The New York Times reports that Google has filed a complaint against Microsoft. Basically, Google contends that Microsoft’s new operating system discourages competition. Vista includes built-in search, which rivals Google’s program that indexes your desktop. Since Vista’s search cannot be turned off, Google’s ability to compete is threatened. That’s the gist of the complaint.
I use Google Desktop on my Windows XP machine at home, and I couldn’t survive without it. At work, where I use Vista, the built in search changes the way I interact with the computer. When I start typing, it brings up documents, programs and folders that I might be looking for. That is how an operating system should work. I love the new feature and there is no way I’d install Google Desktop at work (even if I didn’t work for Microsoft).
Google’s complaint makes no sense to me. They have intentionally defined their market as filling the gaps in the operating system. It seems that they, having conquered desktop search, are the ones looking to maintain a monopoly on that niche. Of course Vista has a right to add new improvements to their OS. How else could any progress be made? Mac OS has excellent built in search, and no one in their right mind would consider challenging them on their search functionality.
I’m a big believer in competition and its ability to breed progress. I hope that Google, founded on that very idea, can maintain their original focus.
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