[coda_]

Hopefully this can be a constructive conversation. Instead of just bashing google for once again shutting something down, I'd like to hear what obligation people feel a company has to keep a service alive that isn't living up to it's expectations.

[skullum]

I'll give it a shot. Its about a difference in expectations for success, specifically how Google's differ from its users.

So what obligation does Google have to keep the service alive? None. But the spirit and marketing of the site was to connect and create a community of people helping each other. And Google is going to destroy that community for (probably very reasonable) business reasons.

I guess I would like Google to give a warning that if a site doesn't reach some n DAUs then the service won't take off. It might give some people pause before putting a lot of work into something they ultimately don't have control over.

I feel users have a legitimate cause to be upset when a site is closed -- this was a real community that because Google couldn't make enough money off them, is gone.