Microsoft Testing Its Own 'Google Base'

sheasie! writes "eWeek is reporting that Microsoft is readying an online marketplace, code-named Fremont, which is apparently in response to a similar feature that rival Google Inc. introduced a few weeks ago." From the article: "The software giant will enhance the Fremont listings with localized maps, and make them available through Microsoft's newly revamped Internet portal, now known as Live.com, according to the company."

Comments

Re:When is this going to end?

[tehshen]

Actually, both of these things (Base and now Fremont) seem more like everything2 than anything else.

Marketplace?

[Solokron]

Fremont is a district of Seattle here. It is more so known for its eclectic people than marketplace so I find it an interesting choice for a name. Check out the myths section @ http://www.fremont.com/

Microsoft's Craigslist

[BarryNorton]

Actually this is not so similar to Google Base, but a more direct (and small-thinking) rip off of Craigslist, as far as I can see. There is the similarity that Microsoft also have a search engine to directly map over this data, but eWeek are going much too far (also in http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1877217,00.as p, linked) in ignoring the fundamental differences between a community listing site, an auction site (where the role of the provider is much more hands-on) and the need for Google to get their engine to work with sites dynamically generated from a back-end database...

Re:Name one?

[SerpentMage]

Yes, Office... Microsoft was the first to bundle everything for the Windows desktop and create a single "application". That helped Microsoft immensely because at the time people liked the fact that they could share content using cut/copy/paste. With respect to the other "last" there, they are not the dominate player, with the exception being the Internet Explorer.

The monopoly for Microsoft is not Windows, but Office! Office keeps a good many people on Windows. I know that I don't use Linux because of Office (need Office for my daily work, and therefore bought an OSX box). OpenOffice is not a solution for more complicated documents that have automation, stylesheets, and versioning.

Re:what exactly is everything2

[oever]

Everything is an information management system, using a combination MySQL and Perl to create a flexible system of entering, linking, and retrieving information.

source

Sounds unlike googlebase to me.

Re:When is this going to end?

[tpgp]

Erm,

I think that they're copying these guys - I hope they have good lawyers. Because they're about to get sued by MS!

Re:Desperation

[courtarro]

Microsoft's business model is failing, and rather than wasting precious time figuring out what new things it can do, it needs to quickly copy other successful businesses, and preferably kill them off (as usual) by leveraging its monopoly.

I think you're contradicting yourself in that one sentence. Copying other businesses and leveraging its monopoly is their business model. MS really hasn't come up with anything significant on their own; their success comes from seeing the potential in other people's/companies' work, making it slightly different, and marketing the crap out of it until they own the market. On the other hand, you're seeing how Google is acting the exact same way but with a new speed, as well as a sort of Apple-customer loyalty that MS has never enjoyed, which allows them to get away with barely marketing anything at all. Google is constantly developing novel ideas, often through buyouts, and I'd say they're beating MS in their own game by being more agile. MS is the new IBM, the monolith that can't move quickly enough, and Google is the new MS, darting around under their feet stealing all the new employees and ideas.

Re:When is this going to end?

[Stakesauce]

There's a Fremont in Seattle WA just like Whitbey is an island. Most of their codenames come from local place names in Washington. Why you were rated informative is beyond me, you insensitive California-centered clod. smilie