Google’s love-hate relationship with software

Google has just released a browser plug-in which allows you to view and use Google Earth inside your internet browser, whether it be Mozilla Firefox or Internet Exploder (sorry, Explorer).

The official reason for the plug-in is to “let you embed Google Earth, a true 3D digital globe, into your web pages”

Right now, the plug-in is a very basic affair. But how long will it be before we have a fully equipped, fully functional Google Earth that you can run and operate inside the browser, KML extensions and all? If Google says they aren’t working on it or at the very least thought about it then they are lying through their teeth. Of course they are working on it!

In that scenario, the standalone Google Earth software application will be made redundant and useless - and haven’t we seen this before - with Google Talk?

They brought out the Google Talk software application to great fanfare - and then promptly ignored it. Which is irritating me to no end because I use the Talk software app and I love it. But I am getting extremely hacked off that there have been no significant improvements to the Talk software in ages - sure, a little tweak here, a little tweak there. But all the major love is going to the Gmail Talk with their AIM integration (yup - the browser version of Talk!). To all intents and purposes, the software version of Talk is getting kicked to the side and told to keep quiet.

Is this what will happen to the software version of Earth eventually? Will the future browser version of Earth take over and the software version be told to take a hike?

If so, it’s a very strange business strategy that Google has. Release everything as software versions first, then move it all to the browser then consign the software version to the graveyard. What makes Google think that everyone wants everything to be online? Maybe some people actually prefer the software versions?

Hey Google, what about catering to the rest of us over here? What about some software love for a change?