I think I'm starting to see the writing on the wall for CyanogenMod. I can see one day Google going after them if they remove some functionality from their ROM's that Google really wants in, and their ROMs become used by say - tens of millions of people.

But Google would be really, incredibly stupid to do that. The Reader outrage will seem tiny compared to the outrage they will get if they mess with CyanogenMod, who's used by the most core users of Android, and most vocal ones in the Android community.

CyanogenMod also has a lot of good will with those users, while Google's good will is diminishing by the day. Jeff Jarvis said recently that Google has only done well when it has done stuff for the users, not against them. If I were Google's CEO I would imprint that in my brain before doing something really stupid in the future.

I mean, you're saying you can see Google going after Cyanogenmod, then you list out the reasons it would be really stupid for them to do it. I think Google are aware of these reasons, too.

In all honesty, I do not think that Cyanogenmod is used by any more than a statistical blip of users, when the whole of Android is considered. I really doubt Google cares very much about these custom ROMs, and won't start caring until everyone starts flashing them on their phones. Which will not happen any time soon.