Google getting ordinary

Robert takes a tour in the Google’s Kirkland office and the place definitely looks very different from what is used to see from Google. Even alarmingly so, I would say. I know that at Google they are highly aware of their own doings; I’m just presenting a humble and unauthoritative opinion here. Disclaimer done, let’s get on with it…

The office looks very ordinary, but still they’ve tried to make it a bit googly. I think that ‘Wall of Fame’ (pictured left) captures the whole issue well: the playful style just doesn’t match the rest of the place. Such a wall probably fits very well to the plex — occupying at least 1416sqf! — but on that tiny wall it looks only ridiculous. I understand that the kind of artifacts are an essential part of the culture, but I believe such a culture just cannot live in a place like that. There’s something fundamentally lame in that office! I wouldn’t want to work there. If they needed an R&D-office in Kirkland, they should’ve just built another, smaller Googleplex with inspiring spaces like the one on the right (click image for more). The magnificient and ingenious makings of the company are nothing but sorry fillarcs on a creamy-white wall. I bet it’s only a matter of time for their apps to start resemble that Kirkland office. (They produce many current apps there; watch the show.)

Hello, Microsoft 2.0, and goodbye! Let’s us else move on. As they could ask, will the next real programmer Shangri-La please stand up? (It’s found within, of course, but a nice environment wouldn’t hurt still.)

Technorati: Google, Office, Culture