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By Root 1938 0

I left at Google had been the pinnacle—the best job I could imagine for someone in my field. I had watched over a brand that exploded from obscurity to dictionary definition in five short years. My colleagues were some of the most brilliant people on earth. I traveled the globe and made my fortune. I learned things about my limits and my capabilities. And I like to think that, in some small way, I helped advance the human condition. Or at least that I did more good than harm.

I've heard the speculation about Google since I left. That it's a monopoly. That it's tracking users. That it's in cahoots with the government. That it spies on people. That it's evil. Well, maybe it is all that. I haven't worked there in more than five years. Things change. But from what I know about my coworkers in the Plex—many of whom are still there, putting in long hours perfecting a product used by millions every day—I'd say that's highly unlikely.

Is Google secretive? No question. Arrogant? Maybe. Tone-deaf to the concerns of the very users it claims to serve? Occasionally. But evil? I don't think so.

I started my career working at ad agencies. It was fun, challenging, and potentially well paying. I quit because I didn't like the idea I might have to sell something I didn't believe in. I worked in public broadcasting and then newspapers, where I found coworkers who sacrificed material rewards to be part of something connected to the common good. I got that same sense at Google, but with greater intensity and urgency. And stock options. This was no institution continuing a long tradition of public service. This was a headlong rush to reshape the world in a generation. And therein lies the company's biggest flaw, in my estimation: impatience with those not quick enough to grasp the obvious truth of Google's vision.

"When were we ever wrong?" Larry asked me.

Not often. But "not often" is not never. If Google's leaders accepted that reality, they might understand why some people are unwilling to suspend skepticism and surrender to Google's assurances the company can be trusted.

After Google, I find myself impatient with the way the world works. Why is it so hard to schedule a recording on my DVR? Why aren't all the signal lights synched to keep traffic flowing at optimum speed? Why, if I punch in my account number when I call customer service, do I have to give it to them again when I get a live person? These are all solvable problems. Smart people, motivated to make things better, can do almost anything.

I feel lucky to have seen firsthand just how true that is.

Timeline of Google Events

11/29/99 My first day at Google

12/4/99 CableFest'99

12/13/99 Inktomi partners with MSN

1/27/00 Premium Ads (original) launches

1/30/00 First OKRs set

3/14/00 Google directory launches

3/22/00 Larry becomes chief ofm products; birth of product review

3/27/00 Affiliate program launches

4/1/00 MentalPlex April Fools' joke

6/26/00 Yahoo replaces Inktomi with Google

9/27/00 AdWords launches (do-it-yourself CPM ads)

12/10/00 Google toolbar launches with "Not the usual yada yada" warning

1/17/01 Wayne Rosing starts full-time as VP of engineering

2/10/01 Acquisition of Deja News

3/20/01 Eric Schmidt named Chairman of the Board

3/29/01 China blocks access to Google

7/5/01 Engineering reorganization

8/1/01 Chad bikes America

9/11/01 Response to September 11 attacks

10/8/01 GoTo renamed Overture

10/24/01 Trakken CRM system installed

11/13/01 Yahoo-Overture deal announced

11/20/01 "10 Things We've Found to Be True"

11/28/01 Launch calendar instituted

12/13/01 Google catalogs launches

1/24/02 "No pop-ups" linked from Google's homepage

2/4/02 Earthlink switches from Overture to Google for ads

2/19/02 AdWords Select launches (auction-based CPC pricing)

3/5/02 "Why we sell ads, not placement" on homepage

4/4/02 Overture files patent lawsuit against Google

4/25/02 Yahoo renews with Overture for three years

5/1/02 AOL drops Overture and Inktomi for Google

5/2/02 Sheryl Sandberg begins building AdWords team

7/23/02 Yahoo renews contract