And The Openness 2008 Award Goes To…
…I will get to that in a second 
In a world haunted by walled gardens and proprietary software and devices, the promise of open source and interoperability shines like a bright light (not the finest metaphor, but it serves it purpose).
Many people access various different digital platforms and shudder each time we have to redefine our digital self in order to gain access to additional services or devices provided by these various platforms (we also shudder at the thought of additional fees associated with certain alternate platforms mobile etc.).
There is one company that has made more moves toward “openness” than any other this year; moves that have forced both established corporations and start ups alike to redefine their business models and become-more open.
I am of course talking about Google. Sure, there have been other platforms that have opened up (and of course there are those platforms that are open source), but the sheer mention of openness by Google makes industries recoil in horror, and as a result, change.
Last Thursday Facebook posted a notice on the Facebook Developers blog entitled, “Opening up Facebook Platform Architecture”. This is potentially the biggest news from Facebook (in regards to the platform itself, not advertising) since the Facebook Platform was created in May 2007.
Was this move by Facebook a reaction to Google’s open social?
Hmmmm……
The reaction is just one of many Google induced game changers. Here are a few more:
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iPhone Rethinks Strategy (okay, this one is questionable, but relevant)
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Kevin Martin Creates Strategy to Open Cross Media Ownership due to competition by the internet (not solely Google, but let’s face, Google plays a major role in this)
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Industry Shaping Social Network, Friendster Opens It’s Platform
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…and I become more open with my feelings
Sure, open source is nothing new and was not initiated or perfected by Google. Still, the amount of industry disruption caused by Google this undoudteldy makes them the potentially proud recipient of the very first (and potentially only); A Media Circ.US Openness Award.
Tags: openness, a media circus, google, walled garden, att, verizon, platform, facebook, friendster, open social, iphone, apple, kevin martin, myspace, open source
Jan 14, 2008
[...] A couple of weeks ago I gave the openness award to Google. I did not do so because I felt that Google necessarily embodies the essence of open source and transparency more than any other group, I did so because I feel that Google has pushed the boundaries for large walled garden companies to adopt a more open mindset. [...]
Jan 14, 2008
[...] Broitman, I think you’re right on with giving Google the openness award. Your importance of being open article is spot on, but I just wanted to step back a bit to how they got to this new openness. [...]