"Googling"
Apr. 1st, 2012 08:28 pmI remember for a while the question of, to what extent does "google" mean "to search google" and to what extent does "goole" mean "to search the web". Just like every other trademark genericisation, most people don't care, but the original company is obliged to fight.
I was genuinely unsure, since I did say "google", but I always DID search using google.com, because it was the only website I was aware of that seemed to work. It wasn't a matter of "googling on google" or "googling on altavista" it was a matter of "googling on google" or "banging my head against a brick wall on altavista".
In fact, if all modern search engines disappeared and I was reduced to 1999-level search technology, I probably wouldn't say "google". But in fact, I recently have started using a search engine other than google[1], and it turns out that I do still say "google it". So, um, sorry, Google.
[1] Duck-duck-go, simply because it was a search engine Liv mentioned, and seems reasonably competent and reasonably serious about privacy.
I was genuinely unsure, since I did say "google", but I always DID search using google.com, because it was the only website I was aware of that seemed to work. It wasn't a matter of "googling on google" or "googling on altavista" it was a matter of "googling on google" or "banging my head against a brick wall on altavista".
In fact, if all modern search engines disappeared and I was reduced to 1999-level search technology, I probably wouldn't say "google". But in fact, I recently have started using a search engine other than google[1], and it turns out that I do still say "google it". So, um, sorry, Google.
[1] Duck-duck-go, simply because it was a search engine Liv mentioned, and seems reasonably competent and reasonably serious about privacy.