I've been wondering about this too, and your explanation is interesting - basically, lack of self-knowledge on Google's (and its own founder's) part and trying to be what they're not.<p>It seems so odd that Google would go this way and even odder that it would do so as a result of a founder taking control. Perhaps it only seems odd because we have extremely incomplete information. On the other hand, sometimes the from-afar view has advantages. From afar, Google+ looks like Google's Bing.<p>Another interesting question is: will they change course or double down?