I remember the first time I heard the word 'google'. I think I was in the third grade - that age when you like to use words no one has heard of and then act like the people who've never heard of it are SO second grade. At the time, they were using in the mathematical sense, because obviously, an informed third grader needs a word meaning "a number that is equal to 1 followed by 100 zeros and expressed as 10 to the 100th power."
Years pass.
More years pass.
OK, Decades.
It's 2000. I'm thirty two. I'm pastoring a church and teaching a few classes at Schilling School for Gifted Children (no, this is not a Far Side cartoon). I watch a fifteen year old kid surf the web, often referencing this plain jane website called Google. It has no graphics. No banner ads. No promises to win an iPod if I'd only punch the monkey (to be fair, I'm not sure if we knew what an iPod was then...). I asked him "What's that...".
"It's Google."
"What's it do?"
"Everything you want it to....".
He was joking. At least in 2000. Actually, he was prophesying. Eight years later, I find it hard to brush my teeth without signing in with my gmail account name. And you know what? I love it.
I'm writing a series of posts for the Luke18 blog to be launched in a couple of days. I use Google Docs. Find the nearest Dean and Deluca? Google maps on the CrackBerry. Condense all my email accounts and route them to one box to be sifted through by the trusty uber assistant? Gmail and a fistful of filters. Need to find Target? Text message Google the word "Target" and your zip code. Or "Walmart" and your zip code. Or "Reptilian Veterinarian" and your zip code. Boom! You get a text back with a list of them.
I seriously think my next laptop is going to be a cheapo running Linux and I'll just Google my way through life.
I join my voice to the growing horde and cheer "Yahoo for Google!" :)*
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Disclaimer: I was paid no money or compensatory goods for this post. I am, however, smart enough to know that Google never forgets.
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3 comments:
>No promises to win an iPod if I'd only punch the monkey (to be fair, I'm not sure if we knew what an iPod was then...)
True, especially since the iPod wasn't released until 2001.
Google is the bomb, followed by wikipedia! ;)
I am sold on the Googlification as well. I have a number of shortcuts that I use regularly in the google search bar that I show people:
define:(word) - without the parentheses will bring up a definition
or
simply typing in an equation in the google search bar will produce the calculation
or
use it for currency conversion by typing in the amount and currencies such as "500 USD in isk"
The google team is really, really sharp.
Hmm.. I smell a fast from electronics.
How will we survive whenit all comes down?
Or am I just jealuos that so much of you mentioned is needless in the sticks of the Far North?
Being that it is Friday, i had to poke a little Gun Club humor your way. Randy, you should put up a top ten list of Gun Club Minutes for old time sake.
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