Google moves toward clash with Microsoft

Advertisement (Why?)

Edging closer to a direct confrontation with Microsoft, Google is preparing to introduce a powerful file and text software search tool for locating information stored on personal computers.

Google's software, which is expected to be introduced soon, according to several people with knowledge of the company's plans, is the clearest indication to date that the company, based in Mountain View, Calif., hopes to extend its search business to compete directly with Microsoft's control of desktop computing. Improved technology for searching information stored on a PC will also be a crucial feature of Microsoft's long-delayed version of its Windows operating system, code-named Longhorn. That version will have a redesigned file system, making it possible to track and retrieve information in ways not currently possible with Windows software. The new operating system, however, won't be available until 2006, at the earliest, and advanced search capabilities won't be in place until 2009.

Google's move is in part a defensive one, because the company is concerned about Microsoft's ability to make searching on the Web as well as on a PC a central part of its operating system. By integrating more search functions into Windows, Microsoft could conceivably challenge Google the way it threatened, and destroyed, an earlier rival, Netscape, when it incorporated Web browsing into the Windows 98 operating system. A Google representative declined to comment about the new search tool. Although Google's core business rests on huge farms of server computers that permit fast searching on the Internet, the company has already taken several steps to move beyond that business.

News source: C|Net News.com

Updates

** 42 Windows XP Pre-Service Pack 2 Critical Updates
** 31 Windows XP Pre-Service Pack 2 Recommended Updates
** 07 Internet Explorer Updates
** 03 Outlook Express Updates
** Bootvis Tool (version 1.3.37)
** Euro Conversion Tool
** MSN Messenger 6.2.0133 w/ Option to uninstall Windows Messenger 4.7
** Windows Messenger 5.0.0482 (if you chose not to install MSN Messenger)
** Microsoft Virtual Machine w/ 2 Updates
** Sun Java 1.4.2_04 (for those running SP1a or SP1)
** Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 1.2
** Microsoft Data Access Components 2.8 w/ 1 Update
** Microsoft DirectX 9.0b w/ 1 Update & Optional Control Panel Shortcut
** Microsoft Jet 4.0 Service Pack 8
** Microsoft Jet 4.0 Service Pack 8 Replication Update
** Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 w/ 1 Update
** Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool
** Microsoft Windows Journal Viewer
** Windows XP PowerToys (including 8 Bonus Powertoys)
** Microsoft XML 3.0 SP4
** Microsoft XML 4.0 SP2
** Windows Media Player 9 w/ Update to Build 3128 & 8 other Updates & Enhancements
** Windows Movie Maker 2.0
** Windows Rights Management Client 1.0
** 3D Windows XP ScreenSaver
** Adaptec ASPI Layer for Windows XP
** Bliss Screensaver
** Microsoft American Flag ScreenSaver
** Device Manager Shortcut to All Programs Menu
** Desktop Icon Restore Tool
** Windows Media Player Classic version 6.4.8.2
** Microsoft Virtual CD Tool
** Google Toolbar
** Ink Redist
** PortReporter Tool
** Euro Fonts Update
** Hive Cleanup tool
** Ability to remove ASP.Net Uset Account
** Ability to remove all Windows XP ScreenSavers
** Ability to remove all Win9x based Wallpapers
** Ability to remove all Windows XP Wallpapers
** IE Spy-Ad
** Optional Internet Explorer Spellcheck tool
** System Uptime Tool
** Macromedia Flash Player
** Macromedia Shockwave Player
** MSN Plus 2.5.4
** Neowin Screensaver (XP logon Hack)
** Microsoft NZ Bliss Wallpaper
** Option to replace update 8-Bit Shutdown and Logoff Icons on Windows Classic Theme
** Startup Monitor
** Startup CPL
** UxTheme.dll Patcher (so you can use custom themes)
** 60 Registry Tweaks
** And Much More!!

#1 Varsity on 19 May 2004 - 16:09

Yeah, but does the average home user need something as powerful as Google to search their computer? Large companies maybe, but home users?

(3 replies) #2 ec4912 on 19 May 2004 - 16:21

I think it's a good move by Google. They are taking a shot a Microsoft instead of just doing nothing and then trying to sue when they get ran out of business.

#2.1 kingius on 20 May 2004 - 10:01

lol

#2.2 kingius on 20 May 2004 - 10:01

#2.3 BOOGSoftball™ on 28 May 2004 - 14:22

Well, microsoft is working on a search engine, too...face off!

(5 replies) #3 berger on 19 May 2004 - 16:25

I have a feeling that Microsoft will indeed try and Nestscape Google, at least in effect, so this is a good move by Google to put Microsoft on the defensive. It would be cool to see that when Longhorn debues, Google already has a far superior personal computer search engine thats well established.

#3.1 Knight' on 19 May 2004 - 17:57

How can they "Netscape" Google, Google is free?

#3.2 markjensen on 19 May 2004 - 21:06

I think he was referring to Microsoft including a feature as a 'built-in' that has the same function as a third-party's software application. It doesn't matter if Google is free. Netscape was/is free, too. Many people aren't going to want to have two pieces of software installed to perform one function.

#3.3 STV on 19 May 2004 - 22:30

if i am not mistaken, one of the main reasons that netscape fell was because it was slower and you needed to pay for the browser. oh sure, over time the netscape navigator became free.

STV

#3.4 Zatko55 on 20 May 2004 - 01:12

Nothing is free

#3.5 JaggedFlame on 20 May 2004 - 03:53

Sure it is.

