你常常误解的Google

俺不是Google蜜。(via Google Myths)

1. Google Desktop索引你的文件然后传到Google的服务器上( Michael)

当然了，不索引怎么可能有那么快的搜索速度呢？Google Desktop会索引你的文件，然后把索引放在你的机器上。如果你把" Search across computers"的选项选上，Google Desktop会在后台把你的索引传到Google自己的服务器上，这样你才能在不同的机器之间利用同一个索引，但是这个选项默认情况下是关闭的。

2. Gmail为你的邮件建立索引并且把这个索引公开给任何人( Darbacour)

你能在Gmail里面搜索邮件的确是因为Google为你的邮箱建立了索引，同样Yahoo Mail, Windows Live Mail也是这么干的。但是Google不会把你的索引或者邮件让除你以外的任何人看到。

3. Google不会删除我的Gmail邮件

出于安全的考量Google为你的数据建立了许多备份。你可以通过你的Gmail帐户组织或者删除邮件，被删除的邮件最多能够在Google的Active Servers上存留60天，还有一部分有可能遗留在Google的没有联网的备份系统里面。( Google Privacy Policy)

(Boss coming ...)

4. Google doesn't improve search anymore to increase its earnings from ads.

You may not perceive too many changes in Google search, but Google tweaks its algorithms often to improve search results quality, removes spam sites and tries to add more fresh results. On the visible side, Google added search refinements, more direct answers, malware warnings and address recognition.

5. Search results should be ranked by people, not by algorithms.

Google uses the links from other pages the determine the importance of a page, and those links were placed by humans. Google also monitors user's clicks to determine if the search results are relevant.

6. Google is spyware.

"Spyware is software that reports on your activities or gathers personal information about you and sends it via the Internet to third parties without your knowledge or consent." If you use software like Google Toolbar or Google Desktop, some features may send personal information to Google, but most of them are either turned off by default or require your explicit approval. Google also uses cookies to save your preferences and records queries, clicks, usage patterns to deliver better results. The problem is not that they record it, it's what they do with it. And Google tries to protect it from third parties (like US Government).

7. Google Earth shows real-time images.

No, what you see "are photographs taken by satellites and aircraft sometime in the last three years".

8. Google is the best search engine that will ever be built.

Google is far from a search engine that "understands exactly what you mean and gives you back exactly what you want". But its goal is to reach that state. ( Google's philosophy)

9. Google favors Wikipedia, Technorati, blogs.

Well, not exactly. These sites happen to have many backlinks, and oftentimes quality links. I know many people that link to Wikipedia to show an explanation for a concept or an acronym, link to Technorati to tag their blog posts or link to blogs because they are infectious.

10. Google will take over the world.

Those who control information, control the world. Hopefully Google will be a benevolent dictator (guess what? I linked to Wikipedia)....