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Google Gets Away With What Microsoft Couldn't

Posted by Zonk on from the you-can-tell-a-book-by-its-cover dept.

FreshlyShornBalls writes "WebProNews is reporting that Google's new beta toolbar apparently sports an "AutoLink" feature which appends hyperlinks to existing content. These hyperlinks, of course, point to their services, such as maps for addresses, isdn numbers for books, etc. Sounds an awful lot like Microsoft's "Smart Tags"." Update by J : ... except that Microsoft's proposal was in the monopoly browser while Google's software is a third-party add-on, and Microsoft's was (originally) on by default while Google's is a button to click.

4 of 481 comments (clear)

  1. Books don't have ISDN numbers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's ISBN not ISDN

  2. IF google takes over your browser by doorbender · · Score: 5, Informative

    takes over your browser integrates it with the OS and forces you to see the links. then they are getting away with something MS didn't .... quite

    --
    "He's a real midnight golfer"
  3. Google isn't a convicted monopolist by FreeUser · · Score: 5, Informative

    Google gets away with what Microsoft couldn't

    Oh Good Lord what rock have you been under for the last 15 years.

    Microsoft is a monopolist convicted of using that monopoly in unlawfully anti-competative ways to run competitors out of business. They've violated in spirit and letter numerous consent decrees, agreements with government, and even court orders, and gotten away with it because their cycle of business is orders of magnitude faster than the wheels of justice.

    As a convicted monopolist, Microsoft must play by a different set of rules than everyone else, like, say, Google, which has never been convicted of anything in the US (and quite IMHO bugus trademark violations in France).

    You might as well say "Joe's Computers get away with what Microsoft Couldn't." Damn straight. Joe's Computers, like Google, haven't been shown to even be a monopoly, much less convicted of abusing such a position if they had it. Microsoft has, on all counts.

    --
    The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
  4. Re:Remove those rose-tinted glasses by William_Lee · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Bill Gates once said that he was planning to give away most if not all of his fortune to charity - I bet he wasn't labelled "evil" back then ..."

    Just to chime in, I hate M$ as much as the next red blooded /.er, but Bill Gates has given away more than most people in the history of philanthropy. He's already donated about a third of his net worth to charity. Cut the guy some slack on this front. I don't know how anyone could criticize this guy from a philanthropy perspective.

    From http://www.beliefnet.com/story/34/story_3450_1.htm l

    regarding his contributions:

    "I don't mean the actual figure, which is itself an unimaginable $22 billion. Rather, I refer to the percentage of his wealth he has donated. Still in his early 40s, Gates has now distributed about one third of everything he has to charity."