

The next Google - peter123
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/05/the-next-google.html

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arien
>> If Microsoft adds a few features and they prove popular, how long precisely
will it take Google to mirror or even leapfrog those features?

Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. Competition is the key to progression
and innovation, which results in good things for us, the end users.

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peregrine
While competition drives companies to innovate, in my own opinion, I do not
think that is the case for Google...

Google has had the marketplace on lock down for years now and they continue
without competition to create and improve their products. Google tends to copy
ideas and improve them, or create all new ideas all together and nearly every
time they do it they add some innovations that nobody even thought about.

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zandorg
As a public company, they want to not compete, but improve and expand into new
markets (growth). So in effect, they're in competition with themselves!

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froo
Quote from Seth

 _In fact, I can't think of one successful online brand that was built with
cash._

Well it depends on your definition of success (either market position or
financial), but Paypal would definitely fit that bill.

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mojuba
Judging from this ad - <http://www.decisionengine.com/> \- Bing is nothing
more than just Wolfram Alpha for shopping addicts. Looking for "digital
camera"? Microsoft is convinced if you enter this phrase you want to buy one,
but not that you are interested how digital cameras work or maybe their
history. "Spain"? Of course you may enter "Spain" only if you are planning a
trip.

Excuse me, Microsoft, but this is not the _next thing_ that I expect from the
Internet. Internet is not just for spending money.

P.S. The name is probably "Bing Is Not Google" rather than "But it's not
Google".

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Silentio
Does MS make any money on search?

I ask because I wonder if they are trying to kill/replace/be the next Google
at all. Obviously Steve Ballmer would love for MS to knock off Google at the
head of search, but it would be nice for their search offering to be
profitable first, wouldn't it? Or maybe I just don't understand business.

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meterplech
i think the right strategy for microsoft would be buy 10-20 start ups with new
ideas that may or may not fail. if they fail, microsoft gets brilliant start
up founders as employees, not so bad, if they succeed, you get better
innovation than in house. because this article is right, people are not
switching from google

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datums
I think part of the message is "Lead don't always follow".

