Drummond further stated Google would engage in discussions with the Chinese government "over the next few weeks" to explore ways to run an uncensored search engine legally, fully aware that it may not be possible and "may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China."

At this point, it's hard to figure out why it is taking Google so long to make good on its promise. Are Google officials now regretting the decision, feeling they jumped the gun?

It could be possible. After all, nine days after Drummond's post, Schmidt adopted a much more conciliatory tone and said conversations with the Chinese government were underway.

"We wish to remain in China. We like the Chinese people, we like our Chinese employees, we like the business opportunities there," Schmidt said during the company's fourth-quarter earnings conference call on Jan. 21. "We'd like to do that on somewhat different terms than we have, but we remain quite committed to being there."

Perhaps more significant, Schmidt seemed to pull back on Google's original certainty that the hack attacks had originated in China. He described the attacks as "probably emanating from China with the origin details unknown" and added that the matter was "still under investigation."