back to article Google boss says something will happen in China 'soon'

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has reiterated that the company is currently in negotiations with the Chinese government over its future in the country - despite the Chinese government's claims to the contrary - and he expects some sort of development "soon". Speaking at a conference in Abu Dhabi, the Associated Press reports, Schmidt …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Martin Gregorie
    Flame

    A new Google motto is needed

    The Google motto needs to be rewritten. How about:

    "Do good unless it hurts profit"

    1. Trevor Pott o_O Gold badge

      Google new motto:

      "In any circumstances whereby it can be reasonably considered possible to do no evil without direct negative impact on shareholder return, Google Inc. will choose this course of action" **

      **With attention to exceptions as listed in Sections 3 through 924 of Article 7, Corporate Guidance Policy.

    2. Blofeld's Cat
      Big Brother

      New motto

      How about:

      "We do know evil"

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      How about

      "Something something something Dark Side"

    4. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

      How about..

      .. "we fired the idiot who came up with this "evil" crap because we keep getting this thrown at us every time we want to make more profit" ..

      What in the world possesses everyone to take a marketing statement as somewhere even remotely near reality? Didn't you learn enough from Microsoft? Hello?

      Duh..

      PS: how much do you believe the "negotiations" statement? IMHO it'll go something like this:

      Google: "We want to be free of censorship"

      China: "No"

      Google: "We're going to throw another tantrum"

      China: "Go ahead, make our day. Got hacked lately?"

      Google: "Oh, err. But we may leave"

      China: "Cool. Let me hold open the door for you"

      Google: "But, but .." (walking out, bumping into a Microsoft rep wearing a Bing T-shirt arm in arm with the Baidu CFO)

      Door: "Click" - end scene.

      From a publicity point of view these guys have dug themselves a pretty deep hole. Disappointingly stupid IMHO, hopefully they'll learn from it. Google has the capability to do much better, as long as they leave off the posturing.

  2. solarian
    Grenade

    Perhaps...

    ...we should consider bombing China?

    1. Trevor Pott o_O Gold badge

      Um...

      ...itching to get your *** handed to you in what would be a very short world war three?

      "Perhaps we should consider bombing China."

      Wow. Just...seriously...wow...

    2. Peter Gathercole Silver badge
      WTF?

      @solarian

      I hope that was a joke. Have you seen the reported size of the Chinese military!

      And they have a capacity to launch space vehicles, so they could probably do ICBM's just as easily.

      And they have a modern airforce, and are building a potent navy.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    imagine

    "China has decided to unblock all internet services and media, Google saves the world from the commies"

  4. Il Midga di Macaroni
    Grenade

    Options Google probably haven't thought of

    Here's an idea. Why don't Google just stop censoring? By the time China have woken up to the fact taken legal action it'll be a case of shutting the door after the horse has bolted.

    Alternatively, why not repoint google.cn to www.google.com, also without telling anyone?

    Either way, nobody in Google China loses their job and the Chinese people get uncensored internet.

    Grenade for the oral use of anyone who willingly censors the net.

    1. Robert Carnegie Silver badge

      You had a fun idea

      my guess: If Google unilaterally stops censoring then the "Great Firewall" disables Google access in China, probably in one second. The Chinese government probably has at least one web page that exists solely to be censored by the government. Any system that allows access to that page is not playing the game. You know about the EICAR not-an-actual-virus? Like that.

      And if the Chinese people did get uncensored Internet access for some days, what would they find out? That if you don't have socialism then you don't get health care?

    2. FIA Silver badge

      pointy pointy

      "Grenade for the oral use of anyone who willingly censors the net."

      You best get a lot of them, most countries censor the internet to some extent... :)

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship

  5. tempemeaty
    Grenade

    Maximum Exposure maximum loss.

    It no longer matters what we think. Google wants to stay and continue to maximize the exposure to getting their technologies stolen. This problem will take care of itself. China will get all the relevant tech they need from Google and then make being in China difficult for them. Google will then find themselves competing against China and their own technology.

  6. Gordon is not a Moron

    "Something will happen soon."

    Well my bookie is giving me good odds on the something being : Googles rolls over and asks the Chinese government to tickle it's belly.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Eric Schmidt

    Still waiting for the live toilet cam. Until then, everything he says and does is worthless.

  8. gimbal
    Paris Hilton

    One might deny that China has denied anything

    ...and they'll just as easily deny that one denied that they denied anything - There! Then we've got 'em! No, Rly!......

  9. deadlockvictim

    Miao

    What a cool name their vice-minister has! That's me banned from the People's Republic now.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like