Google is, right now, a known quantity, a standard-- there might be better search engines, but google looks for specific things, and works well in many cases..

if google becomes a generic word for 'search engine' then any search engine of any sort, or speed could call its self a google.. and could hitch hike on googles efforts to make a name for its self.. eventually google would mean 'trash' and since the company is not likely to lose it contol over the word all over the world, at the same time.. it would mean both the real Google (good) and the google wanna-be's who cash on the free use (and lead to google meaning trash) would exist at the same time.

Bayer (years ago) spent a lot of money marketing asprin as wonder drug... now any one can market asprin (in US!) and we can by 'generic asprin' (since this drug is regualated, all of them do conform to basic requirements, but most things are not as regualated as drugs!)

there are several different brands of childrens interlocking blocks on the market.. Lego brand, are far and away the best blocks.. if Lego became generic, how would you know if the blocks you were buying were any good? you'd have to look for other information to make sure you continued to get the same quality -- a quality that the company has led you to expect, and that they have cemented into your brain with one specific name.

these name are so important, that even when companies are sold, they buyer often buys the name too..

have you noticed? Checks brand cereal is now made by 'General Mills', not by ralston purina.. (i think they still make the dog food and other animal foods, but the 'sold off' there humam food division.. and general mills kept the almost the same design for the box, and didn't change the name..

people get used to a name, a name has value (good or bad depends on the product!) and losing a good name is a loss to the company!- you can bet GMills paid for the name and box design elements not just for the 'recipe'


my other obsession