One thing that I have found to be quite irritating is the claim that many people are making, which is that Google is evil and going to be the next Microsoft. I disagree for a number of reasons.
1. I have never had to pay Google for it’s primary service, MS charges no less than $200 for Windows.
2. Google’s motto is “do no evil”, Microsoft only claims they are doing no evil.
3. Google gets it popularity because it is actually better, MS uses marketing, which makes them look better.
4. Google puts money into OSS, MS attacks OSS.
5. Google works through any web browser, MS’s website requires you use only their defunct web browser.
6. Google has to compete with Yahoo and MSN, Microsoft crushed all its competition a long time ago.
7. Google buys out software companies and distributes the software for free, Microsoft buys out software companies so it can stick a MS label on it, call it a different name, make seven different versions and charge several times the original price.
8. MS Windows is on my computer, my bookmarks are on Google’s Personalized Homepage.
1. Windows XP Home is available for $99 retail. The reason you don’t pay for any Google is because you aren’t a business looking to advertise with Google and all the consumer services they put out are ad-supported. Ad-supported like TV shows, sporting Events on TV, and shareware products. Now Microsoft is considering an ad supported version of Windows (free of charge) FYI.
2. I don’t get it. Are you saying that Google doesn’t do “evil”? I’m sure a lot of book publishers would disagree with you right now.
3. You have it all wrong. Google is the marketing king right now. That’s how they make all their money.
4. Fair enough although I don’t see much of Google actually giving to the OSS community… they just use their software ont heir servers.
5. Microsoft has been much better about this than Google. Most Google services don’t support Safari and the like when they are released. Gmail, Google Maps etc. all started with IE-support only. With the exception of Windows update there aren’t any major Microsoft sites that only work in IE (or don’t have support for other browsers planned). And to be totally fair, even Windows Update works in Avant and Maxthon.
6. MSN is Microsoft so you can’t say Google competes with MSN yet Microsoft crushed all competition.
7. I think you just made that one up. Foldershare, Lookout, MSNBC content, Antispyware, Expression, and soon to be Virtual PC (for Windows Utimate users), Groove, Teleo and more.
Latest news from /.: “Microsoft Windows XP N Flops”.
Here’s a post I thought was particularly interesting and insightful:
/. chose to ignore:
MS having to offer a version of XP without the media player preinstalled isn’t the only outcome of the antitrust case and certainly isn’t the most important part, yet /. for the sake of starting a flamewar of course didn’t mention anything else.
First off, people should be aware that MS was also fined 500 million euros, quite a lot of money, wouldn’t you agree.
Second, and probably most important, the EU found that MS is on pupose hindering interoperability between its products and third party products. In essence, they use their monopoly on the desktop, to also sell server software. To counter this MS now has to disclose technical information to its competitors to enable them to compete on an equal footing.
Now of course MS is trying to give out as little information as possible, but they don’t seem to get by with this tactic, which is of course a good thing.
Third, about the media player. I don’t think it’s that important if companies actually sell the version without the media player, what is important is the fact that it is now clear that bundling more and more desktop apps in order to utilize a monopoly in one area to get market share in an other one is a no-no.
I’m not saying that Microsoft is more evil than any other greedy company, just that they are in a position to do more damage to the digital world than any other with their (naturally) predatory behavior. (Unless you insist on that the antitrust case is nothing but an illusion of course.)
So there are perfectly sound reasons to both despise and fear Microsoft.
I would somewhat like MS to lose some marketshare if only to take them out of the spotlight. Then they have a bit more freedom with bundling their own apps (Decent ones ).
I believe Google is the next Microsoft in terms of next big thing and popularity. As in evil wise, not at all. Like ahayes said, never had to pay for google services.
I would somewhat like MS to lose some marketshare if only to take them out of the spotlight. Then they have a bit more freedom with bundling their own apps (Decent ones ).
It looks like Microsoft found a way around the bundling thing. From what I’ve read, they are free to bundle whatever they want with a special version a Windows. It’s the main version that is sold at retail that gets them in trouble. They have to allow OEM’s and consumers the choice of buying Windows without many of their bundled apps. That’s why they have so many versions of Vista and why the Ultimate Edition will be allowed to exist.
