What's in your start page?

Over the many years that I've been a netizen, I have had a host of different homepages. They have included the UW website, a handwritten HTML page on my desktop, a blank page, or even this.

However, these days, and for the past several years, Google has been my start page for everything web.

My first question is, why would you start anywhere else?

It has already been noted by some that Google is really the start page of the internet. Sure, most browsers have some other page as default, and some organizations (including my own workplace) have their own intranet "hub." But what compelling reason do I have to choose those "other" options?

Google has nailed it when it comes to web real estate. They own Boardwalk and have 100 hotels on it to boot. Their iGoogle / individualized homepage product completely changed the way people interacted with start page websites. Not only is it super easily customizable debuting an AJAX interface when no one else had anything close (and most still do not), but they have fully embraced customized widgets and infinitely diverse content.

I think this needs to be emphasized, Google's philosophy with regards to outside content and interaction is fundamentally different from say, Microsoft. Google has no fear of people writing fantastic widgets, mini-apps, feeds, content or anything they dream up. They know their core competencies extremely well and fully embrace and acknowledge areas where they do not lead. This is in direct contrast to Microsoft (or even Apple) where the whole end-to-end experience is directed, tuned, tweaked, and ruled with an iron fist. If they didn't think of it, you don't need it.

So, what's your start page, or, to be more precise, what's in your start page?

Other news:

Thank you for the fantastic responses to Friday's post. I need to re-read the responses a little more and determine if I'm going to throw in a final thought. (I might not, considering how well the existing comments have covered it.)

I'm now two weeks out from vacation and I'm practically counting the minutes till. At this point, I don't have any content for while I'm out. I was thinking about prepping some posts ahead of time, but I may just go on hiatus during that period.

I have realized that my posting here has somewhat stifled my posts on Twitter. I am hoping to refocus and be more interactive. Somehow, I feel that I'm not being "fair" if I don't write actual comments rather than using it as a spamming tool for this blog.