As my readers know, I've been one of Google's harshest critics. However, I'm also a firm believer that it's okay to criticize, as long as it's justifiable and fairly balanced with deserved praise.

Hence, in this article, instead of criticizing, I will be saluting Google and several of its many accomplishments.

According to the dictionary, the definition of phenomenon is:

"A remarkable development or occurrence. A marvel. "

I think we would all agree that definition fits Google like a fine tailored suit.

In 1998, singer Janet Jackson was the biggest star on the planet. On September 7, 1998, Google Inc. opened its door in Menlo Park, California. The door came with a remote control, as it was attached to the garage of a friend who sublet space to the new corporation's staff of three. The office offered several big advantages, including a washer and dryer and a hot tub. It also provided a parking space for the first employee hired by the new company: Craig Silverstein, now Google's director of technology.

Already Google.com, still in beta, was answering 10,000 search queries each day. The press began to take notice of the upstart website with the relevant search results, and articles extolling Google appeared in USA TODAY and Le Monde. That December, PC Magazine named Google one of its Top 100 Web Sites and Search Engines for 1998. Google was moving up in the world.

The name "Google" is a play on the word "googol," which was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner, and was popularized in the book, "Mathematics and the Imagination" by Kasner and James Newman. It refers to the number represented by the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. Google's use of the term reflects the company's mission to organize the immense, seemingly infinite amount of information available on the web.

Anyway, the rest as they say is history, as Google continues to write its remarkable history with each amazing new achievement.

Let's detail a few of Google's more recent achievements:

Froogle

In December 2002, Google introduced a beta version of Froogle, a play on the word "frugal," a product search engine that enables users to search for millions of products across the web.

Google AdWords

In October 2000, Google announced its new content-targeted advertising program. Google AdWords was a huge "out-of-the- box" success, boasting well over 100,000 advertisers to date.

AdWords Select

In February 2002, Google launched AdWords Select, an updated version of the AdWords self-service advertising system with a number of new enhancements, including cost-per-click (CPC)- based pricing.

Google AdSense

In June 2003, Google anounced AdSense, a program designed to maximize the revenue potential of a website by serving highly relevant ads specific to the content of the page, launches with initial partners, including ABC.com, HowStuffWorks, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc., Lycos Europe, Knight Ridder Digital, About.com, CNET and others.

Google Deskbar

In November 2003, Google announced the Google Deskbar, a free software download which enables users to search Google without using a web browser.

Gmail

On April 1, 2004, Google announced a new web-based mail service called Gmail that will include a gigabyte of free storage for each user. The service also includes a powerful search engine to locate and retrieve messages, which are displayed in a "conversation view" that chronologically arranges all emails sent or received with the same subject line. Gmail also includes relevant advertising delivered with the same technology that scans web pages as part of the AdSense service.

To say that Google has had a meteoric rise to stardom would be an understatement. Years ago, who would have thought that the little search engine with the funny name would reach such massive heights that a monolith like Microsoft would find it tough competing.

So, what's next? Only Google knows for sure. However, I for one would like to see it tackle the current click fraud problem with the same excellence, zeal and determination its shown in its other remarkable achievements.