Microsoft Says to Take Aim at Google

Reuters ^ | 04/02/03 | Reuters

[md2576]

PALO ALTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O , the world's No. 1 software maker, on Wednesday said it is taking aim at privately held Google Inc., the Web-search company that's so popular its name is used as a verb.

"We do view Google more and more as a competitor. We believe that we can provide consumers with a better product and a better user experience. That's something that we're actively looking at doing," Bob Visse, director of marketing for Microsoft's MSN Internet services division, said.

Visse said the company was making some significant investments in developing a better search engine. But the company has not offered specific plans.

Microsoft would not be the first Web portal provider to step into the Web search segment. Last month, Internet media company Yahoo Inc. YHOO.O closed its $235 million purchase of Internet-search company Inktomi Corp.

Microsoft has said its been searching for ways to capitalize on its various technologies, for example data retrieval and analysis, by entering new markets. It has also targeted security software.

Google, the No. 1 Web-search provider, has become so pervasive that it is not uncommon for people to refer to searching the Internet as "googling."

A Google representative could not be immediately reached for comment.

Google has been seen as a top IPO candidate despite a lagging economy, but a company co-founder recently told attendees at a high-tech conference that going public is not on the front burner for the Silicon Valley company.

[md2576]

I know how Freepers LOVE to go googling so I thought this story might interest some. I wonder if Reuters got "googling" from FreeRepublic.com? MSN Will never compare. Google Is Great! For anyone who doesn't possibly know, www.google.com = #1 Internet Search Engine.

[Larry Lucido]

I have yet to get a pop-up or annoying flash advertisement from a Google search. That, among other things, is the reason for my loyalty to Google.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Competition, as long as it's fair and healthy competition, in the search engine arena is a welcome thing in my book.

[md2576]

My website is Usually #1 or #2 for every Blacklight product I sell, that's why I love Google!

[thoughtomator]

*tries to remember Microsoft competing fairly - ever - and fails*

[July 4th]

We believe that we can provide consumers with a better product and a better user experience.

More pop-ups? Letting companies buy higher search relevance? Requiring a Passport account to use the search engine? I can't wait for the improvements.

[leadpencil1]

Google has their own criteria for returning search results, which one could argue are either fair or unfair, but Microsoft would have a hard time being perceived as neutral in the search engine business.

[MJM59]

Dear Mr. Gates,
You have enough money. Stop already. There are others who would like to make a few bucks out there. You can't have it all.
Thanks You

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[Lunatic Fringe]

Oh great... A Microsoft search engine... we'll have to install other software to get it to work and reboot on every other search.

[Gunslingr3]

Dear Mr. Gates, You have enough money. Stop already. There are others who would like to make a few bucks out there. You can't have it all. Thanks You

The pervasive 'fixed pie' view of the universe. Hopefully one day it will dawn on you that Microsoft has created billions of dollars worth of value. It's not as if Bill Gates beat you, or anybody else, to the big pile-o-money somewhere in the middle of nowhere and is busily stuffing his pockets with more than his 'fair share'. If you go out and create things people want and they buy them from you, you can have some more money too. The secret is as simple as that. It's absurd that people who decry Microsoft as a monopoly then get angry when it competes with others.

[Marie Antoinette]

Install the Google toolbar right on your browser (IE only, I think). I never go to the Google homepage anymore, the Google search is ALWAYS right where I am :-)

http://toolbar.google.com/install

Enjoy!

[Exit148]

I google on down most every day--
To see what Google has to say.
There's soooo much information on it---
That it's tops on my list of 'favorites.

I'm a proud Googlester!

[martin_fierro]

I have yet to get a pop-up or annoying flash advertisement from a Google search.

Just don't use their toolbar. Spyware City.

[KarlInOhio]

More pop-ups? Letting companies buy higher search relevance? Requiring a Passport account to use the search engine? I can't wait for the improvements.

Microsoft Websearch results:
Your search - linux - did not match any documents.
Did you mean: Windows

[martin_fierro]

Let me clarify: There may be privacy issues with some of the Google Toolbar features, and Google provides an alternate download where those features are disabled. You have to go out of your way to find and activate those features.

[jpl]

You have enough money. Stop already. There are others who would like to make a few bucks out there. You can't have it all. Thanks You

Mr. Gates may have enough money, but there are a large number of other Microsoft stockholders that don't (like me for instance).

[Wisconsin]

Does it really matter that Google is great?

Microsoft will just build in its search engine as an integral part of the "Windows Experience" , make it hard to use anything else, and become the dominant player.

Pardon my cynicism....

[Cicero]

MS's search function at the moment is pathetic. And will they refrain from advertising, popups, shilling for Microsoft, or spyware? I doubt it.

Download the Google search bar. You can turn off the "advanced" function that reports your surfing back to google, and also remove any buttons you don't use. It's very useful and so far has never tried to bite back like every similar toolbar I have seen.

[zeugma]

I don't get popups on anything anymore, but I do approve heavily of the clean interface google uses. 90% of the companies out there would be absolutely incapable of restraining themselves from making the initial page a 'flash' corrupted, and animated gif/banner ad haven.

The fact that google is the best at getting me the results I want is icing on the cake. I used to use altavista exclusively, when it was in its prime. Unfortunately, their search engine didn't keep up. Their translation services via babelfish is still excellent though.