Both Google and Firefox see a future of their web browsers free of the address bar. Coupled with an evolving search engine results landscape that favors paid traffic, the world of web site publishers in 2011 looks dramatically different than it did when I started this blog nearly six years ago back in 2005.

What better way to ensure that maximum value flows to you than to get rid of the most common points users leak out of your traffic ecosystem: own the web browser, eliminate the address bar, maximize users clicking advertisements, fill your free listings with sites that drive massive volume through your display ad network, replace the URL with the “app.”

Eric Schmidt was dead serious when he said “The fastest path to wealth is the construction of these digital platforms, where other people depend on you.” You better believe that Larry, Sergey, and Eric are damn annoyed that Apple is worth over $300 billion, and they are going to do everything they can to be #1.

This is the pace of change which technology brings. Even if the DOJ and the EU dropped the anti-trust bomb on Google tomorrow, there would never be a traffic environment circa 2005 ever again. If you don’t like change, and your value stream flows from the old way, it might be time to sell your company to someone who enjoys change.

My final blog posts are coming soon.