Google 10th Anniversary Essay - Google and Baidu in My Eyes

My experience with search engines may be different from that of many friends. During my college years, Google was mainstream. Computer science students who were tired of Hao123 all admired this site, and the homepage of the computers in our school's computer lab was uniformly set to Google. From that time on, Google left a mark in my heart.

Unfortunately, Google did not pay attention to us Chinese users in its early days, and many students, including myself, only recognized Google for its simple web interface and search results. It wasn't until 2005, when I got my own Gmail account, that I began to understand Google more deeply.

Because I work in computing, I had more time online and more opportunities to interact closely with Google. From initially using Gmail, Google Groups, and Google Blogger, to later using Google Earth, Google Page Creator, Google Notebook, Gtalk, and then Google Reader, Google Docs, and Picasa, I have walked alongside Google and become a loyal Google fan.

I only started using Baidu in the last two years. The first service I used was Baidu Mp3, which might be a distinctive feature of Chinese internet users. To be honest, the initial Baidu didn't offer too many services that attracted me. However, as Baidu developed, it has become the undisputed information center of China’s internet. I log into my Baidu space to write blogs every day, listen to music with Baidu Mp3, find answers on Baidu Knows, and check routes with Baidu Maps. My life is increasingly dependent on it, and I have become a loyal Baidu fan.

Sounds contradictory, right? Can one person have two beliefs? Definitely not! But what if the essence of these two beliefs is the same? Are Google and Baidu really opposed?

For me, Google and Baidu are just parts of my online life, not the whole. There is no conflict between them, and I don’t want to make meaningless comparisons between them. I only use services that are most helpful to my life and work, whether they come from Google or Baidu.

I think Google and Baidu are different. Google represents "innovation" to me; it is the driving force behind its development. At the very least, for Chinese internet users, the services Google provides are always novel and interesting. Who wouldn't want to try something new? On the other hand, Baidu represents "focus" to me. It is constantly imitating others while also constantly surpassing others. For ordinary Chinese internet users, Baidu is undoubtedly simpler and more practical.

This is an issue of user experience. Personally, I feel that the services provided by Google are strong in functionality and practicality, but lack in ease of operation, making them suitable only for people with some computer and network knowledge. Compared to Baidu, which focuses on the Chinese market, these excellent Chinese versions directly "translated" from English seem a bit high-end. Even though Google has localized its services, it cannot change this situation. Of course, Baidu has its own problems: artificial intervention in search results, MP3 copyright disputes, advertisements mixed in search results, and blocking non-cooperative websites. Compared to Google's promise of "not being evil," Baidu is less ethical.

Google's 10th Anniversary Essay Contest: http://q.blog.sina.com.cn/google10/