Google apologizes to Sohu: 'Oops, didn't mean to steal your code'

0409sogou.gifWhen Google released its Google Pinyin (GP), Shanghaiist cheered. But was it really Google’s Pinyin we were cheering for? Let us explain. After last week’s launch, many Chinese users noticed an eerie similarity between GP and Sogou Pinyin, a rival Input method editor developed by search competitor Sohu Inc. A few purposely mistaken and obscure phrases Sogou had embedded in its IME as digital signatures were also found in GP. Coincidence? Apparently not. Today, Google admitted to using “non Google originated data source” in GP version 1.0, and apologized to Sohu for the mistake. GP has since been updated and all “borrowed content” has been removed.

“Non Google generated data source?” We guess it’s Googlespeak for “lifting someone else’s work” Clever, but not particularly effective as a mea culpa. Shanghaiist expected more from Google. We are downloading Sogou Pinyin at this moment.

Comments (4) [rss]

user-pic

You are wrong about the "Non Google generated source code".

In fact, what google has said is "Non Google Generated data source". It is "data source" not the general "source code". Do you understand?

user-pic

Thanks for pointing that out, I stand corrected.

But that doesn't change the nature of what google did: they lifted someone else's proprietary work w/o due credit, and in this case a competitor's work.

user-pic

Maybe they just Googled around for it.

I thought all coding was just copy and paste? Right?

;)

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