Is Google the new Microsoft?

Only a few years ago, Internet companies were lining up to join forces against the Redmond empire. Is it possible that Microsoft is now employing the same tactic against Google?

Last month, reports were widely circulated about a possible alliance between MSN and AOL, a deal that would have been inconceivable in years past. Yesterday, Microsoft decided to bury an old hatchet with RealNetworks and begin a new "collaborative relationship." Then today, the software giant announced that it will link its instant messaging network with rival Yahoo's, an important development in a contentious issue that has persisted for years.

It could be that Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and company have fallen under some magic spell and suddenly want to live in harmony alongside its long-standing rivals. Or Microsoft could be putting in place the pieces of a larger strategy against the company that it apparently views as its most formidable threat today: Google.

Blog community response:

"I could not be more depressed. THIS WILL BE THE DEATH TOLL FOR MSN MESSENGER AND YAHOO MESSENGER THAT GOOGLE IS PRAYING FOR. HOW COULD THEY BE SO FRICKING STUPID!?!?"
--netnomad's blog & grill

"Whether MSN plans any JV with AOL or not, this is a good defensive move for all parties to counter Google's attempt to enter the space. While it may be a bad attempt by Google to date, we have all learned from Microsoft that we should never say that a company with billions of dollars in the bank 'doesn't get it.'"
--ReveNews

"This is probably meant to counter the threat posed by software like Skype, or Trillian and GAIM, or the new Google Talk! which allow voice chat and simultaneous connection to multiple networks. But personally I'd rather use something like GAIM that can connect to all the available chat networks, like Jabber and Google, than just a two network service."
--Status Quo