Google Speaks: Secrets of the World's Greatest Billionaire Entrepreneurs, Sergey Brin and Larry Page

7.2. MAKE IT BIG

"Google's ambition," explained Eric Schmidt, "is to solve big problems that impact a lot of people."^[] Schmidt adds that the Google guys "think about what should be and assume it is possible."^[]

"Solving big problems is easier than solving little problems," claims Larry.^[] One reason Google sponsors its annual Zeitgeist conference is to encourage those attending to think about solutions to the world's major dilemmas.

In one strategy meeting, Brin and Page were annoyed at the presentation. Page complained that the engineers weren't ambitious enough. Brin agreed, calling the proposals muddled and overly cautious. "We want something big," said Page. "Instead you proposed something small. Why are you so resistant?"^[]

Google officially became the world's largest search library in 2000, one with a billion-page index. By mid 2008, its engineers reported that they had registered the trillionth Web page into the search engine.

7.2.1. We Serve the World

We continue our efforts to make Google more global. Google is available in 160 different local country domains and 117 languages (including some obscure ones like "Swedish Chef"—Bork, Bork, Bork).

—Google's 2007 Annual Report

The first ten foreign-language versions of Google.com were released in 2000, with access in French, German, Italian, Swedish, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Norwegian, and Danish. Those who speak Afrikaans to Icelandic to Zulu can now use Google in their native tongues.

Checking out Google's language ...