&-greets on a few websites.

The internet is in a sad state of affairs when ANTIONLINE ITSELF is owned by companys. The internet is going to go the way of television and radio unless you people get off your asses and destroy e-commerce.

[NukEvil]

The internet is going to go the way of television and radio unless you people get off your asses and destroy e-commerce.

This reminded me of that old story or whatever where some guy was wondering how to get rid of enemy submarines, and some other dude said "boil the seas!"

It also reminds me of all those videos where the police officer is beating the 'helpless' lady who was just quoting her 'rights' during a traffic stop, and the narrator yells "It's time for Americans to WAKE UP!!!"

Or this: "OMG SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING!!!!"


All of which are equally useless in any situation, TBH...I really dislike when someone tells others to do something, but won't elaborate on how to do it.

[The-Spec]

Its just the other way around. You give people the instruments for a cause and they'll do interesting things socially and politically with them regardless.

Im going to start dumping information to this website and you people profit from it however you want. Its a do what thou wilt approach. I don't care what you do with it... just as long as social media and online businesses suffer as a result.

[JPnyc]

It's a ridiculous notion that E commerce is somehow destroying this world. All it's doing is providing a more convenient means for people to shop and work. If you want to look for business that's really a detriment to this country and the world, start with the oil lobby, and the governments they own. Amazon and google, etc. aren't hurting anybody.

[nihil]

I guess I mostly agree with JPnyc, on the grounds that "commerce" has been full of shady players and corruption since it was first invented

I take the view that just like crime, the "E" factor is just another method or vector.

I think that Google is something of an exception here, as it and similar organisations are very much children of the "E" generation. There really wasn't anything comparable in the past.

On the whole, I am in favour of regular "E" commerce, as it facilitates:

1. Accessibility to goods and services.
2. Greater choice.
3. Vendor competition.
4. Consumer awareness.
5. Smaller players.

Apart from that:

"Death to e-Bay, and long live The Pirate Bay!"

[NB. parts in bold, black italics to be read in a Georgia accent ]

[JPnyc]

That's precisely correct. It's just capitalism traveling a different avenue. There's no logic in demonizing it simply because it's a different avenue; a different medium. If you want to speak out against the concept of capitalism, that's one thing but this arbitrary compartmentalization has no logical foundation.

And as I said above, if you're going to attack any faction of capitalism, start with the ones that have global control today, not the ones who may, possibly, in 10 or 20 years.

[nihil]

As JPnyc says:

And as I said above, if you're going to attack any faction of capitalism, start with the ones that have global control today

So, when you have compiled your list, just look at the names..............?

All of them will have a business model based on monopolies and cartels.......

Not much "E" there I would say?

In my opinion, "E-COMM" actually works against these antiquated business models.............OK, so you need a tank of gas, so it's only cost effective to travel a certain distance?............can't do anything about that I'm afraid.

However, more transportable stuff is a different story?

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

I live in a small seaside resort and fishing port (pop. c35,000). So I wanted to build me a new computer (rather than my usual slung together from old crap jobs )............. no shops here for bits............ I go on the internet and find a place about 45 miles away............ a small rural market town (pop. c20,000)...........yeah! that's for me!..........????????????

Well, an AMD Phenom II x6 core? 3.2~3.8 GHz, 8GB DDR3 1333 RAM......2x 1TB 7200rpm HDDs, 23" HD monitor, and so on..................... all "E-COMM", and all delivered right to my door.

Anyways, I built the thing last night..........so I need an OS?..........I find a mob affiliated to Amazon (who guarantee the transaction)......... Windows 7 Ultimate 2DVD Retail 32 & 64bit........at half-price (there is an SP a-comin and this was their last copy).

Just because you live in a rodent infested megalopolis doesn't mean that we all chose to do so? "E-COMM" helps us "hayseeds" be more equal (apart from the rodents)............although I am sure that I could order some on the 'net???

Incidentally, I am in the UK, so the shipping costs are the same, irrespective of location.

My message is that if it works for you, don't knock it; and if it doesn't, but does for others.....likewise.

[JPnyc]

The strongest monopolies always revolve around things that cannot be done without, and the Internet as an entity is not yet one of those.