Google acts like it is a public utility when it is convenient to them, and a private service when it isn't.

They're a private service all the time. Keep that in mind and you'll go far.

Corporations such as Google are much more like quasi-governmental municipal corporations than like Mom & Pop's Private Bakery.

Quasi governmental corporations are typically granted special privileges (protected monopolies). If Google doesn't have some arrangement like all blogging must be done on blogspot, they're not quasi government.

When an entity has a formal governance structure, elected leaders, armed security forces, issues its own bonds, negotiates directly with foreign governments, and has a "GDP" greater than most nations, it has a lot more in common with governments than it does with a typical private business.

This phenomenon of "private" corporations amassing the power of governments without the responsibilities of governments is a relatively new chapter in history and still needs to be sorted out.

Some would call that marketing.

If you have N copies, assume the next state will mean have N-1. What would you do different if you could postpone the state change? Do it.

Bull.

It's the artist's own fault that he didn't make a backup.

Do have an example?