Microsoft-Google Slugfest Continues
Another week, another set of stories on Microsoft and Google. This week, Microsoft
threw another jab at its dominant search rival with the
purchase
of Jellyfish, an online shopping company of some sort. Really, we just like
this story because it contains the following direct quote:
"We purchased Jellyfish.com," Microsoft search and advertising
platform group vice president Alex Gounares said in a written reply to an
AFP inquiry.
Wow, AFP, thanks for keeping things in perspective for us! We might never have
understood what was happening if you hadn't quoted Gounares directly. Anyway,
the more interesting story about the industry's hottest rivalry concerns Microsoft
backing
off of its antitrust stance regarding the Google-DoubleClick deal. Again,
we quote from the story linked, this time from Reuters:
"The question is not for Microsoft to have specific views (on this
deal)...As in all markets, it is for the regulator to see if the competition
is right," Jean-Philippe Courtois, head of Microsoft International, told
journalists in Paris.
Last week, Brad Smith, Microsoft's general counsel, said Google's deal
would make the Web search company "the overwhelmingly dominant pipeline
for all forms of advertising" and it would be "bad for consumers."
Well, never mind, then! Perhaps Microsoft has decided to keep its mouth shut
on antitrust issues given last month's unfavorable ruling from a European Court.
Or maybe Courtois was just being courteous -- which, if we remember correctly,
is what his name means in French.
On the Google side of the fight, the new princes of Silicon Valley are beefing
up their corporate e-mail offering. The fight goes on.
Posted by Lee Pender on October 04, 2007 at 11:54 AM