i can has apex?

The Unofficial GoogleSystem blog has posted a list of content that Google does NOT allow other search engines to index, through the use of robots.txt files. Although some of the items are common sense (indexing search result pages would clutter results), or privacy issues (indexing Google Docs content would make those docs public), there are a few items listed as "unfortunate" exclusions:

* the LIFE photo archive, which is only available in Google Image Search. "It's disappointing that Google gets exclusive access to index these images and every other search engine is out of luck. Exclusivity like this doesn't seem in line with Google's philosophy," says Andy Baio.

Is Google being Evil? Andy seems to think so. I disagree.

Google has made more unique content available to the public in an organized, searchable format than (I suspect) all the other search engines combined. I appreciate that, as well as Google's openness in almost all cases. But I'd like to remind Andy of three realities to consider:

1. The restrictions on sharing content such as the LIFE photo archive MAY be contractual. Google may have had to choose between an exclusive bank of images, or no images at all. Much as iTunes had to start out with 100% DRM-protected songs from a small group of major labels, Google may have to start with more restrictions, to "ease" these companies into the 21st century. But I'm glad they chose to at least go this far!
2. Google has the goal of indexing the world's information. It can't do this if it does 100% of the heavy lifting, but shares the benefit with other competing search engines. Google has a proprietary search algorithm, it has some proprietary content. This impacts its competitors - not the public it is serving. That works for me.
   
3. And yes, Google IS a public corporation. Although it successfully (I think) has balanced the ideals of profit and "not being evil", it just can't be completely altruistic without going out of business - and thus failing in it's task (of indexing the world's information).

Let's cut Google some slack on this one - I can access it, you can access it, and Yahoo can't. That gives Google a competitive advantage, enhancing performance, enhancing it's ability to bring me and you more great content in the future. Definitely NOT Evil.