(3 replies) #4 area91 on 19 May 2004 - 17:22

I really don’t think Google wants to piss of Microsoft. Yes Google is well known, but which one of these companies has over 46 billion in the bank?

#4.1 STV on 19 May 2004 - 17:39

i think it is more like 53 billion, but to some extent, i do agree that they are not trying to piss off microsoft. but at most, this will just be something of an add-on and probably not something that is integrated into the entire system (at least i dont think so). but anyways, i think the whole WinFS thing will be much better, but there is no evidence to support that statement, so i guess we'll just have to wait and see.

STV

#4.2 Mav Phoenix on 19 May 2004 - 19:56

Last I heard Gates himself was over 100 billion not sure how that relates to MS as a whole though.

#4.3 STV on 19 May 2004 - 22:29

im not sure, but that company and its cofounder are wildly successful and have a lot in the bank as well as a lot in the market. so...microsoft is worth way more than they have in the bank. it is actually quite funny when you hink about it, gates almost has as much money as his company.

STV

(1 reply) #5 Red Dragon on 19 May 2004 - 17:41

I'm getting tired of the vonage ads blocking all the text on one side of the story.

#5.1 ec4912 on 20 May 2004 - 11:33

lol! I thought it was just me!

(3 replies) #6 CarlNewton on 19 May 2004 - 18:22

Haha! Great! Google have to be the best company in the world

Before you know it, Google Operating System!

#6.1 bush on 19 May 2004 - 19:40

mean GOS ? sounds good, actually

#6.2 STV on 19 May 2004 - 22:40

google, at this point is mainly a company that makes a search engine. what does a google os have to do with this?

STV

#6.3 BOOGSoftball™ on 28 May 2004 - 14:22

GOS? Oy.

(4 replies) #7 Jugalator on 19 May 2004 - 19:20

This kind of software isn't really new...

www.x1.com

That tool will let you search through files, contacts and e-mail as quickly as you type each letter. The downside is that when the indexing service runs, the hard drive starts trashing. It's especially bad the first time you run the software as it builds the index from scratch.

But it's *very* cool when it's up and running, you can even do context searches.
Why wait for WinFS when instant searches are available today?

The search results are narrowed down as quickly as you type each letter. No search delays whatsoever. Even if it has indexed your hard drive. I'm not kidding.

#7.1 STV on 19 May 2004 - 19:31

because winFS will be part of the OS and such, integrated, not just tacked on.

STV

#7.2 Mav Phoenix on 19 May 2004 - 19:58

True, but most things in computing (the better solutions usually) are tacked on. I'm eager to see WinFS in action but it's still so far off.

#7.3 brianshapiro on 19 May 2004 - 20:08

A lot of the appeal of the different services in Longhorn is that they're based in XML and .NET and will be integrated with each other. Not that there hasn't been anything like them before. Am I right

#7.4 STV on 19 May 2004 - 22:36

things like that have been there, but the main thing is the integration. these new APIs will allow developers to use one programming model to do an array of different things. today, in windows, you may need to use MFC, COM(+), .NET, ATL, and etc... just to do some things that would be easier if everything were tightly integrated.

this is more of an evolution of the windows operating system, this is a sign of it "coming of age" maturity, and to be honest it is very exciting.

the one of the many great things about microsoft is its ability to take a lot of existing ideas and make them more usable and rich (my opinion, dont shoot me).

STV

Last edited by 40230 on 19 May 2004 - 22:43

(2 replies) #8 brianshapiro on 19 May 2004 - 20:05

MSN search is already "integrated" as the Search bar in IE. I wonder what Google (and people who say they should do this) fears will be done in Longhorn to make it more integrated and drive Google out of business. And how is this defensive towards Microsoft, its more offensive.

BTW, before Microsoft announced it was integrating IE into Windows, Netscape and Sun were working on a plan to turn Netscape Navigator into an OS in order to crush Windows. They weren't sitting back either

#8.1 STV on 19 May 2004 - 22:37

you can easily change this setting in IE.

STV

#8.2 brianshapiro on 19 May 2004 - 23:14

I know you can . I'm just wondering what Microsoft can do to integrate their search more--making it unchangeable isn't going to matter since most people don't have it changed already they just go to google.com its easy. Am I missing something, because it doesn't seem Microsoft can do anything more to shut out google and what theyve done so far doesn't seem effective towards that

#9 cracell~ on 19 May 2004 - 21:09

google has the ability to play with microsoft, it has shown recently by the many services it is adding and testing that it is a major player, microsoft can hurt google right now but not kill it, google knows this, but it also knows that longhorn will change the game, thus it wants to get some control

these next few years will be interesting

#10 Jackalo on 19 May 2004 - 23:52

You need to take out the extra "http://" from the link at the end of the first paragraph.

#11 theh0g on 20 May 2004 - 08:06

Go Google, go! I think this is one great company many others should look up to and learn. Even on news/community sites like this, no one ever has any bad word against them, really amazing.

#12 pctuk on 20 May 2004 - 08:25

Avafind is another fantastic tool for searching your hard disk incredibly quickly. A quick shift+escape and start typing a filename. Very simple, very effective, not sure how I'd manage without it.

(1 reply) #13 scoobydoobie on 20 May 2004 - 10:59

QUOTE

compete directly with Microsoft's control of desktop computing

Why do people feel the need to over react to something? It's a freaking search engine. How is that competing for the desktop?

#13.1 BOOGSoftball™ on 28 May 2004 - 14:22

lol...exactly. We all need a little perspective.

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Neowin.net