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.

[ChadGore]

MS Google:
A search for LINUX gets Don't you mean WINDOWS?

[Bush2000]

Get off my freakin back with that "socialist" crap. This guy is the richest in the world and he still charges out the a-hole for his flawed products.

Non-sequitor. Gates is an employee of Microsoft. The shareholders own the company. His personal wealth has nothing to do with returning value to shareholders.