Here’s a silly Google Maps origin story about how “Satellite” was almost named “Bird Mode”pic.twitter.com/wj7CRJUEyx
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Now, these exec reviews were Larry and Sergey’s favorite place to experiment with crazy meeting ideas (kind of fun, actually). I had attended one review where one founder spent the entire meeting on an elliptical machine. Their new experiment was a huge countdown clock.pic.twitter.com/OvZWSZZoOX
The rule was: the review had to end on time. When the clock ticked zero, the buzzer would buzz, and like an NBA game, the meeting was over and decisions final. So here we are, throwing out names like “Airplane View,” “Superman,” “I Feel Picture-y,” and this clock is ticking down
I think it was Sergey who spoke last. “Let’s call it Bird Mode.” Bzzzzzzzz. I start to speak and am cut off — meeting over. I look around, and it’s clearly evident the feature has officially been named “Bird Mode” in the most insane way possible.
We spend the next few days freaking out. We knew the feature was going to be huge, and now it had this name that everyone on both sides of the Satellite-vs-Aerial-Photography war agreed was silly and horrible. But it was *decided*. So what do we do?
It turns out, when you write the code, you have a fair amount of power.
We pocket vetoed the decision and launched with “Satellite.” And literally no exec noticed or remembered our review.
And we have been deceiving people with our not-really-satellite imagery ever since.
You follow Bollywood too? That’s Anushka Sharma!
Its interesting @btaylor, u used a Indian actress @AnushkaSharma's GIF motif
Btw very interesting insight to @googlemaps and also a product development life!
Why dont you write a book??
This is a universal nightmare (not only in product development) that we've all experienced. As soon as a crack in the door to the naming zone is opened people LOSE THIER MINDS
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