I have to say, the more I stare at Google and the other players (and I’m doing a lot of staring lately), the more a strategy of differentiation-by-not-diversifying seems to make sense for Google. And in fact, Google’s halting on-the-one hand, on-the-other-hand approach to portal-like apps (mail, orkut, froogle, commercial search integration) belie a persistent case of Strategic Indecisivitis. The problem: it makes no sense for a public company to focus only on Search, as it hitches your revenue wagon to a one trick pony. No wonder the debate about going pubic was so contentious, and the ultimate framing around it so tortured.
(tip to Andy and IDentity and Greg Linden.)