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Gates: Microsoft Not Afraid of Google

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

October 26, 2005, 1:20 PM

In an interview with an Israeli newspaper, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said that his company sees Google as a threat, but is by no means scared of the growing search giant.

Gates, however, did agree with the assessment that Google is Microsoft's primary competitor. But he said company has plans that will take effect over the next six months, which it hopes will cut into the Google's dominance in the Web search market.

"We do not fear Google, but there is intense competition between us," Gates told the paper. He says that he has respect for the people who work there, but search can still be made a lot better than what Google has already achieved.

Microsoft has no plans to make any acquisitions in the search arena anytime soon, Gates added.

Microsoft's chief software architect was in Israel Wednesday to discuss a possible cooperative agreement between the two parties with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "I will discuss with him ways to further advance Israeli technology which is certainly remarkable."

Gates added that he believed that Israel was "part of the Silicon Valley," saying the country was "doing fantastic things in the area of technology."

His meeting is also purely business; Gates deflected political questions thrown at him by the Israeli reporter who conducted the interview. "I read a lot," Gates said about having an understanding of the political problems facing the region.

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By Pegusis2

edited Oct 27, 2005 - 9:38 PM

It's all wonderful to find the stuff you're looking for but it's the darn ads that are thrown at you all the time... and that's what it's all about advertise advertise... Spam! Can't we get something that has No ads? Something that's really worthy of being considered as #1?

When I say no ads I don't mean the company can't have their logo at the top of the pages with their navigation... but there does not need to be a bombardment of Advertising on every single page that is loaded into your browser. Wouldn't it be nice to just read what it is you were looking for with out ad after ad popping or blinking in your face? Just think how supper fast the pages would load than? Who would have the faster search? No one could touch them for their speed... and that's my 2 Cents worth... bla bla bla :o)

Score: 0

By hyperchem

posted Oct 27, 2005 - 9:52 AM

google and microsoft

i hope they gives us the best product

Score: 0

By saifullahbeg

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 10:07 PM

I like google products and services a lot, but i still like microsoft's more. Google is different, but not the way i like it.

Score: 0

By Maxwolf

posted Oct 27, 2005 - 8:49 AM

Why would you even try to put Google against Microsoft? The companies have nothing to do with each other in terms of the technology that they produce. Example? Google made a mark using AJAX in their web apps...but who invented AJAX in the late 90's? Microsoft! They been using it for a while to power that Outlook web applet.

Score: 0

By itanshi

edited Oct 26, 2005 - 5:04 PM

well if ya can't like google for their short comings or MS for that matter, appreciate what they do so well.

and google listens to their fanbase better i'd say. I emailed them a complaint about their search algorythm, i'll decline to say what, but I admit it was childish at best on their part mm wonder if its fixed yet. They did say they'll look into it.

edi - so much for declining
http://i8.photobucket.co...s/a16/itanshi/error.jpg
not fixed yet, been a few months at least
note the 'font' it found in the second result, bad bad bad

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

edited Oct 27, 2005 - 9:55 AM

I think MS is going too overboard in their 'fight' against google. They're asking to be ruled against in their next "illegal use of monopoly" case. Still, MICROSOFT and COMPETITION in the same sentence? MS will improve their products now, so I'm happy.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 4:45 PM

Ahhh... MS Must have gotten a deal on their next load of chairs. Now they're armed to their asse^H^H^H^H^H teeth.

I keed, I keed.

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Oct 27, 2005 - 7:16 PM

It was just a little joke. =D

Score: 0

By grassy

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 4:25 PM

This can only be good for the consumer in the long run. Some more healthy competition and for a change one that MS can't just buy.

As this has the potential to make such an impact on the future direction of computer software I will be watching closely.

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 3:16 PM

Microsoft beat a fruit in the early years of computer marketing, and, in the Bible, "Google" is misspelled as "God." Sorry for the spoiler. I'll take the people making Windows. They have one more chance to make me happy before I work under the power of the penguin. That chance is Vista. If they fail... someone around here knows what I will do.

Score: 0

By kholdstare

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 3:05 PM

so kids the moral of the story is there all crooks

Score: 0

By jerrico

edited Oct 26, 2005 - 3:02 PM

Between Google,Yahoo,and ms I think I will go with Google.I just find it appealing that they are taking the advertisers dollars instead of mine.

Score: 0

By citizen420

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 2:36 PM

" Gates told the paper. He says that he has respect for the people who work there, but search can still be made a lot better than what Google has already achieved.

offcorse he says that, half the ppl at google are ex ms employees:P

Score: 0

By jojosupp

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 1:31 PM

The war between MS and Google, as seen by BN users:

Google, the great invader of privacy
vs.
Microsoft, the corporate monster and greed machine

Personally, I'd rather see MS win. At least they won't collect all the information there is to find about my family and me, and then hold it over my head with sketchy privacy policies.

And hey, Gates donates a crapload of money to all kinds of charities! Would Satan, er Google, give money to fight AIDS? I think not!

Score: 0

By st0mp

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 7:44 PM

hum.. I always read that Yahoo pulls more private info then anyone. then M$. i rember at one time also on M$ was tring to get a update to view other program keys to see if they are valid or not. (other NON M$ products) I know if google would come out with a operating system i would defently be willing to check out.

Score: 0

By asellus

posted Oct 28, 2005 - 4:45 AM

Microsoft has never checked the validty of other product keys apart from Windows. Where did you get that FUD?

Anyway Google or Yahoo or Microsoft has never tried to harvest people's personal data outside the scope of the law. If they does, they would be in the court already.

Score: 0

By Dries

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 2:42 PM

Disconnect your computer(s) from the internet, you're safe then. Neither Google nor MS will see you ;)

Score: 0

By TheBeastH6

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 3:13 PM

What do you know, Deutschland?

Score: 0

By jojosupp

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 2:45 PM

But the government satillites will! WHERE HAVE ALL THE TIN HATS GONE??

Score: 0

By compuoddity

posted Oct 27, 2005 - 4:22 PM

While I don't seek to make my personal information readily availably, I also attempt to:

A. Not participate in activites that would put me in someone's spotlight.
B. Not assume that I am important enough to be in someone's spotlight.
C. Acknowledge that if either A or B were different, I pretty much deserve what I get and it wouldn't matter how much I tried to hide myself.

Score: 0

By MOGua

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 2:22 PM

actually Microsoft does collect your info and they have given them to the government (If I remember correctly, they gave collected information to some EU government and caused quite the controversy some time ago)

oh well, I don't like Google nor MS.

Yahoo! all the way...

...oh wait, they helped the Chinese government put some blogger dude in jail.

Score: 0

By st0mp

posted Oct 26, 2005 - 7:44 PM

hum.. I always read that Yahoo pulls more private info then anyone. then M$. i rember at one time also on M$ was tring to get a update to view other program keys to see if they are valid or not. (other NON M$ products) I know if google would come out with a operating system i would defently be willing to check out.

Score: 0

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