How rich, then, that Google is realizing Microsoft's biggest ambition of putting information at your fingertips.
CEO Eric Schmidt no doubt recognizes the delicious irony. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he competed against Microsoft while at Sun and Novell. But each time he was the underdog. Now the shoe is on the other foot.
Google earlier this week rolled out even more additions to its already impressive inventory of Web offerings and shows no sign of slowing down. If you're Microsoft, this is bad news in bells. And if you're Yahoo, this is time to sit up and take notice that you're next.
Google's newest feature lets people personalize their home pages with different modules that they can drag and drop across their page. The first run of content providers includes the BBC, The New York Times, Slashdot and Wired, but more will follow. Full RSS support will later be included, and advertising will dot the home page. My Yahoo, meet My Google.
Web surfers obviously like what they see from Google, because they keep returning for more. In the roughly nine months that it's been a public company, Google's been knocking the ball out of the park each quarter. The stock price is headed toward the outer rung of Jupiter, and you've got to wonder whether these guys will ever stub their toes.
Excuse the rhetorical exaggeration. But if there's one constant in the technology business it's that the industry is in a state of permanent flux. So history suggests Google's tumble will come as well. But what beats me is when--next month, or next millennium?
Unlike the phony management teams that stunk up the pre-bubble days, Schmidt and Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are hard-core techies with a passion about their business. What's more, they have figured out a way to flourish within an odd triumverate that I thought would have fractured long ago.
Microsoft's now trying to make up for lost time with new search features and promises of more when the Longhorn operating system arrives late in 2006. I would never underestimate Microsoft, but Google's biggest enemy remains itself.
At times, the company's appetite has overtaken its good sense--Google's tone-deaf handling of the public uproar over Gmail last year being the most telling example. Privacy advocates flipped out when they learned the company was scanning the content of e-mail messages in order to serve up targeted ads. So much for Google's pretentious-sounding "do no evil" dictum.
Even if it was a tempest in a teapot, management's grudging response reminded me of Intel's painful mismanagement of a famous
Biography
Charles Cooper is CNET News.com's executive editor of commentary.
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Google Inc., Eric Schmidt, Yahoo! Inc., Microsoft Corp.
Go look at Yahoo's stock prices during the first 3-4 years of their IPO existance. You'll see identical behaviours to that of Google. Outrageous stock prices for absolutely **no reason what-so-ever**.
The reality of the situation is, people still have dollar signs in their eyes, despite the "dot-com bubble" having burst. I expect in then next 15 years we'll see similar behaviour -- Google's a fantastic stepping stone for history to repeat itself...
Go look at Yahoo's stock prices during the first 3-4 years of their IPO existance. You'll see identical behaviours to that of Google. Outrageous stock prices for absolutely **no reason what-so-ever**.
The reality of the situation is, people still have dollar signs in their eyes, despite the "dot-com bubble" having burst. I expect in then next 15 years we'll see similar behaviour -- Google's a fantastic stepping stone for history to repeat itself...
An online word processor, spreadhseet app, etc., and who needs MS?
Is this where they're going?
An online word processor, spreadhseet app, etc., and who needs MS?
Is this where they're going?
2) Google didn't misplay the GMail controversy, either. In case you missed it, GMail is free. If you don't like the terms, walking is easy. Complaining about it is beyond stupid, it's insulting.
Contrast this with Ticketmaster: if you buy tickets from Ticketmaster via web, you are FORCED to accept spam from them or their partners. It says so right before you click. So, you either call into Ticketmaster by phone, or click through. Which deserves more opprobrium?
3) Kowtowing to the French -- on any point, at any level -- is a mistake. Their methods to preserve their language at all costs makes for head-shaking entertainment at least, but prove serious impediments to business at worst. I don't see the French market for anything being worth the trouble of meeting them even halfway.
France should incubate their own Internet portals if they care so much. That is, if they can find the time to tear themselves away from indolent whining.
-Remo
France should incubate their own Internet portals if they care so much. That is, if they can find the time to tear themselves away from indolent whining."
Not everything in the world comes down to business. Preserving their language and their culture is a worthy goal.
It's the kind of worry that made them the ones who brought up the concept of democracy after Middle Age all the way back from ancient Greece, during the French Revolution, upon which ideals the whole idea of declaring independence from England was based, not to mention the principles of our Constitution.
So, you see, there are other means by which you can have a positive impact on people's lives other than business.
As for Google, an american public company, the fact that they care about France means that their market is not as irrelevant as you stated either, no matter how "don't be evil" Google gets. And they are Google, succesfull corporation, and you are... who?
Finally, France didn't complain about not having French equivalents to Google. They just don't think it's fair that american companies, with global reach throughj the web, jeopardize or insulate other countries cultures.
2) Google didn't misplay the GMail controversy, either. In case you missed it, GMail is free. If you don't like the terms, walking is easy. Complaining about it is beyond stupid, it's insulting.
Contrast this with Ticketmaster: if you buy tickets from Ticketmaster via web, you are FORCED to accept spam from them or their partners. It says so right before you click. So, you either call into Ticketmaster by phone, or click through. Which deserves more opprobrium?
3) Kowtowing to the French -- on any point, at any level -- is a mistake. Their methods to preserve their language at all costs makes for head-shaking entertainment at least, but prove serious impediments to business at worst. I don't see the French market for anything being worth the trouble of meeting them even halfway.
France should incubate their own Internet portals if they care so much. That is, if they can find the time to tear themselves away from indolent whining.
-Remo
France should incubate their own Internet portals if they care so much. That is, if they can find the time to tear themselves away from indolent whining."
Not everything in the world comes down to business. Preserving their language and their culture is a worthy goal.
It's the kind of worry that made them the ones who brought up the concept of democracy after Middle Age all the way back from ancient Greece, during the French Revolution, upon which ideals the whole idea of declaring independence from England was based, not to mention the principles of our Constitution.
So, you see, there are other means by which you can have a positive impact on people's lives other than business.
As for Google, an american public company, the fact that they care about France means that their market is not as irrelevant as you stated either, no matter how "don't be evil" Google gets. And they are Google, succesfull corporation, and you are... who?
Finally, France didn't complain about not having French equivalents to Google. They just don't think it's fair that american companies, with global reach throughj the web, jeopardize or insulate other countries cultures.
Whatever.
Whatever.
- Actually, I like Gmail...
- by takingitdownanotch May 31, 2005 8:16 PM PDT
- Actually I think Google has done a fine job with Gmail. The message tags are a fabulously simple innovation.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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