It’s a Goog, Goog, Googley World

©2022 by Vernon Miles Kerr and VernonMilesKerr.com

#FirstCuppaJoe for May 19 (thread)

We like to bitch about Google because it’s’owned by a huge mega-corp. But when —ever— in world history has the combined knowledge of humanity been available to such an amazing percetage of the Earth’s population — at the click of a simple computer pointing-device?

The search algorithm behind “Google Search” defies human logic. Have you ever noticed how many links a simple search produces, in a flash, when you click the mouse-button? Milions! in Milliseconds!

So, you think that’s amazing? Consider the GOOGLE EARTH application. When you open it, the most beautiful picture of the Earth from space is presented. You can spin it by flicking your mouse, you can zoom in to wherever the cursor lands and see amazing detail, whether you’re looking at desert or big city. In a city, you can click on “street view” and be presented with a view that looks like one seen through the front window of a car. But unlike that kind of view, the actual picture is a panoramic hemisphere of everything in front of, to the all sides of, and above the car

The city of Edenburgh, in Scotland. has always been important (and still is) to the Kerr Clan and, since I’ve never been to Europe, I’ve gone to Google Earth many times and have “driven” the streets of Edinburgh, taking a years-long leisurely tour. I hope to be able to go someday, and test my familiarity, by actually driving around Edinburgh.

When you tire of planet Earth, the same ability to spin the globe and zoom-in is available—with another mouse-click—for the Moon and for Mars.

Yes, the ads on Google Apps are annoying and intrusive, but..they are easily ignored. Having the Google-World, including Twitter, supported by advertising revenue is a picayune thing to bitch about—when you’re getting knowledge greater than that which was lost in the sacking of Alexandria. When you look at Google and the Internet that way, it makes you wonder: “Why in, the hell, am I wasting time on social media, arguing about petty current politics? There’s a helluva lot of stuff in the Universe that I’m in total ignorance of.” (In my thought language I use bad grammar.) 😉

Cheers! VMK