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As you know, Google is killing off iGoogle and iGoogle users are not happy about it. The number of complaints is outrageous.
So Google's Conrad L. posted a message to iGoogle users last night to try to be more sensitive to user's frustration. Conrad wrote in the Google Web Search Help forums:
On behalf of the iGoogle team, I would like to thank all of you for your feedback. We understand that this won't be easy, which is why we established a long sunset period. iGoogle will continue to be available for another 16 months.There are also other alternatives out there on the web in addition to those we mentioned earlier, as pointed out by others in this forum. While the transition may be difficult, this is part of our broader goal to focus our efforts and build a better Google.
I am sure Google has plans to migrate much of this functionality into a Google+ experience but for now, people really should look for alternatives.
Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help.
Comments:
Benoit Scherrer
07/06/2012 02:31 pm
I use iGoogle everyday! Don't want it to be killed. There is a facebook group as well... http://www.facebook.com/groups/415646821811603
Mike Clark
07/06/2012 03:16 pm
Oh the irony... Using Facebook to discuss Google's decisions. Shouldn't you be using Google+?
Matthew Reid
07/06/2012 03:23 pm
It just shows they don't care about the users. It's all about more refined data for ad serving profit for shareholder value. Inexplicably the masters of the algorithm are for now chasing Facebook's failed ad model. Since they can only seem to serve relevant ads based on my search keywords. Isn't that what they set out to stop in the 1990s? Google is evil according to their users just not Sergey. Unfortunately, alternatives are slim - for now.
Mike Clark
07/06/2012 03:32 pm
Why in the world would you use facebook to discuss this when there is Google+?
Fedor
07/06/2012 03:32 pm
What they need to do is release an update that would make iGoogle completely useless. This will force people to switch to something else and forget it ever existed. There are countless other alternatives, stop crying like babies and switch already. If this is how people react to a 16 month termination warning to a generic service I wonder how people are gonna respond when MS takes away the Windows Start button and replaces it with a Start Screen, there will be riots, zombies, end of the world event I'm sure.
Kallie Toups
07/06/2012 05:58 pm
The Google team needs to reopen all those websites that they tore down : Picnik.com and Slide.com (: Just those two great websites and i am just saying .
SaveiGoogle.org
07/06/2012 07:58 pm
We think the callous delivery and, more importantly, the ill-defined path to alternatives is what has users and developers most upset. Google still hasn’t made an official post in the iGoogle developer forum. Check out http://saveigoogle.org for links to iGoogle resources and petitions along with facebook and twitter pages. There’s more to come as we have time to spin up the website and more social presence.
Mark Barrett
07/06/2012 10:14 pm
Mobile version is closing in just 4 weeks, exporting ig settings to reader format is not trivial. And after using Reader, ig is better for mobile support. Really don't, understand why G are binning, can't imagine it costs much to maintain, suspect motive is G+ or future revenue opportunity related
Scott Barbour
07/06/2012 11:13 pm
Sign the petition to save iGoogle! http://www.change.org/petitions/google-don-t-kill-igoogle
Sean Daily
07/07/2012 04:39 am
I dislike Google more every day
Alan
07/07/2012 12:15 pm
maybe because G+ have 1/10th the users and most of those users 1 or time users only and then back to FB
Pierre Gardin
07/07/2012 12:38 pm
Google is not a charity, so you're right about their goal being maximizing shareholder's profit. It is the same for every public company. Glad you made this important discovery. And they never said iGoogle was gonna be supported forever.
zendaddy
07/07/2012 11:07 pm
The incredibly long sunset period is suspicious. 16 months in internet terms is years.
Mike Goodwin
07/08/2012 02:01 am
Everybody, please help convince Google to reverse this horrible decision. Join the movement at: https://www.facebook.com/DontKilliGoogle
Gregory Lancaster
07/08/2012 03:13 am
Google does not seem to be influenced by what the users want anymore. Even a public outcry from masses of people has no affect whatsoever. The search results aren't as good as before the last update either. Websites using a KW domain and cookie cutter template rank number one for many niches. I agree with @twitter-308551251:disqus, google is only in this for the money. I wish I could say they will lose users over the numerous bad decisions they made, but Google seems to be immune from any type of retaliation or boycotting. Google bends you to their will, even if you hate what your getting.
Alan Wolk
07/08/2012 03:43 am
What's baffling about the decision to shut down iGoogle is that it's very sticky for Google. Unless a user can write code, they can only access their Gmail and Google calendar. The menu bar on an iGoogle page has links to a range of Google products including "Play" and "Drive" - two products they are trying to push users over to. There's also a link into Google Plus that shows how many new comments/followers/etc. you've gotten. I've always thought it was a very smart way to keep users within the Google ecosystem. It can't cost much to maintain - it's just a bunch of widgets. If they are planning to push the functionality to G+, then why not just spin it that way, instead of pissing off users, pushing them over to Yahoo! and getting lots of bad PR along the way. They are rapidly becoming Microsoft.
steve70638
07/11/2012 05:08 pm
OK Bing, Now is your chance to take marketshare.
steve70638
07/11/2012 05:09 pm
Every decision they make is about pushing people to G+...just watch, they will come up with some sort of igoogle like thing on g+ and a migration path.
steve70638
07/11/2012 05:12 pm
Google is scared shitless over facebook ruining their franchise. Everything they do is about G+ (which is a ghost town). They are afraid that facebook will get into search and use the power of the relationships to create a more compelling experience or better search results. I am certain that iGoogle will turn into a G+ feature.
Alan Wolk
07/11/2012 05:39 pm
I'd agree Steve, but why wouldn't they just do that then? Announce they were sunsetting iGoogle but transferring the functionality to G+? Right now they are just losing potential users as people migrate out in advance of the cut-off
Bob Edwards
07/18/2012 05:16 am
I invested a lot of time getting igoogle the way I wanted. The first thing I do every morning is grab a cup of coffee and check the news on my igoogle. Then I check my email (accessed from igoogle). I work on google docs accessed from (you guessed it)...igoogle. I am OK switching from igoogle but I am sure you will understand that while I am at it I will switch all my other google products. I believe this is a strategic error on google's part.
Joseph Harrell
09/04/2012 02:46 pm
this is a terrible business decision. While Igoogle was not a revenue generating application it was the gateway it is through Igoogle that I really started to use Google search, Google drive, Google Maps, Google+, Gmail, etc, etc. If I have to use someone else gateway I will just use that other persons peripheral applications rather then Googles.
kaw
10/25/2012 11:41 am
I use igoogle all the time. When it goes away there is no reason to use google as my home page. Drop Google + instead...
athan
03/12/2013 01:16 am
I use igoogle every day, I have all the apps I need to start my day and get all the info I need on one customized page. Why Google would kill this boggles the mind, The bean counters at Google have really soiled themselves with this one. I'll just change browser that's all.
Hi people-the girl
04/24/2013 08:18 pm
well they should keep igoogle because I just discovered it and i dont wanna have it for only 5 months. plus the people who have it have probably got a lot on there and dont wanna lose it!