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Remember when we all were happy that Google was finally starting to break down the Microsoft monopoly? And then they ended up becoming a way, way worse monopoly

Remember when we all were happy that Google was finally starting to break down the Microsoft monopoly? And then they ended up becoming a way, way worse monopoly? Good times.

scarface74 6y ago
You mean like in 2000 when Microsoft dominated the operating system and office productivity market and when they were one of the top five most valuable companies in the US? How things have changed thanks to government intervention and Google....
- criddell 6y ago
  You aren't going to lay any of the blame at Ballmer's feet?
  - scarface74 6y ago
    I was being sarcastic. Microsoft still has about the same dominance in two of the areas where antitrust was concerned - computer operating systems and productivity. The third was the browser. No one cares about browser dominance except for Google because of advertising.
    - criddell 6y ago
      I think your statement is right. Things really have changed.
missedthecue 6y ago
the great thing about tech monopolies is that there are so many of them
jefftk 6y ago
How is Google a way, way worse monopoly than Microsoft was? (Disclosure: I work for Google now, and I think I would not have worked for Microsoft 20 years ago)
- iphone_elegance 6y ago
  I'd say they are about equal, the current croup has gone unchecked way longer though way too big way too consolidated and suffocating to innovation and progress; now this sounds like gibberish but at the end of the day things are a lot less 'dynamic', 'fluid' and 'creative' because of their current positions.. yeah there are still alternatives but they are vanishing and almost just allowed exist at the whims of the current leaders; fuck most of our current 'technology' is what it is because it's what serves amazon,google,facebook,apple,microsoft the best it's great for them and their businesses bad for the nation and we really should be thinking about the nation
- ThrowawayR2 6y ago
  Microsoft just wanted to be paid its OS and apps, not so different from anyone else selling a product. Sure, they wanted dominance but who doesn't? Google certainly can't credibly claim that. Google is inserting itself into every aspect of communication and information retrieval on the Internet to build a profile of people so that it can better cram targeted ads into their faces. Both the privacy aspect and the advertising aspect are troubling.
  - bigmanwalter 6y ago
    The end result of Microsoft wanting to dominate OS is equivalent to Google wanting to dominate communication; through monopoly of a resource they are able to charge a tax to all users of consumer technology.
    - ThrowawayR2 6y ago
      > "The end result of Microsoft wanting to dominate OS is equivalent to Google wanting to dominate communication; through monopoly of a resource they are able to charge a tax to all users of consumer technology." I agree with you and the other Google employee who brought up EEE; Neither Google nor Microsoft is better than the other in that regard. What I am saying is that Google's broad collection of personal data (over which the public has minimal visibility or control) and their focus on advertising (not really a societal good by any measure) adds on top of their desire for monopoly to clearly make Google the bigger problem.

Remember when we all were happy that Google was finally starting to break down the Microsoft monopoly? And then they ended up becoming a way, way worse monopoly? Good times.

scarface74 6y ago

You mean like in 2000 when Microsoft dominated the operating system and office productivity market and when they were one of the top five most valuable companies in the US? How things have changed thanks to government intervention and Google....

criddell 6y ago
You aren't going to lay any of the blame at Ballmer's feet?
- scarface74 6y ago
  I was being sarcastic. Microsoft still has about the same dominance in two of the areas where antitrust was concerned - computer operating systems and productivity. The third was the browser. No one cares about browser dominance except for Google because of advertising.
  - criddell 6y ago
    I think your statement is right. Things really have changed.

missedthecue 6y ago

the great thing about tech monopolies is that there are so many of them

jefftk 6y ago

How is Google a way, way worse monopoly than Microsoft was? (Disclosure: I work for Google now, and I think I would not have worked for Microsoft 20 years ago)

iphone_elegance 6y ago
I'd say they are about equal, the current croup has gone unchecked way longer though way too big way too consolidated and suffocating to innovation and progress; now this sounds like gibberish but at the end of the day things are a lot less 'dynamic', 'fluid' and 'creative' because of their current positions.. yeah there are still alternatives but they are vanishing and almost just allowed exist at the whims of the current leaders; fuck most of our current 'technology' is what it is because it's what serves amazon,google,facebook,apple,microsoft the best it's great for them and their businesses bad for the nation and we really should be thinking about the nation
ThrowawayR2 6y ago
Microsoft just wanted to be paid its OS and apps, not so different from anyone else selling a product. Sure, they wanted dominance but who doesn't? Google certainly can't credibly claim that. Google is inserting itself into every aspect of communication and information retrieval on the Internet to build a profile of people so that it can better cram targeted ads into their faces. Both the privacy aspect and the advertising aspect are troubling.
- bigmanwalter 6y ago
  The end result of Microsoft wanting to dominate OS is equivalent to Google wanting to dominate communication; through monopoly of a resource they are able to charge a tax to all users of consumer technology.
  - ThrowawayR2 6y ago
    > "The end result of Microsoft wanting to dominate OS is equivalent to Google wanting to dominate communication; through monopoly of a resource they are able to charge a tax to all users of consumer technology." I agree with you and the other Google employee who brought up EEE; Neither Google nor Microsoft is better than the other in that regard. What I am saying is that Google's broad collection of personal data (over which the public has minimal visibility or control) and their focus on advertising (not really a societal good by any measure) adds on top of their desire for monopoly to clearly make Google the bigger problem.