Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

It's Monkey Time again at Microsoft

srobert

srobert

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jan 7, 2002
2,062
0
I would'nt have normally brought this article to your attention, and although I'm not fond of microsoft, I'm no microsfoft hater either, BUT! this article kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/03/26/seach.microsoft.ap/index.html

Extracts:

...the pervasive software giant is often stereotyped as "doing it all," he said: "This is a case where we didn't do it all -- and I wish we had."... "I want to make sure [a user] can't get through ... an online experience without hitting a Microsoft ad," he said. ...
Click to expand...

Ok, maybe It's not that bad but I got to chew on something since there is nothing juicy coming out from cupertino.
 
I remember seeing that article posted on Slashdot as well. M$ couldn't innovate, so they'll use their immense power to make sure you see something of theirs. Why are we letting them get away with crap like this?
 
I give Steve Ballmer credit for admitting to an error, that is huge for a large company like Microsoft. It seems that with their resources, they would just purchases one of the current major search engines.
 
Leaving all the Microsoft-bashing and quality discussions aside, I wouldn't use a Microsoft-owned search engine (unless there is no alternative) simply because I believe that there shouldn't be a single company wielding such power. Microsoft is active in so many markets, and clearly has a "must win" mentality in everything it does. I just hope that over-diversification will ultimately lead to its downfall. I don't like the thought of a single company controlling my operating system, business software, media (TV, search engines), ...
 
wdlove said:
I give Steve Balmer credit for admitting to an error
Click to expand...

Yup. He's not used to it.

Last time he told PC users who complained about windows security flaws that it was their fault because. His own mother had no problems because she was installing all the patches and security updates. (or something like that ^_^)

He was kinda right but that's not something a half-decent chief executive should say to it's customers and client.

If you're really bored with Apple News, go read this link. Now that's interesting journalism:

http://boingboing.net/2004_03_01_archive.html
 
can anyone explain to me why microsoft, a software company, needs to play in the internet-search industry? other than the fact that they both deal with software...

i swear, MS would create, compete with, and dominate the field of douches if they could figure a way to put a DRM on it...

paul
 
We still have not been provided with the actual quote. They seem to have hacked his statement up pretty good, and taken it out of context based on thier own notations. Two sets of elipses and a [replaced] word. We may never know what was actally said verbatim.
 
paulwhannel said:
i swear, MS would create, compete with, and dominate the field of douches if they could figure a way to put a DRM on it...
Click to expand...

That was great. It would be even funnier, if it weren't so true.

Remember the internet toilet?
 
paulwhannel said:
i swear, MS would create, compete with, and dominate the field of douches if they could figure a way to put a DRM on it...

paul
Click to expand...


You have a great sense of humor Paul - I just about woke my wife up I was laughing so hard. . .
:)
 
I think it is Microsoft's intention to put search technology and search capabilities inside of Microsoft's OS and application products. For example, you could search all of your companies Word documents without having to put all of the documents on a server and run a search engine over it. Each desktop would provide all the pre-searching and that would be stored in a central location.

Also, in any Microsoft application or OS you could search externally, like an Internet search, complete with ads paid to, of course, Microsoft and not Google.

No, I don't see any unfair advantage, do you? :rolleyes:
 
paulwhannel said:
can anyone explain to me why microsoft, a software company, needs to play in the internet-search industry? other than the fact that they both deal with software...

paul
Click to expand...

Money. Lots.
 
This whole Microsoft jumping into the search engine thing, in conjunction with that story that looking up XFree86 (I believe it's the windowing thing Linux uses) through MSN brings back porn instead of XFree86 got me thinking. What if Microsoft wanted to 'censor' the internet? I know it sounds crazy, but just bear with me.

If there was one search engine that everyone used, and it was run by a company that had other agendas, they would have the power to limit what we can find on the internet. It would be fairly easy to filter out sites that opposed what you were about and the average joe wouldn't know a thing about it.

On top of that, I don't see anything illegal about that. It's a privately owned search that is available to the public. They can make it search how they want.

Just imagine the power this would bring. You would make it very difficult for people to find information about Linux of XFree86, things that don't bode well with your products.

Now, I'm not saying that is what Microsoft is up to. Just keep in mind:

He who controls the search, controls the internet.

P-Worm
 
If MS wants to put ads everywhere, then I'll just redirect *.microsoft.com to localhost :) (just as I do now with *.advertising.com, *.doubleclick.net, etc).
 
wdlove said:
I give Steve Ballmer credit for admitting to an error, that is huge for a large company like Microsoft. It seems that with their resources, they would just purchases one of the current major search engines.
Click to expand...

They're only admitting to an "error" because now they see the money making potential.

AS IF I've been sitting around, hoping and praying that Microsoft would come up with a great search engine. Oh, yes...my experiences with Google have been just terrible...every time I use it I think to myself "When is Microsoft going to come out with their own search engine? I hate using other ones."

They just won't stop, will they - until they friggin OWN the 'net and everything to do with it. Soulless, greedy, attack vulnerable, security hole ridden, herky-jerky user unfriendly non-innovative one-size-fits-all monolpolizing juggernaut force-down-your-throat bullying non-innovative wretched dung heap of a company. :mad:
 
M$ bashing aside, I'm just really glad Google is as strong a performer as it is. It is truly very good at doing what it does for it's users.

That is something M$ have never been able to produce naturally, and I doubt they'll even be able to replicate it, so I don't know who Bulmer is trying to convince. The hordes of sheep who use his stuff I spose. (Sorry, I bashed a bit then).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back