Only a decade ago, Microsoft was an unrivaled giant in the world of technology. And it trampled over all of its competitors with such monopolistic arrogance that the US government (and the EU) had to file anti-trust lawsuits to curb its unfair business practices.
Therefore, it was as ironic as it was hypocritical when, a few years ago, Microsoft began whining about Google being an unrivaled giant.
Specifically, Microsoft did not think it was fair that Google was such a giant in search engines, with over 70% of all Internet searches. Never mind that Microsoft remained an even bigger giant in operating systems, with over 90% market share.
But such was its Google envy that Microsoft spent years (and billions) trying to create a rival search engine to chip away at Google’s market share. Unfortunately, “bing” has been a bit of a bong.
Then of course there was its ill-fated attempt to mount a hostile takeover of Yahoo to combat Google. This resulted in a relatively hapless partnership, which was consummated last week, whereby Microsoft will “provide the underlying search technology on Yahoo’s most popular sites.”
I am very enthusiastic. This is what I have basically been saying for the past 18 months: The world will be better served for consumers, advertisers and publishers, and there will be more competition for Google, if we can somehow figure out how to get Microsoft and Yahoo together in search…
I got an opportunity to swing for the fences in search.
(Microsoft’s CEO, Steven A. Ballmer)
However, market-share data indicate that this Microsoft-Yahoo partnership, which will account for only 28%, will have about as much impact on Google’s dominance in search as a flea on the butt of an elephant.
That said, by Ballmer’s own reckoning, the world would be better served for consumers if we could break Microsoft’s monopoly in computer operating systems….
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