CNET News has a long list of Google projects that are getting scrapped or otherwise cut back.  In short, here’s the buzz:

Getting shutdown (now or soon):

• Google Video
• Google Catalogs Search
• Dodgeball
• Jaiku (may live on w/volunteers)
• Google Mashup Editor

Rumored to be shut down soon:

• Grand Central
• Knol
• Google Base
• Google Notebook

I’d add: Google Sites to that list, too.  But CNET didn’t call it yet.

I’ve got to say: I’m not surprised to see any of these get the ax.  Google Video was replaced by YouTube.  Google Catalog Search turned useless as most companies now offer their catalogs online, and besides there’s Google Book Search still.  Dodgeball — I’d never even heard of it, unfortunately.  Jaiku was similar to Pownce (which is now gone), Twitter, FriendFeed, and many others, but not quite as powerful.  And Google Mashup Editor… Well… Mashups are just a bad idea.  I think it’s time we finally just all admit that real application integration shouldn’t happen on the glass.  It should happen behind the scenes through SOA or even REST.

As for the others: Grand Central: never heard of it.  Knol: why compete with Wikipedia or Yahoo Answers?  And Google Base: I think Craigslist works better.

It’s sad to see these projects go, since it’s a sign of the economic times.

[More details at CNET News]

Filed under: Consumer Web, Google, Mobile Web, Social Computing