Google, like any good business, is constantly trying to improve their product.

Are they supposed to just stop work for a quarter because it's going to change search results?

Are you kidding? For every site that goes down in flames, another rises to the top. Someone is always going to be unhappy. Unsound business models will fail.

No warning? LOL. Read your own posts Ken.

Heartless? Google is not a character Dickens novel, and pity Bob Cratchit if he bet Tiny Tim's future solely on the free organic returns that can be had in Google. Google is a business, with clear responsibilities to only one group, it's shareholders.