Microsoft will win in the battle for the internet
According to an article from libertad digital (spanish) Steve Ballmer, of Microsoft has said that Microsoft will defeat their rivals, Google and Yahoo for dominance on the web. A more direct translation of the article headline says to me “Ballmer asures that Microsoft will win the war for dominion of the web.”
They tout the new releases of products coming up, Windows Vista heading into Beta release, Windows Mobile 5 and Office 12 as exciting things to come in the next year, but he emphasizes that Microsoft will dominate the net in the coming months. He continues “We’re going to win on the web…. it’s a work priority for our company.” “If you look at the last ten years, you notice that we’ve won in the office. I think many people could rightly say now that we’ve succeeded with Windows Server, to win in the business sector. And now, really, we’re going to win the web.”
I find it interesting that the article notes that the first beta release of Internet Explorer 7 prevents the Google and Yahoo toolbars from functioning and interferes with Instant Messenger software such as Trillian, Gaim, and IM2.
Now, my spanish may not be great, but I find the attitude disturbing.
I think a future with one company “dominating” such an important sector is troubling. That is one reason I think Linux is an important alternative to Microsoft in the desktop space, as is Apple and any of the BSD variations. Usually competition in a marketplace is a great thing for consumers. One entity “dominating” the marketplace is the kind of situation where consumers do not usually benefit. I hope this is just more swagger and “cheerleading” from Ballmer and not a foretelling of what the future holds.
By the way, GOOGLE translation of the article can be found here