Marking the birth anniversary of technology giant, Google, Jnanendra Das walks us through the many phases of transition leading up to its unwavering success.
We have been Googling for 26 years now, becoming such an integral part of our lives that Google was officially recognised as a verb by the Oxford Dictionary in 2006. Whether you’re searching for the latest smartphone reviews, finding directions to a new cafe in the city, or catching up on trending news, Google has become the go-to source for information, making it hard to imagine a world without it. This tech behemoth has transformed the way we access and consume information online, seamlessly integrating it into our daily routines. On Google’s 26th Birthday, Sunday Shillong brings you a look back into the history and some fun facts associated with the search engine dominator.
Humble Beginnings: A Garage Office and a Dream
In 1995, when Larry Page and Sergey Brin first met at Stanford University, they initially disagreed on most topics, but soon forged a partnership. By 1996, they collaborated to develop the search engine “Backrub,” which ranked individual web pages.
In 1997, they rebranded it as “Google,” a playful reference to “Googol,” the term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros, reflecting their mission to organise the universally accessible world’s information. The ten zeros between G and ‘le’ at the end of a search result page symbolise the idea.
An initial investment from Andy Bechtolsheim of Sun Microsystems in 1998 helped the founders move from dorm rooms to a garage office in Menlo Park (California, USA). The modest set-up had clunky desktop computers, a ping-pong table, and a bright blue carpet. Google incorporated on September 4, 1998, celebrates its birthday on September 27 to mark a significant milestone in its search indexing.
Beyond Search: Street View and Further
Over the years, Google has broadened its portfolio to include diverse products and services like Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Drive. In 2007, Google launched “Street View”, an ambitious concept for creating a 360-degree world map. Today it spans over 102 countries and territories, mapping 10+ million miles—enough to circle the globe over 400 times. To capture this imagery, Google has employed methods ranging from cars and tricycles to sheep, snowmobiles, camels, and even astronauts on the International Space Station.
Google Doodles
Among the many things Google is recognised for, Doodles stand out as a unique form of artistic expression that captivates users. A special and temporary modification of the logo on Google’s homepage, designed to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and historical figures. The first doodle created in 1998 was an “out of office” message, since then, there have been over 5,000 Doodles celebrating various occasions, including India’s historic first landing on the moon’s south pole.
Here are some Innovations and Fun Facts about Google
Google Images: You can thank Jennifer Lopez for Google Images as her photo in an iconic green dress at the 2000 Grammy Awards, is the inspiration behind it. That photo became the most popular search in just one night. Back then, search results were just a list of blue links, so people couldn’t easily find the picture. The demand for a picture of Lopez’s dress inspired the section for Images.
Chrome Tabs: You can open an infinite number of new tabs on Chrome. However, on the mobile app, after opening over 99 tabs, the number count changes to “:D”.
Domains of Misspellings: Google owns various domains based on common misspellings of its name, such as gogle.com, ensuring users still reach their intended destination.
Google Ban: In several countries, including China, Iran, and North Korea, Google is banned despite its global reach and popularity.
Motto- Don’t Be Evil: Google’s original motto was “Don’t be evil,” reflecting the company’s commitment to ethical practices and positive global impact. However, after restructuring under Alphabet Inc., in 2015, the motto was updated to “Do the right thing.”
Lego Server: Google’s first server was partly built using “Lego” bricks, a quirky yet practical decision that provided better ventilation.
Waymo: If you are visiting San Francisco or Phoenix, you might be in luck and you can take a ride on Google’s self-driving car, like a driverless cab that can take you from point A to B seamlessly navigating through traffic.
Over the years, Google has encountered a range of controversies, notably involving privacy breaches such as collecting personal data through Street View and tracking users’ locations even when the feature is disabled. The European Union has fined the company billions for anti-competitive practices and it continues to face scrutiny over dominance in digital advertising. Issues with content moderation on YouTube and the shelving of Project Dragonfly—a censored search engine intended for China—have sparked criticism, along with internal disputes further affecting the reputation. Despite these challenges to its ethical stance and operational practices, Google remains a household name and a “no-brainer” for many of our day-to-day needs.