Microsoft Takes Aim At Google

TiredOfCrap writes "People are underestimating what Microsoft is doing with search technology, says Bill Gates. The head of the software giant told the BBC that its ambition is to be bigger than Google in search. "

Comments

WOOWHOO!

[RingDev]

Competition is good. Even you anti-Microsoft pundints will have to admit, this will only make Google have to work harder ;)

-Rick

Re:WOOWHOO!

[erroneus]

Competition is good. I am just not sure Microsoft understands the area they are trying to overtake. Hotmail is a really good example -- they bought hotmail and for quite some time never really knew what they wanted to do with it. In the end, I don't think it gave them much of anything.

In this case, they can't buy Google (did I just say that?) so they will try to 'compete' in an area where they just aren't prepared. They lack the culture to really do anything like that from what I can see. Google's way is really like an amoeba... little projects everywhere -- the good ones grow and fill with resources, the others disappear. Microsoft's is just a bit too carnivorous and aggressive by comparison.

Re:WOOWHOO!

[Pxtl]

Yes, but Microsoft does not have to compete - Google must show a profit in their endeavors, while MS can burn cash while living off of their OS and Office revenues.

For example, Microsoft search can be adless (or charge less for ads) and hyperfast thanks a server farm 100x Google's size. Hell, they can throw in prizes for prominent users, whatever. They can quite simply outspend their competators. Not saying that's what they will do, but it's what they can do. They can do so until Google no longer exists, and then they own the mindshare and can relax. They've done it before a hundred times.

Plus, they can integrate it into their ownership of the OS and browser markets.

Google has neither an endless mountain of cash, nor a 90% of the browsers, nor 90% of the desktops.

The simple fact is that MS does not have to win - they can lose, and lose by a wide margin (in terms of profits) until Google is starved out of business. And then they win anyways by default.

Re:Bland ambition?

[MightyMartian]

I suppose Gates had to say something sensible after the "fucking kill" incident of his henchman, Stinky Ballmer. It's like some corporate public relations version of good cop bad cop.

It's fine to have ambition, but Microsoft seems to have let a competitor get the upper hand to such a degree that the name "Google" is becoming to search technology what Coca-cola is to carbonated drinks. In fact, I'd contend that Google is aleady there and that anything short of a total disaster is going to render any other search portals, Billy Gates' mighty MSN Search among them, a small time player.

It's strange, because a few years ago I would have thought something like KDE or Mac-OSX would have been the MS-killer, but Google has shown the way to take on Microsoft, via the web itself. Google's got the holiest of holies; brand recognition, and it's going to use that to push out web apps of all kinds. Microsoft is in a game of catch-up here, and not only is it currently losing the race, it isn't yet even in the damn stadium yet.

Re:Google has smarter people

[MightyMartian]

MS does have a pool of enormously talented people. Look at who works for MS Research (or whatever their R&D division is called). But for some reason, they don't seem to be producing what they could. I've heard MS Research described as a roach motel- lots of genius' check in, but none are ever heard from again.

Microsoft's problem is that Google is fighting in an arena that Microsoft has never had much success in; the web. Yes, Windows is running on the unquestionable majority of computers out there. Yes MS has made big in roads in the server market. But it has always been behind in its web presence. How long has Microsoft been trying to push MSN? Must be near on a decade now, and it's always been behind. Alta Vista, Lycos, Yahoo and Google in turn have always had one up on it, and Google is the 800 pound gorilla in the portal and search marketplace. And now with its push towards web apps, the long term picture has it threatening the Windows and Office flagships which are, when push comes to shove, the regions of dominance that Microsoft has in the market place.

It's little wonder that Ballmer's throwing psychotic hissy fits. There's a real live Windows-killer on the horizon for the first time in over a decade.