Ballmer: Microsoft has discussed Google's practices with 'competition authorities'

Shawn Knight

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Outgoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently spoke to those in attendance at the company’s financial analysts meeting. The executive used some of his time to discuss how Microsoft could generate revenue through consumer services like Google does. "They have this incredible, amazing, dare I say monopoly that we are the only person left on the planet trying to compete with," he said.

When asked how Microsoft could go after Google’s advertising and search dominance, Ballmer said they were the only people in the world trying – referring of course to the Bing search engine. That’s essentially true - at least in the US - as Yahoo signed a deal with Microsoft way back in 2009 that would see Bing power Yahoo Search.

Ballmer had plenty more to say about Bing but first, he wanted to clear the air with regards to Google. He said he believes that Google’s practices are worthy of discussion with competition authority and Microsoft has done just that. Ballmer noted he doesn’t believe their practices are getting less meritorious of discussion.

These bad practices Ballmer mentions have been highlighted in the public eye through various “Scroogled” campaigns although it’s unclear if the ads have had any real impact on the general public’s opinion of Google.

It’s all a bit ironic really to hear Microsoft cry monopoly when not all that long ago (the late 1990s), the US government accused them of anti-trust violations. Everything of course was settled yet here we are 15 years later where a market shift has turned the stakes against Microsoft.

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Ah Karma, what a patient and long-armed ***** thou art...

I find it funny that this article comes right after one where Google made their QuickOffice free...
 
Maybe it's just the green background messing with me, but anyone ever notice how much Ballmer looks like a turtle?
 
Everything of course was settled yet here we are 15 years later where a market shift has turned the stakes against Microsoft.
It's not a market shift, it's a different market; it's Search, not a browser war. This isn't about Chrome being a monopoly like IE was.


Ah Karma, what a patient and long-armed ***** thou art...

I find it funny that this article comes right after one where Google made their QuickOffice free...

If MS were complaining about QuickOffice that would be much more ironic given that making IE free was what killed Netscape and gave them the monopoly they were busted for years ago.

But MS is complaining about Search, and I don't think it's two-faced of them to call attention to Google just because MS got busted for anti-trust issues years ago. MS had to have the justice department looking over their shoulder for 9 years after that IE/Netscape thing, and I don't see a problem with them making some noise to make sure others follow the rules that they were punished for breaking.

Of course you'd think MS would keep their mouths shut just in case Google wanted to point out the little monopolies that MS does still have like Windows and Office. Google should be happy with Windows and Office owning their markets and MS should keep quiet about Google and search. That would be fair... Sorta.
 
Of course you'd think MS would keep their mouths shut just in case Google wanted to point out the little monopolies that MS does still have like Windows and Office. Google should be happy with Windows and Office owning their markets and MS should keep quiet about Google and search. That would be fair... Sorta.

That was sort of what I was thinking, and why it struck me as funny (coincidental, but funny) about the order of the articles... Heh.
 
Maybe it's just the green background messing with me, but anyone ever notice how much Ballmer looks like a turtle?

He sure does in that picture. I think he either makes an abnormal amount of strange expressions or he's purposely targeted to be made to look foolish. Remember when Michelle Bachmann was on the cover of Newsweek with a photo that was what I believe journalists call a 'misfire' You know, when you're sorta smiling, but looking kinda weird. It's a good way to show subtle (or not so subtle) bias against someone.

If you hold the shutter button down on a capable camera you're bound to get some goofy looking shots of just about anyone. Just ask Hugh Jackman
 
Maybe it's just the green background messing with me, but anyone ever notice how much Ballmer looks like a turtle?
Yeah, you're right, sort of. But to me, really more like a turtle's face drawn on a p*nis.

They've already got him on a green screen. Maybe they should glue tracking ping pong balls to his head, and make digitally animated cartoon out of him........
 
Let's see..... DrDos, Os2 Warp all at the time that Microsoft Dos & Windows 3.1 were around and was the 600 pound gorilla in the room. Now Ballmer is whining about Google?


"They have this incredible, amazing, dare I say monopoly that we are the only person left on the planet trying to compete with,"
 
Boo-fscking-hoo!

Lets concentrate on our competitors and ignore that we (MSFT) cannot execute worth a damn anymore, and our own markets (Corporates that are locked-in to server, desktop, and office.) are withering after years of monopoly abuse.

Attempting to mimic Apple's and Google's playbooks is working out disastrously, which is exactly how it should be when attempting to shamelessly mimic companies that succeed, without adding any value whatsoever.
 
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