According to Wikipedia.org the the phrase "Don't Be Evil" was not coined by Brin or Larry Page, but rather by Paul Buchheit, the engineer behind Gmail. "Don't Be Evil" is said to recognize that large corporations can often maximize short-term profits with actions that destroy long-term brand image and competitive position. By instilling a Don't Be Evil culture, the corporation establishes a baseline for decision making that can enhance the trust and image of the corporation that outweighs short-term gains from violating the Don't Be Evil principles."
OK, if the google guys are good, who is Evil ?
To my mind the best example (nothing personal, just an illustration of a point) is Michael Robertson.   He's the Internet entrepreneur who registered MP3.com back in the day, and is still active in the Internet business.  MP3.com?  Lindows ?  Gizmo ? All business' built on someone else's juice. I feel that if you don't add value and simply look for ways to exploit the assets of others (think Patent Trolls) you may be comfortable, but you never will be google-sized successful. So when you see your chance take it; but don't squander it.   Business on the Internet is transparent. Do something that's honest and good and you will be rewarded. Do something sleazy or underhanded and you will be penalized.

This is something that I experienced first-hand while working in marketing for the ski industry.  When we developed our pricing grid at the beginning of the season as long as we stayed consistent and did not cut any side deals; kept things transparent, respected our customers, we built market share.

The minute we changed tactics in desperation to save our bottom line by discounting our tickets without warning we: Angered our customers who had purchased tickets in advance Angered our wholesalers by undercutting their position and destroying their margins While we considered our actions justifiable (the winter was crappy and we were, after all, the attraction and they are dependant on us, right???).  Our tour wholesalers and partners looked at it another way and started searching for other destinations.

What's the parallel to doing business on the Web? 

By delivering compelling content quickly and efficiently, adding value for the search engine or  visitor you are the good guy.  Ton’s of pop-ups, repeated requests to download and install spyware, requests to “register and login” before viewing anything (thus giving up a valid email address…), and you are “Evil”.

You may get a few cheques the first month, but what about the 3^rd? Once you have been banned from all of the legitimate networks you start working on the fringes, and soon give up because you are trying to feed off people stupider and more greedy than yourself, which soon becomes tiring; and you move on to easier pickings (see Black Hats).

Be careful with Email.

Some folks promote their business by putting a sticker on every car in the parking lot.  For the rest of us, this is the way we look at junk email.  If you are looking for a solid traffic multiplier consider using monthly email newsletters, but use email selectively or you will be known as a “spammer”.  See Black Hat.

Instead of spending your time trying to figure out ways to game the system, why not try and write a new article, develop a new website or program a new flash element for your site? 

Think about the user first and and design websites where people

• Find the information they need

• Can buy the product they have been searching for

• Can pass the time or get a laugh

• Come back to again and again to see what's up

You will be well on your way to your first $100 cheque.

Spend your time spamming people with your latest get rich scheme or load your pages up with pop-ups and see what happens.  If you spend more time signing up with a new ISP's or importing your contacts into a new email address then perhaps there is an easier way to make a buck.

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