“In Building 43 at Google’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters
is a video screen that depicts the world as seen in Google Earth.
Across a revolving globe, streams of colorful pixels, like sparks
from a Roman candle, mark the geographic origin of queries coming
in to Google’s search engine. It’s a real-time representation of
Google as the nexus of human curiosity.“Google is different. And it’s different not only because its
thinking is original and its applications unique–witness search
queries morphed into a lobby display of bursting color–but because
the company’s unconventional IT strategy makes it so…”
[Editor’s Note: This is a large article on the inner
workings of Google, with focus on its use of Linux and open source
software as a vehicle for its success. Please note the sidebar
articles linked in the original article, and in the Related Links
section below. -BKP]
Related Links:
InformationWeek: Google’s Brew Of Open Source And Custom
Code
InformationWeek: Google Goes Its Own Way In The Data Center