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Microsoft Challenges Google
prostoalex writes "Microsoft's MSN division previewed a tool for desktop document search extending into the Web search, Reuters reports from Redmond, WA. The message to Google was clearly articulated in Steve Ballmer's speech: 'There's a lot of Google fascination out there and we share it, and we're going to compete. We're going to compete very, very hard.' Google News points to 63 more articles on the topics, MSN Newsbot provides tons of links as well. ComScore estimates Google's market share at 42.2%, Yahoo's at 38.8% and MSN's at 31.8% (numbers do not add up to 100%, since Internet users rely on multiple engines)."
Get ready to kiss Google goodbye. The only thing keeping it in the number one spot is habit. Once MS decides to implement a new integrated search function in its software, users will form a new habit and begin to use it instead. It happened when IE surplanted Netscape and it'll happen to Google. Don't believe me? I remember when AltaVista was the only serious search engine. Then I switched to Yahoo! Then came Google. Does the Slashdot crowd truly believe it was all going to end with Google? lol.
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No, in that case, Microsoft actually did put out a better product, at least for a time (IE4 vis a vis NN4).
How interesting that this comes announced by Apple after Microsoft's WinFS technologies were introduced to the world.
I expect the KDE/GNOME rip-offs in the next few years as well. And then when it's all over, I fully expect nobody to give credit to Microsoft for spurring the idea, and Slashdot to continue to label Microsoft as a non-innovator. Coming from people using KDE taskbars, KDE start menus, and even KDE integrated filesystem/browsers.