Google in trouble?

[bragac200]

It seems to me that now that Microsoft has gotten its ducks in a row - Vista development is back on track, SQL Server/Visual studio are released, Xbox 360 is pretty much out of the gate - that they are now diverting attention towards Google.

Check out page 2 of this article:

http://www.bentuser.com/article.aspx?ID=320

I think it sums up the dangers to Google pretty nicely. Google will still be in business next week, but it seems that in the 3-4 year timeframe they could be in serious trouble.

 

[simms]

Everything that MSN is *planning* on offering is already out by Google. Yes, we will all probably try the new items when they are released, but we have brand loyalty - much like in the sense that Google Talk is out, yet we all still use AIM or MSN.

We use what works best.

Google is still the best at what it does and offers. When you say that MSN, Live, Start, Encarta, Expedia or MSN Maps are outperforming Google's relative sector, then we'll talk.

 

[bragac200]

My point was that Microsoft is no longer pre-occupied with these other products. I never said Xbox 360 competes with Google - obviously that would be ridiculous.

 

[simms]

Originally posted by: bragac200
My point was that Microsoft is no longer pre-occupied with these other products. I never said Xbox 360 competes with Google - obviously that would be ridiculous.

Sorry, from your reasons I misread that.

 

[everman]

Google will be bigger than ever in 3-4 years, not out of business. I can't see Google being ousted by MS because they finally decided to play catch-up to Google.

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

they have the cash and the programmers sitting around. google has nothing compared to microsoft's resources. lately i've been seeing more and more people use msn search instead of google

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: simms
Everything that MSN is *planning* on offering is already out by Google. Yes, we will all probably try the new items when they are released, but we have brand loyalty - much like in the sense that Google Talk is out, yet we all still use AIM or MSN.

We use what works best.

Google is still the best at what it does and offers. When you say that MSN, Live, Start, Encarta, Expedia or MSN Maps are outperforming Google's relative sector, then we'll talk.

Expedia's driving directions are _by far_ the best I've seen on the web. For maps without directions though, I do go to Google.

ZV

 

[Ornery]

I'll use what works best, no matter who makes it. Anybody remember Lotus 123, dBase, Netscape or Word Perfect?

 

[dugweb]

google has done great things... but it seems the estimated life-expectancy of a .com company is only so long. who knows if google can hang on forever

 

[cruiser1338]

So basically it's about 11 months before MSN catches up with Google, but it will never be as easy to use, as clutterfree, and as ad-free (google not completely, but not very noticable). And no-one will be saying "I'll go and MSN this." or "MSN it." Google has become a part of everyday life, MSN won't.

 

[Xyo II]

I stopped using msn and yahoo search a long time ago, because they are nothing compared to google. have you used some of the advanced features? As a calculator, converting mm to feet, etc, there are some pretty cool things there. There are only 2 other search engines I use: Scirus, for scientific info, and occasionally alltheweb. I mean, I usually get the info I want right away, every single time, when I use google, and I am sure almost everyone will agree, we all use google more than once daily. froogle and their video/photo searches arent quite as good, but they're still in beta, and can only get better. IMO

 

[Rayden]

The day I'm waiting for is GoogleOS. Then we can discuss which company begins to feel a little fear.

 

[upsciLLion]

See here.

 

[DaWhim]

Gates himself said google will dominate the search business in the coming two years until they catch up with google.

a very long article about search engines.
http://www.zeit.de/online/2005/41/suchmaschinen_en?page=all

 

[bragac200]

Hey Einstein Element,

You should really try the new MSN Search. Try searching for the following phrases (without quote marks): "How many calories are in spinach?" "Who shot JFK?" "What is the population of France?" "x^2+3=5"

I think you'll find that they have actually caught up much, much faster than you would think (although Yahoo is still fairly mediocre).

