The release of Google’s App Engine has caught the attention of many prospective startup founders [1]. While the feature list and comparisons to similar services are being discussed, Google’s intent is being overlooked.
Soon, any developer with a Google account will be able to develop and deploy an application that has access to Google’s resources. That is, a developer can build a Google application without needing to be employed by Google. You build it, grow it, then Google buys it.
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[1] See Hacker News.