&#62; <i>Google locks down its algorithm to give a good user experience in search. Apple locks down its App Store to provide a good experience on the iPhone.</i><p>You lost me at this point. Out of all of the things that Google does or has done, locking down their algorithm hardly ranks on the scale of evil.<p>&#62; <i>Both of these moves are designed to make money, but mysteriously, Teflon Google easily sheds all acknowledgement of its motives.</i><p>Google locking down their algorithm does <i>not</i> prevent someone from competing with them. On the other hand, Apple locking down the AppStore <i>does</i> allow them to prevent others from competing with them (i.e. where is iPhone Opera Web Browser?). Google's algorithm is more in line with the hardware design blueprints of the iPad and the source code to the operating system. No one but the most rabid FSF supporters are railing on Apple for not open-sourcing their operating system. And no one is railing on Apple for not posting their hardware design blueprints for the iPad and/or iPhone.