Survival Tactics for Gen Y

With todays release of the newTerminator Salvation movie on Blu-ray/DVD I got to thinking about the whole Google versus Skynet complex. Now I know I’m not the first to explore this phenomenon and I certainly won’t be the last, but how did this comparison come about? Here’s what I think…

Have you seen what Google is doing these days? You could say they have been very efficient with their time. In case you’ve missed recent announcements, here’s what has caught my eye:

Google Wave – a real-time communication platform that one day (hopefully soon) will literally be everywhere on the web. It is going to change the way we communicate online. Check out Mashable’s post Google Wave: A Complete Guide for more details, and check out this YouTube video:

Google Chrome OS – an open source operating system that is browser-based and built for speed. Google’s operating system is an attempt to get everyone’s focus away from traditional hard drives, applications, and files and onto the web. If successful, it will change the standards of computing forever. Here are some more good Mashable articles on the subject, along with another video:

Google Chrome OS: 5 Ways It’s Completely Different

With Crome OS, Google Intends to Destroy the Desktop and Microsoft

SPDY – an experimental protocol for a faster web. SPDY is Google’s replacement for the HTTP protocol that has been in use since the invention of the Internet. It’s supposed to be faster…much faster. Mashable – Google’s Plan to Make the Web Twice as Fast

GO – a new programming language. Google is working on its own programming language in an attempt to “update” software to match the dramatic changes we’ve seen in the technology we use. Mashable – GO: Google Launches Its Own Programming Language

…and, oh yeah…

Android – a mobile operating system running on the Linux kernel. How could I forget about Android? Google’s new Droid phones have been very popular in recent weeks. Google basically just decided to make software for cell phones one day and now their first release rivals the iPhone as the best in the market. Amazing.

So how is Google like Skynet?

Google is slowly taking over the world. Some day their software will be running on every computer and mobile device, as well as running the Internet itself. They have some of the smartest people in the world working for them and they have a seemingly limitless budget.

Think about it. If Google were an evil organization it would already have all it needs to run the world. It already has access to exabytes of information regarding your personality from everything you search for, look at, and like to do on the Internet. With Google maps (great application), Google is able to see every location on Earth. That, coupled with the revolution of the mobile device (Droids), would allow anyone to be tracked anywhere on the planet.

Having said all that, I like Google. Invention and innovation are good things, and I’m glad that Skynet is a fictional company. I don’t think we’ll be seeing Terminators roam the Earth by the year 2018, but with Google’s fascination with speed who knows? (joking) I cannot wait to see what technology will look like in the coming years.

Have anything to add? Please leave a comment!

For more information on this fascinating comparison:

Fast Company – Is Google Terminator’s SkyNet?

Google is Skynet – googleisskynet.blogspot.com

CollegeHumor – If Google Released Skynet

[Breaking]: Google Releases the T-1,000,000:

Googleisskynet.com