Part V: Google Open Source

So far, Google has proved that it understands the history of software and how to create success in the ever-changing ecosystem of the software world.

There are only three keys to success in software, and Google knows them. To succeed, you have to ship product, love your customer, and innovate constantly.

Google has effectively met the first two items: shipping and customer satisfaction. However, the third one is a bugaboo. It kills every company that reaches a moderate level of success: once you start adding bean-counters, you stop innovating. You start clinging to your past successes, and getting tied down by your shipped products. Your success becomes a crutch.

Google, however, knows about this looming problem. Instead of being scared of it, they're attempting to meet this challenge head-on by not clinging to their code. Instead, I think they've hit on one of the best solutions to a coming lack of innovation inside the company -- they've recently open sourced some core code assets.

This is a smart move, because it will allow any developer to innovate on the Google "platform" -- creating a wave of innovation that moves beyond the company's past shipped products. Microsoft has, of course, tried to do this too, but with limited success. Too much legacy crap at MS hampers true innovation -- even innovation in strategy.

For more info. on Google, check out this eWeek overview of Google's activities.)