Besides the fact that Windows (MSN) is on every average joe's computer giving them power to do anything on the users desktop (like promote their search engine)? MSN's the SE of the future, not necessarily because of their results or relevancy, but because of their control over most peoples desktops. Google's still my main source of traffic/income but am studying MSN at the same time.
Yahoo! spent a lot promoting their search last year.. signs at bus stops, things like that. Also, it's a very profitable company as well as the true Internet portal pioneer and 1000-pound gorilla. Don't discount them -- that's how Google got their start. Google would be nothing (or just another teoma / third-tier SE) if they hadn't had their deal with Yahoo!. Eric
Cultural icon? I personally would not classify G as a cultural icon but that is not here or there - Now as to whether or not MSN or Yahoo can compete: DEFINITELY! G needs to straighten out their act on a few fronts and I can certainly tell you that MSN and Yahoo are not going to roll over and die. I remember a few years back when Yahoo results were enhanced by Google - that relationship is now dead. I also remember when many highend/heavy traffic sites searches were also powered by Google ie:CNN, again dead in the water. I would put my bet on MSN for the next year or so, perhaps Yahoo. My 2 cents Frank
So what about CNN.. my news site ( www mp2kmag com ) along with tens of thousands of other little guys have tied their sites both for Ads and Search to Google. Google was very smart in how they played it. Eric
My own 2 cents, that deal with Google saved Yahoo from extinction. Their directory was too cumbersome for human consumption, and Google pulled their chestnuts out of the fire.
I am not descrediting what G HAS accomplished in the past, they have indeed come up with some very interesting strategies ... personally though, the writing is on the wall. Some of their new strategies are questionable (Autolink in their toolbar), loosing accounts like CNN has to have had an impact and WHY would they discontinue that and other relationships? As to saving Yahoo from extinction, maybe, but I think it goes both ways, the Google/Yahoo relationship benefited BOTH firms and their technologies. I do not want to see Google disappear, but they should definitely re-evaluate some of their strategies. cheers Frank
Microsoft doesn't have to reinvent the wheel. They can just buy Google if they need a Adwords/Adsense network to make money.
I think there's a very careful dance around what MS can buy/not buy due to anti-trust regulations. If you look at the past few years, they only buy weak companies (small market share) with ok technology. Google is not in this mold. Eric
Google is all set to stay for a very long time with its innovations.. I LOVE G __________________ Online Directory | Advertising | Business | Computing | Healthcare | Human Resources | Industry | Money |Shipping and Transportation |Telecommunications
I know I make sure that my sites are happy with each search engine at the same time without messing with the pages that a user can edit. At the same time, I do not have MSN on my own computer. Yes it is a Windows 2000 box, but at teh same time, one is not forced to have MSN software on there. I have IE, but at the same time, it is a plain copy which is faster than some cosmetically optimized copies. At the same time, Google has for a long time, at least once I got serious about it, been the main SE that I look at in relation to my sites. Personally though I usually use google for searching though. That is because I found it to be better than the others. Dan