01.25.10
Microsoft Fights Google with More FUD, Lawsuits, and Lobbying
Summary: Some of Microsoft’s latest moves against Google, including Google’s endeavours that promote GNU/Linux
AS the battle between Google and Microsoft turns into a battle of office suites/collaboration and operating systems (GNU/Linux versus Windows), Microsoft grows more wary and nervous. It’s not just search that’s at stake anymore, as it’s Microsoft’s jewels (and cash cows) that are finally at risk. Windows revenue was down 40% in the last quarter and Office revenue was also down sharply. Paul Rubens writes about the subject and it is definitely worth pointing out that Microsoft is openly mocking Android/Linux [1, 2] — a mockery that’s indicative of Microsoft’s fear of Google. Microsoft is now publicly mocking another product from Google:
Microsoft Teases Google Over New Storage Service
[...]
Microsoft didn’t miss the opportunity to ‘poke fun’ at the puny online storage capacity offered by the search engine giant and said in a statement that “Just a friendly reminder that Windows Live has been offering its more than 450 million customers 25GB of cloud-based storage space for free through Windows Live SkyDrive since 2008.”
Microsoft just can’t help making fun of Google. It is a bad marketing strategy and IDG’s Microsoft watcher/booster Nancy Gohring is doing her job belittling Microsoft competitors like Google, as usual. But there’s more.
As we mentioned before, Microsoft is suing Google right about now (latest lawsuit among several) and the mainstream press does not miss this. It’s rather blatant this time around:
Eleven-year-old Ciao was in 2005 bought by online market research surveys firm Greenfield, which was in 2008 acquired by Microsoft, which itself is trying to build a web ads operation to rival Google’s.
Apart from this new joke that Microsoft is buying Google for $300 billion, there is also real news about Microsoft losing control of Facebook, in which it put investments (probably in order to block a Google takeover).
Facebook stopped using Microsoft this month to sell graphical banner ads in some international markets. It may also drop those ads in the U.S., Robin Domeniconi, vice president of U.S. ad sales at Microsoft, said yesterday in an interview.
The original report is from Bloomberg.
Lastly, in addition to FUD and lawsuits, Microsoft is lobbying the government very heavily (but so does Google). Bill Gates is visiting the White House very frequently [1, 2] despite claiming to have retired from Microsoft. Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, is currently lobbying for public- and Google-hostile policies and he too visits the White House based on the following new report:
But when it comes to tech executives from the private sector, Google and Microsoft have both done well at getting into the White House. Former Microsoft boss Bill Gates even snared an intimate audience with President Obama back in March 2009 when only three other people were present. Steve Ballmer made three visits over two days to members of the Obama technology team. And Microsoft exec Craig Mundie put in an appearance.
The above article also speaks about Google visits to the White House, which are nonetheless fewer. Microsoft still uses publicity stunts to pressure and daemonise Google, even using Yahoo as a pawn [1, 2] to force Google to change its algorithm’s retention.
Speaking of lobbying, Microsoft seems to be preparing and probably sponsoring some more bogus studies to assist with pressure on politicians.
MICROSOFT: Oil and Gas Pros Rapidly Embracing Social Media and Collaboration Tools, Yet Corporate Policy Lags, According to New
Nearly 75 percent of oil and gas professionals see value in using social media and collaboration tools at work an 83 percent jump from responses in last year’s similar poll but corporatewide endorsement of these tools continues to lag behind, according to a Microsoft Corp. and Accenture (NYSE: ACN | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) survey released today at Microsoft’s Global Energy Forum in Houston.
The Microsoft and Accenture Oil & Gas Collaboration Survey 2010, which surveyed 275 professionals within international, national and independent oil and gas and related companies, found that social media and collaboration technology adoption is primarily a grassroots phenomenon within firms. At the same time, half of those surveyed said their companies prohibit or restrict the use of many of these publicly available tools, such as photo-sharing and social networking sites.
Microsoft is probably trying to sell something or to pass new laws. We will probably see the outcome/s in the coming weeks because there is usually this type of delay. They usually do this sort of stuff for PR and/or lobbying (very recent examples can be found in [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]). █
Komroy said,
January 25, 2010 at 9:34 am
“a mockery that’s indicative of Microsoft’s fear of Google. Microsoft is now publicly mocking another product from Google:”
And you would never ever ever stoop so low to publicly mock another product from Microsoft RIGHT COMROY???
Oh it’s funny that you are as usual so scared of me, and unwilling to face up to you’re litany of lies and FUD, that you have to remove my account from BN.
I guess that is easier than actually being willing to back up you’re wild claims, with you know, things like FACTS OR PROOF LOL..
But not you ROY, (sorry CONROY), you would rather hide behind you’re hate site and spit bile all over the place, for the benifit of you’re own ego.
One day, KOMROY, you will grow up and realise you dont live in a fantacy world. Mabey..
But I guess, you’ll censore me, and try to hide from my comments, as it appears your just not up to confronting me, or explaining to you’re readers why to constantly bend or break the truth for you’re own fun and games.
Yes, it is very bad to mock someone’s product, so I wonder why that is all you seem to do. (while complaining about others doing it).
Ofcource, you’re perfect arn’t you KOMRAD ROY..
So continue with you’re life of hate and bitter dreams, mabey one day, someone will believe you apart from you bestest buddy _Gobel.
But if you had any balls, you would MAN UP to you’re claims, and stop running… but you arnt that much of a man are you COMRAD ROY..
So man up ROY, grow up, and if you think you’re good enough to engage me in a debate, I would be happy to do a JONO on you, and take you to peices. It would be easy.. .But I guess thats why you run away from me.
Just scared,, but I understand that… you know when your beat.
your_friend Reply:
January 25th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Here’s mockery for you. 25 GB of “cloud storage” is smaller than the SD card in my camera. Free software, such as OpenSSH, offers people truly private and virtually unlimited storage capability and has for more than a decade. Once again, Microsoft is clueless about what users want and this is why “Live” “MSN” and all are losers. Microsoft mocks themselves through ignorance and stupidity, all Roy has to do is quote them.
The rest of you message is incomprehensibly stupid abuse. If there’s something you would like to say about something other than your balls, I’m not sure what it is.
your_friend said,
January 25, 2010 at 10:57 pm
Microsoft ignorance mocks itself, as does your rudeness. Here’s a clue, I’ve got more than 25 GB of storage in my camera. It’s like a floppy. Free software users have been able to securely share with their friends using Apache, OpenSSH and other programs for more than a decade. The pitiful storage Microsoft has to offer, Danger style, is not worth the trouble of using their awkward services. They don’t get it and they never will because they are so cravenly selfish and greedy. They can’t stem the flow of their customers to services offered by free software and Google.
The rest of your message is incomprehensibly stupid. Is there something besides your balls that you would like to talk about?
uberVU - social comments said,
January 27, 2010 at 2:50 am
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