Decius wrote:

With Google’s “Don’t be evil” motto hanging on its back like a “kick me” sign, the company got cut very little slack.

I seriously doubt the company would be cut additional slack if they had never said "don't be evil."

I do. People hate percieved hypocracy disproportionately. People have a kind of natural distrust of big corporations, or at least the expectation that profits matter more than being nice. When one puts forth as being non-evil, but then does something people find distateful, the whole thing seems like a facade, like a manipulation. That's worse, I think, perceptually.

What you may be saying is that people should have known from the beginning that that sort of attitude is more marketing than real depth of commitment, though I'm not certain either is really true or right.

I say it's easier to rationalize getting stabbed by the sketchy looking guy you've never quite been sure of than the nice looking guy whose always been pleasant, even though, in real terms, the wound is no different.

My take on the whole thing is not "Don't say 'Don't be evil.'," but rather, if you say it, mean it, and be in a position to justify your actions. I still think google's pretty ok, as companies go, but people can make their own decisions.