--- title: Why Google is not about constraint-based design, 37Signals is, Europe too date: 2006-02-14T23:42:43Z modified: 2006-02-14T23:42:43Z permalink: "https://redmonk.com/jgovernor/why-google-is-not-about-constraint-based-design-37signals-is-europe-too/" type: post status: publish excerpt: "" wpid: 503 categories: - Uncategorized timestamp: 2006-02-14T23:42:43Z tags: - Uncategorized --- If you don’t think its fair to criticise the powerful and successful don’t read on. That may be somewhat of a constraint on who reads this. Vinnie [linked to me](http://dealarchitect.typepad.com/deal_architect/2006/02/innovation_visi.html) after I wrote some [negative comments](http://www.redmonk.com/jgovernor/archives/001280.html) about Blogger yesterday ([others](http://www.cincomsmalltalk.com/blog/blogView?showComments=true&entry=3317280634) [agreed](http://www.donkeyontheedge.com/technobollocks/blogger_spam_and_why_i_wrote_my_first_blogging_app.html)), and pointed to an interview where Marissa Mayer talks about how [Google builds products around constraints](http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jan2006/id20060131_531820.htm?campaign_id=search). Fast company also [used the theme](http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=google+tv+marisa+problems&btnG=Search&meta=) back in November. What a crock. Google believes in constraints the same way vice president Cheney is a sniper. What – did Google read some [articles from 37 signals](http://www.37signals.com/svn/) or something, or watch a keynote by [David Heinemeier Hansson](http://www.loudthinking.com/)? Certainly the constraint narrative could have lifted wholesale from the work done by the crew at 37 signals, a firm that actually lives the constraint-based story, and helps to communicate it. Signal to Noise…Here is an [interesting googlefight](http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=google+constraints+marisa&word2=37signals+constraints+david). There may have been a time when Google believed in constraint-based design (or was the original homepage a happy accident?). These days however Google doesn’t appear to believe in constraints. There are some constraints Google follows, such as those the Chinese government demands… [cheap shot]. But other than that its all about plenty. Come on Googleaires- when you start thinking about how to get into the space flight business you surely don’t have constraints front of mind. Geoffrey Moore [recently argued](http://geoffmoore.blogs.com/my_weblog/2006/01/dateline_davos_.html) that Europe believes in intelligent design, which is “outmoded” (hat tip [Ian](http://ianmurdock.com/)). I would argue Europeans tend to believe in constraint-based design, which is a different thing altogether. Its not about top down command and control, but understanding that resources are scarce, and need to be bounded accordingly. Darwin was English wasn’t he? When my mother was a small child, sugar was a treat. She didn’t get chocolate for years. Fruit was a luxury. England was deeply in hock to America then, after the second world war, and rationing continued [well into the 1950s](http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/war/rationing.htm). I am talking serious national sacrifice, something that changes the mentality of a nation, or a continent. My grandmother even darned my socks… Stop and think about that in our Walmart era-fixing a pair of socks, by hand, to make them last longer. Was my grandmother a fool for that, or was she wise enough to know socks can go down as well as up? 😉 I am with Jared Diamond-[without constraints on our behaviour and resource useage we’re dead](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670033375/ref=pd_sim_b_1/103-8033551-0911812?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155). Darwinism is about finding a niche and establishing a constraint-based equilibrium there…. . Darwin never said that unfettered growth and over-consumption is a good in itself- that is not Darwinism, its just the Wall Street Journal’s take on it. [Sometimes you have to eat your own, not just other people’s, babies](http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/02/11/google-domains-going-after-outlook-msn-did-that-months-ago/), which tends to focus the mind. Never deleting any emails… that’s a great example of constraint-based design? Forcing people to use Blogger to comment on Blogger. That’s worrying about constraints? Google Video was initially predicated on the notion of no constraints, or filters, as Marisa herself [recently aknowledged](http://www.techspot.com/news/20276-google-messes-up-new-video-store.html). People couldn’t find the TV shows they wanted to download. Rolling out Google Analytics to more customers than it can handle, and not ring-fencing paying customers. How is that constraint-based? From where I sit Google is about: > We have more smarter people than anyone else. > > > > We have more money than anyone else. > > > > Nobody can touch the level of resources we can muster. > > > > [We only solve large problems](http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=162360). > > [don’t follow the link if you’re drinking a beverage or your nose might get burned] I would argue **not invented here means not resource constrained** enough, and Google has the NIH disease pretty bad, from conversations I have had with other Silicon Valley technology people. “Yes but can it do this” – is a common refrain. No but can it do _this_..? Constraints tend to encourage companies to share intellectual property and engage in what Irving Wladawsky Berger calls [collaborative innovation](http://irvingwb.typepad.com/blog/2005/11/supporting_inno.html). Not much evidence of same from Google. Until Google comes up with another product as elegant as the original search page, I can’t believe that simplicity and constraints are driving the company. Where is Google’s Ruby On Rails? Where is its Basecamp? Its iPod? A warning to Google from the true holders of the constraint-based development flame: be careful or you could [go the way of Star Wars](http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives2/how_the_lack_of_constraints_killed_the_quality_of_star_wars.php). So have I discovered the link between little plastic Chewbacca dolls and ad-supported business models in the software business? When merchandising or advertising become the business, then the original service proposition suffers. It is not my intention to attack Google all the time. It is going to be a great company that will change the world. But I sincerely believe that the sooner it realises that constraints really do matter, and acts accordingly, it will make some really poor business and design decisions. That’s why we should speak up. I would like to know what Google’s real narrative is. Constraint-based design feels more like something it borrowed from someone. Borrowing eh – maybe than its more constrained than I thought…