Google Searches for Ideas that can 'Change the World'

Google Inc., which is celebrating its 10th birthday this month, unveiled a $10 million effort to implement ideas that can "change the world by helping as many people as possible." Google plans to ask its users to submit ideas until Oct. 20. Google will choose what it feels are the 100 best ideas for categories that include, but are not limited to, community, energy, environment, health, education, shelter and opportunities for people to better provide for themselves and their families. Google will then allow its users to vote on which of them should be funded.

The users will narrow the results to 20 finalists, and a panel of judges will choose up to five ideas that will receive funding, Google said.

"We've learned over the last 10 years at Google that great ideas can come from anywhere," the company said in a statement to Computerworld, the IT industry standard. For example, "Google Chrome emerged when engineers realized they needed an entirely new browser to sufficiently engage with rich Web applications. Google News began when on 9/11, an engineer became frustrated that he couldn't aggregate news sources from around the world in one place."

Google noted that the ideas can be big or small, technology-driven or not, as long as they have to have a potential positive impact on the world.

The company cited an example of two people coming up with an idea to help millions of people carry water long distances by designing the Hippo Water Roller, a relatively inexpensive 24-gallon container that can be easily wheeled on the ground. Google also noted a project undertaken by First Mile Solutions to connect isolated communities to the Internet. For example, the company is attaching Wi-Fi devices to public buses so they can detect and send stored e-mails as the bus travels through unconnected areas.

Posted by Casey kazan.

Computerworld Report

Comments

[JyBy]

Kazan, your article is a copy paste from the original article written by Heather Havenstein. Even though you link to her article at the bottom, you have to explicitly show that those words are not yours!

[Scott Smith]

Here is my brief suggestion, my notion of what could make this world a "better place".

"Effective immediately, establish law that makes it a crime against humanity for anyone on this planet to conspire, plan, or make preparation for a war of any sort or motivation."

This law requires MANDATORY signatory of ALL nations to and agreement to enforcement of this law through the world ciminal court at the Hague, Netherlands.

[Dave]

That's a great idea Scott Smith.

Only problem is, which army is going to physically force members of a government to attend a trial at the Hague when they begin preparing for war?

Or do you suggest such world leaders will give themselves up voluntarily?

And while this is happening how is nation going to defend themselves?

I have a feeling that with such laws in place, those that voluntarily agree would quickly and easily be invaded. And then no more law.