Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Google Wants FAX

 

I stopped by Google's office in Tel Aviv this afternoon to have a talk or see if that was possible. Turns out they want something on paper before you present yourself in person. The receptionist told me to send them a FAX. I said:

- Google? FAX? Are you serious?
- Yes.
- I don't have a FAX machine. I'll send you an email.
- No, we want something on paper.
- Nothing stops you from printing. Goggle has a printer, right?
- We'd like you to send a FAX. That's the way to get the best consideration of your idea.
- I'm in the right place? Offices of Google? The internet company? Listen, this is what I can do. I'll write down the address of a site where you can read something about what I came to talk about.
- What is this?
- A free Google site, and a story there. Type it all into Google Search. Google site, Google search. Should be easy.
- It would be better for consideration of your idea if you send a FAX.
- I'm not asking for consideration of my idea. I came by to have a talk. I guess this is it. Maybe I'll send a FAX.

Dear Google FAX,
I stopped by to talk to you about this: bring back Aardvark, this time not to answer and ask questions, not to get people to communicate with each other, but to get people to do things with each other. To set up businesses, to invent, research, form associations. The robot could be equipped with an ever increasing set of resources, lists and tools to help people do things. Integrated with Google+ the robot could make use of its increasing knowledge of what individuals are interested in doing with which kinds of people.
When people do things with each other, not just talk, they get out of the bubble of common interests which at present the internet tends to trap people within. People doing things live in a world open to their new creation, and they need different kinds of people to realize their ideas.
That’s my idea, Google FAX.