Friday, September 23, 2005

Google Vs. Microsoft

So, is Google finally defeating Microsoft? That seems to be what everyone is asking. But is it truly the case, or just mere hype built on more hype. Probably not, but then again, Microsoft has outshined its worst nightmares in the past. Why is this any different?

Because Google is the press's doll? What do you think of Google Print then? I have always thought that companies that lived off of press hype would also die of the same thing.

That is why, I was rudely shocked by the largely insufficient Google Talk. What the heck was that, anyway? Voice Chat has existed for the centuries that the internet has existed. Ask graduate students and they will tell you how they talk to their parents. So, with a product that was barely able to do anything beyond the basics, people were hyping like heck. Maybe, most of what google does is hype?!

Yeah, advertising makes a lot of money. So it did in Internet 1.0. What happened? Yes, I use google for everything search related. Still, I do it because its free. And, I didn't jump the gun on everything. I am sure not many people have. For example, Yahoo! Groups got a lot better after Google Groups came in. Google groups don't do half the things that Yahoo! Groups do, and we didn't run scurrying to Google anyway.

Instead, everyone basked in the glory of the competition, that produced some good products, better groups, better blogs, better networking websites and so on. Where has the real shift been? I don't see it. Apparently many people do. I would wait and watch to see Google actually do something, before I vote Microsoft a dead lion.

Come on, what all have they weathered, netscape, linux, DoJ and Mozilla. What is the sudden rush to endorse everything google?

What Microsoft needs to do though, is grow up. May be give papa Bill the bye - bye. MSN is a joke, more so, the messenger. They never went beyond the PCs. Though Gates has been smart to shift his aim from PCs to gaming, that's a long, steep climb, up against Sony.

Why wait around till Sony does something to gaming, Apple to music and Google to the internet, if you do want to come off as true innovators? The lack of a clear vision and the desire to fight shows on Microsoft. Its become as ugly to IT, as GM, Ford and Chrysler have become to automobiles. At this rate, whatever the next big thing is, there is only one weapon which Microsoft can use to fight it - cash reserves. Word is going around that those things don't last forever!

Buck up Microsoft. Otherwise you will loose.

Google, you need to go back to the days when we used to exchange emails saying, "Hey, did you hear what Google did? Go check it out!" That was your original path to victory. Not a press release everytime someone changes ten lines of code. The thing is, it will crumble the day someone changes the wrong ten lines of code. Take a leaf from Google Print!

1 comment:

khelnayak said...

Yeah...quite agree with u there. And i think yahoo search has also become lot better than what it used to be. But the google name has seeped so deep in our mentality that search engine and google have become synonyms.

PS: I hope you remeber me. :p