Google didn't implement non-compete agreements with their former workers?

Question

How could such a well-run company fail to thwart new startups by their original founders by using a basic non-compete agreement?

Answer 1

Of course they have non compete agreements!

Lately Google has been under fire for letting employees of Doubleclick sign non compete agreements after acquisition so these employees thought their jobs were safe  -- and then promptly fired them

http://valleywag.com/378444/did-you-sign...

If you're talking about Cuil by former Google employees, Anna Patterson left Google in 2006. Any non compete agreements may have lapsed already.

But it will be interesting to watch the battle over intellectual property as I'm sure Google will be watching like a hawk to see if any of their patents have been used