Google's New Look, Being Upset, and VCRs That Flash 12:00

"Google's New Look: Why is Everybody So Upset?"
PCWorld (Jun 10, 2010)

"Google has changed its traditionally stark white homepage by slapping on a big old picture on it. It didn't take long for the blogosphere to blow up with questions and complaints. But why, exactly, is everybody so upset and confused?

"Google already has a customizable homepage: iGoogle. With iGoogle, users can add widgets, designer backgrounds, and more.

"But Google took the beauty pageant one step further and lent Google.com a high-resolution photographic background which can be customized by using 'a photo from your computer, your own Picasa Web Album, or a public gallery hosted by Picasa which includes a selection of beautiful photos.'..."

Right now, I'm using a remarkable rendering by Jeff Koons: a sort of Deco Tech floral arrangement. It's the first - and third - choice I made today: and I think I'll stick with it. For a while, at least.

As the 'opening page' for Google, that is. I use iGoogle extensively, to browse through top-picks from a variety of sources.

I was surprised, and a little nonplussed, at seeing the new 'image' background, but decided to see what it was about before going ballistic over the change.

Back to that PCWorld article:

"...For reasons unbeknownst to me, writers across the Web had a visceral (and ridiculous) reaction to the change. Most cry 'Bing rip-off!' Some even go so far as to herald this as the death of tradition...."

Oh-kay. I recognize that reaction. Looks like the kinda now, kinda wow, totally hip, with-it and sophisticated legion of bloggers don't take change very well.

Me? I'm okay with the new Google look - largely on the strength of the National Geographic stock images and that Jeff Koons graphic.

But then, I'm an old coot who's seen color television replace the hallowed traditions of black-and-white TV, cable trample on broadcast television channels, and the Information Age thrust the good old boys of American journalism into a tizzy. I even learned how to set my VCR to the right time, so it didn't keep flashing "12:00."

Good grief! I remember when transistors were new - I'm used to change. Four or five decades from now, maybe the folks having fits today over Google's upgrade will be used to it, too.