 

[JonnyStarks]

Originally posted by: Einstein Element
I stopped using msn and yahoo search a long time ago, because they are nothing compared to google. have you used some of the advanced features? As a calculator, converting mm to feet, etc, there are some pretty cool things there. There are only 2 other search engines I use: Scirus, for scientific info, and occasionally alltheweb. I mean, I usually get the info I want right away, every single time, when I use google, and I am sure almost everyone will agree, we all use google more than once daily. froogle and their video/photo searches arent quite as good, but they're still in beta, and can only get better. IMO

Woah, thanks for the direction to Scirus!!

 

[Mo0o]

It's going to be hard to totally beat out google but it would be foolish to dismiss msft's chances

 

[her209]

Will Microsoft have an image search as well?

 

[eflat]

Originally posted by: bragac200
It seems to me that now that Microsoft has gotten its ducks in a row - Vista development is back on track, SQL Server/Visual studio are released, Xbox 360 is pretty much out of the gate - that they are now diverting attention towards Google.

Check out page 2 of this article:

http://www.bentuser.com/article.aspx?ID=320

I think it sums up the dangers to Google pretty nicely. Google will still be in business next week, but it seems that in the 3-4 year timeframe they could be in serious trouble.

Microsoft could not and will not touch google.

Really I think the reign of Microsoft is coming to an end.

Apple is going to increase their marketshare from the 3% they are at now to 10 and then I say 20% in the next five to seven years. Really they already got me on their bandwagon. And six months ago I would never have touched an Apple product.

Open source software is getting bigger and bigger. Firefox has already put a big dent in internet explorer. And so will Apple Safari in the coming years.

If folks are not using ie, they are not going to be forced to use Microsoft's search technology and they will always be playing catch up to google.

Microsoft stopped innovating in any substantial sort of way a long time ago.

Now we just have so sit back and watch the Roman Empire crumble. It will be quite a show, I predict. Get a nice padded chair and a big gulp.

 

[Injury]

The problem with microsoft is that they sit around and wait for google to come up with the ideas, meanwhile Google is also working on competition for MS's big draws.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

MSN is way too cluttered compared to Google for me to use it, and I think a lot of other people think the same thing. I doubt Google will be going down for quite a while.

 

[eflat]

Originally posted by: Rayden
The day I'm waiting for is GoogleOS. Then we can discuss which company begins to feel a little fear.

Heh I think we have enough OS's on our hands.

It would be neat to see a company embrace Linux in a big way and bring it to consumers and not just the business community.

Three OS's makes sense just like there are three video games systems.

Nintendo, Playstation and, well, Microsoft.

Microsoft, Apple and Linux.

Three seems to be the magic number. Anything more and it would be a mess.

Microsoft sure was successful sneaking into the video game business though. Although the Xbox just never seemed like the well rounded product it could have been.

 

[eflat]

Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy
MSN is way too cluttered compared to Google for me to use it, and I think a lot of other people think the same thing. I doubt Google will be going down for quite a while.

Google is a lot like Apple in that respect. They both understand the concept of simplicity.

Microsoft does not.


Google makes quite a statement with their search page: One search bar, no ads, no mess.

The exact oppose of what yahoo had become. I think Microsoft will make a similar gaudy mess of it. And Microsoft is simply too serious to infuse any humor into their website like google. "I feel lucky" -- Could Microsoft even come up with an idea this funny and simple and get away with implementing it in either their OS or their search system. I do not think so.

However, I do think it will be a viable threat to Google as long as Microsoft is omnipresent like it is now. Really if MSN search is easier to find in windows than IE search my dad is not going to bother using google just because a bunch of computer nerds say it is better. And he representing the mainsteam.

 

[magomago]

I think google is in trouble. Microsoft controls the desktop so it can control the portals that people use. I've seen people just use microsoft's services because it is supplied and works "well enough". Doesn't matter if googly is top notch, so as long as MSN search works well, or other services are offered and set as default Microsoft will chip away

 

[Avalon]

I still like to use Yahoo because my email and news is right there on the front page, but Google rocks for image searches, Google local, and video