Can we not say "try Googling" any more?

[wideboy]

Maybe we now have to say "use the Google search engine"?
In today's news:-
Googling banned says Google

Search engine Google has set its lawyers onto publishers who use the term 'to google' and other uses of the name as a verb - even though it is now in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.
The company has sent out a flurry of cease and desist letters to media companies including heavyweights such as the Washington Post barring the use of the term 'Googling' and has helpfully provided a list of appropriate and inappropriate uses of its name in a bid to prevent the so-called 'genericidation' of the name.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/91879/googling-ban ned-says-google.html

[Llamatron]

I think they make a good point here:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/15/google _brand_abuse/

[wideboy]

'Genereicide' !!

I like the list of the words we use now, like 'Hoover' and 'Xerox'.

[wideboy]

Oops! 'Genericide' !!

[LeMarchand]

I've been googling to try to find an answer to... DOH!

[WoWo]

In future I think every body should use the term Yahooing instead I don't think google would like that much either.

I can understand it to an extent (for the reasons given in the link) but I can't see any of the brands have suffered because of their names being victims of Genericide. It's only enhanced reputations in my opinion.

Take for example iPod, we reguarly get people asking what the difference between an iPod and an MP3 player is, I'm sure apple wouldn't dilute their brand by asking people to refer to them as iPod MP3 players.

What could happen as I suggested is that media will say "I did an internet search and found....." rather than highlight google. However Google are too big for it to back fire.

[fo3nix]

I believe they want to it to used only as a verb, and meaning their search engine in particular, and not some generic word that just means searching the net.