"And it’s not evil." it appears very often in articles about Google. so who's the opposite? what IS evil on this plane?

What is evil on this planet? In terms of web apps, quite a lot is evil. Or, if you want another wording for it, "short term commercial gain without respecting the user" vs "long term commercial interests with respect to the user, and a strongest focus on usability." Here are some example:

- When Yahoo Groups is showing in-between ad screens, they are thinking in short term gains without respecting the user
- Popups are "evil"
- Spamming is evil
- Selling user data for the wrong reasons is evil
- Bundling and spyware are evil
- Portalitis is stupid, and a little evil

So is Google evil? No, they're not. But they could become evil. You'll know it when you see. Take a look at my articles:

What If Google Would Be Evil?
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2004_06_13_index.html#108712241826979978

IMO Google's search engine isn't Web 2.0 since you get a results' page which is composed of many microcontents glued together by the author of the page. You can not take out one such microcontent and send it out.
On the other hand Google's Api is considered to be Web 2.0 since Web 2.0 is about sharing.
You are invited to take a look at QTSaver, Web 2.0 microcontent engine that remixes text. Please go to http://qtsaver.dynalias.com/
You can also get a lot of background information on my Blog
http://qtsaver.blogspot.com/

Have you tested Goolge to see if they are Web 2.0?

http://web2.0validator.com/

:)