Comments on: Hell Bent

By: Chris Zaharias

Chris Zaharias — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 22:36:59 +0000

What Otis said. I worked at Netscape 4 years and know first-hand. Granted, MSFT lied, cheated and leveraged the monopoly all the way to the top of the browser wars, but I don’t think there’s *anyone* who will bet cold hard cash against MSN in their upcoming battles with the likes of Google, no one.

By: Otis

Otis — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 18:59:54 +0000

Sure they can pull it of. What amazes me is how often MSFT is slow to recognize sometihng with a bright future, yet in the end they manage to dominate, despite being late in the game. I don’t like them for ‘technical reasons’, but they sure know how to play the game they are in. In contrast, while very innovative, Apple doesn’t play the business part of the game very well.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 18:51:27 +0000

Classic picture! (and honestly…a little frightening!!)

By: David Berkowitz

David Berkowitz — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 18:41:36 +0000

I still think MS can pull it off. Not saying it's a definite, but it's a definite possibility. Recall the browser wars. It was all Netscape for a few years, and everyone lambasted the Softies for missing the boat. Now it has, what, 95% browser penetration?

They'll get into this search race soon enough.

By: pb

pb — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:39:04 +0000

Amen, Simon. With a track record that includes Outlook Search, Windows Search, MSDN Search, MSN Search and Microsoft.com Search, it is unfathomable that Microsoft could produce a best in class web search. Microsoft simply does not have the DNA to pull it off. They don’t “get” it.

By: Simon Willison

Simon Willison — Thu, 02 Sep 2004 16:26:45 +0000

They certainly talk the talk, but the fact remains that I have yet to see a search engine come out of that company that doesn’t suck, horribly. Actions speak louder than words.