I don’t like the idea of Google separating the Internet into two mutually exclusive groups. The reason is that I don’t feel it is up to Google to determine what is information about commerce and what is information designed exclusively for reference. Consider the fact that they finance their operation by giving advertisers opportunity to “buy” the most visible of their search results.

How would Google know whether or not my information searches are part of a longer buying process? If I’m going to buy something expensive and complicated, say a central air conditioning system for a multi unit building, I’m going to do a good bit of information gathering as part of my buying process. I’ll need information about those systems such as differences in brands, specifications, and prices and buying options. The specific air conditioner manufacturers must have the right to offer in depth information about their products in addition to offering the ability for a visitor to click “order now.” True, not a lot of people shop for industrial air conditioning over the Internet, but that doesn’t change the point. Information and commerce are often one in the same. If Google split the Internet into “information” and “commerce,” would that mean that creators of a certain product not be allowed to provide information on that product? If Trane air conditioners wrote a detailed, factual knol about their product, then wouldn’t it be inherently “salesy?” They are, in fact, the top authority on the subject. It wouldn’t be fair to them, or the searchers, if they didn’t have the chance to present their information.

Google’s function is to scour the Internet and return a list of sites with content relevant to my search query. I feel that Google’s Knol is quite simply an attempt to introduce more relevant content into the Internet that they could monetize with Adsense. Google already has a “shopping only” service in Froogle, Google Base or Google Product search or whatever the heck they call it.

Actually, I’m shocked Google is doing this Knol thing in the first place. They have to be really careful about how they position Knol results in users searches. Are they going to have their own box, further crowding their page? Are they going to include them in the organic results and raise concerns of them playing favorites with their own content?

Okay, I’ve been sitting at Bread Co a little too long. The free wi-fi is great, but these chairs are built for eating sammies, not surfing the web.