Well, if anyone has a chance of hurting Google it would be Microsoft. Not that I wouldn't want some healthy competition from others toward Google, but Microsoft hasn't done much to endure me to them. Microsoft steps up battle with Google
This is not a new thing. Microsoft announced years ago that they wanted to move towards an online business model for their software. In fact, I think Bill Gates himself announced it during one of the OS release parties in '01 or '02. Microsoft's online ventures so far have been pretty clunky, so I'm not holding my breath that this will go anywhere.
Oh for sure they have to do a lot of work to catch up to google. They are not competetive at all at this time.
Well, they have a lot of money to invest, and a lot of time. let's see what happens after a few months, whether or not they've gained any market share
I really want to know what the "'behind the scenes lobbying" against Google" happens to be. I wonder if the lobbying is being done toward the various vendors that Google may work with or if they are actually lobbying members of congress. Hmmm...
Considering the amount of microsoft is spending they are going nowhere. They have lost half of their market share over the last year.
That's the understatement of the decade! MS's online offerings have been downright awful. I'm a Certified Microsoft Professional (soon to be a Certified Microsoft Partner), and I can't stand their website, the MSN site, the live.com site, or any of their other online offerings. Hotmail was okay for a year or 2, but it really hasn't changed much since it first came out other than to become harder to use. Microsoft should be pouring all it's additional resources into a REAL search engine - instead they've starting growing laterally into different industries (I love the XBox 360, but was it really necessary?).
It sure is disheartening that their online apps are so crappy. I may get flamed for it, but I LOVE the Microsoft development tools, and I'll probably never use anything other than MS Visual Studio. But everything else that MS touches turns to sh!t.
I agree. Google seems to have a good vision and their growth seems to be following along that vision. Even the IPhone makes sense, with their advertising options and possibly free phone. MS though, seems to be haphazardly branching out into oddball things. XBox 360? I think part of MS's problem is that they're being attacked from all sides; their OS by Linux, their Office suite by Open Office and others, their games by game manufacturers, their Xbox 360 by Nintendo and Sony. Normal competition, but I think it's freaking Microsoft out. They're like a frightened elephant surrounded by a bunch of mice.
Google is steps ahead of MS so far. For example Google started the audio, video etc ads. Microsoft have to go long way to beat Google.
They have a lot of technical skills, but Google KILLS them at the game of marketing. Online success requires good marketing, and for Microsoft to compete with Google, they'd better get some better marketing and online promotions experts.
That's where they are big time over extended. You can hire hundreds of great programmers in India but without the marketing you really are going nowhere Xerox was great on coming out with great innovations but they never made money on them
MS have programmers, but they don't think the marketing side. Hopefully they would put some good competition in near future. With all the companies bought by Google and MS, we will see the results.