Google's Home-Brew Approach

The NYT looks at Google's practice of building its own servers and infrastructure out of cheap materials. Most have heard of Google's signature approach, holding stacks of servers together with velcro, but the article highlights other advances such as a possible Google microchip and different kinds of software designed to make the most efficient use of Google's computing power. It's suspected that the do-it-yourself approach saves Google more than 50% of its computing costs versus its competitors. That's a lot and tough to compete with.
While Google is able to beat its competitors with homemade solutions, that is also the same ability that Google provides to the average user: the ability to create and compete from home because of all the access to information that Google provides.