Anyone else thing this is ironic coming from Google, a company notoriously difficult to get assistance with their own products?
Here's a more civil answer that does not convey what I think such whines should be treated with here. No, I don't find it ironical. In fact, I think it's great precisely because they have bad customer support. It means they recognize such problems and do want to improve things (sure, maybe with profit in mind. What's wrong with that). Yes, helpouts does not change their customer support the slightest bit. But how much of an issue is it for non-tech people, compared to any other kind of expert help one may need, ? Look outside the tech bubble for a second. I quite agree with kolya3's comment.
It's safe to say that part of the reason why Google has such a notoriously bad customer support is the scale at which they operate. And what do they do? They solve a much bigger problem with precisely this same scale. Isn't that at the very core of what Google does, is about, is?! For good and bad, Google == scale. So no, I don't find it ironical. I think it is exactly the kind of thing they should do. It doesn't matter if this works or not, does not matter if it's killed in 6 months or not, it does not matter if the NSA sees that a guy showed you how to flip pizza dough in the air. It is precisely the kind of attitude they should have.
Last thing. I look at the comments in this thread and it's bitter negativity all the way down. Can seriously none of you see any value in this?! None of you, members and readers of this community about STARTUPS see any business opportunity here?! A chance to create value and grow?! And no, just because it may get killed soon does not immediately mean such opportunity should be ignored. For a niche business leveraging Google's userbase even for a month can mean massive growth. If the service dies, so what, your new clients already know you exist and (hopefully) satisfied with your work.
So just because Google doesn't care, people shouldn't complain? With that very same logic, nobody on HN should go voting, we're just a tiny blob of the world's population anyway, right?
And that now for me is the problem. I see "google", and think, Im being spied on by the US government. No, not exclusively google by any means, but for some reason google is top offender in my mind. Then add to that all the criticisms they got got years before hand, and, well, yes, I now see google as default "evil".
The sad part is, I dont believe for one second the creators of google ever, ever had this in mind. I do wonder if in quiet moments the google founders wonder what the hell happened.
On the other hand, google and all the other mega corps could of course fund their own political party and candidates who could stand for the freedoms they claim to desire and support. So, my charity runs out, given that by doing nothing they are making a choice.
By the way, that pizza bloke? What if he turns out to be a terrorist, and there is now meta data linking him and you? What if its only his friend who hates America's idea of "freedom", you're still linked by meta data. So, I say yes, it may well matter. I know, what have you got to hide?
If you are talking personal use: why would I even be remotely interested in helping out that funny-looking guy from Palestine who needs money to bootstrap his water-bottling business? I should be crazy to do that. Maybe it turns out the guy has a cousin who has taken out money from him to buy some bullets and go fighting the Israel army. Am I interested in getting dragged down that hole? Not a little bit.
So I self-censor.
It's fascinating how Google is slowly turning into the Microsoft of the mid-90's/early 00's. Most people depend on it, many are starting to hate it after a few very bad experiences (with their nonexistant customer service for example).