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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."
Agreed, Google Base is like everything2, but aren't you taking it to much for granted that Fremont is a 'Google Base killer'?
Despite eWeek's headline and speculation, what Microsoft have actually said - 'online marketplace', 'localised listings and maps' - doesn't really make it sound like everything2, but rather like a hopeful 'Craigslist killer' (with an eye on eBay)...
Google didn't become famous because of some multi-million dollar marketing campaign. Nor did they aim to destroy other search engines. It's assumed that the public came up with the term Googling, and yet despite their quietness, their quality of service spoke volumes. So loud was this boom that it rippled through the entire online community so that everyone has heard of them in a very short period of time. They didn't bribe other companies to work with them, they gave millions to worthy causes, and have a committment to running an ethical business, where shareholders take a back seat. Microsoft have had a search engine for ages, covered with advertisements and cluttered menus. They stripped this down after Google came along, threw hundreds of millions of dollars all over the world to get people to use their site, and co-incidently ended up using the same on-page advertising style as Google. Their search engine was slower, had less results, and the results you did get were less relevent. Their aim wasn't to provide a high quality and innovative service which would constantly evolve, it was to take the market from Google and put the profits in their shareholder's pockets. They would only innovate if they were forced to as part of a project to increase revenue, some of which would only go to a worthy cause if they could get enough publicity from it (i.e. it's just another PR exercise). So, to summarise, Google tinker away challenging themselves and keep relatively quiet about it. Microsoft beaver away throwing armies of developers and marketing campaigns at their service while quietly ripping off anything they can find. Microsoft don't challenge themselves, they become challenged by others. They have no will to improve themselves without threat from others taking over a lucrative market. What I've said isn't exactly insightful, it's just commentating on what appears to be happening.