Why is Google Crying foul?

Microsoft Plans to include MSN search as part of IE 7 this was big news but bigger news was Google complaining that it is anti competitive practice and some even claiming that it shows Microsoft is returning to old practices of 90s for which it got wrath from regulators both in US and Europe. Now a day’s Google being darling of press and investors seems to stand for good and everything right and Microsoft stands for evil and everything wrong.

For me it not only looks strange but also I think it is more to do with crowd mentality that has set in,then with reality or facts .Lets take latest search feature issue

Google is the company which started bundling Google search as default home page of Firebox Browser (number 2 browser and is stealing market share from IE) and also has search plug-in for firefox.Ofcourse any user can change default home page and search engine plugin .But the issue is how many common users bother to do so unless search functionality is so bad that users are forced to change it.

But same company (Google) which started this practice is now complaining if Microsoft copies the same feature in its IE browser.Ofcourse you can say the difference is IE has 83% market share compared to 11% of firefox .But then you need to see also that Google has same kind of dominance in search space so if you want cry foul just because IE has huge market share then Google also has the same in search segment. And another piece of information how Google is promoting firefox is Google has referral program by which Google pays 1$ for every successful download of firefox browser through the link advertised by the webpage owner . Thus trying to promote firefox using financial incentive .

For me its simple issue that Google like Microsoft would like to capitalize its search dominance to enter new markets same way as Microsoft used its desktop dominance to gain browser and other sw market share. Which by the way is perfectly ok as companies are their to maximize profits for share holders and not serve humanity .I think it is hard core fact even most though companies claim to the contrary including Google. So lets market forces determine successes in market place in the process if any company uses its strength why cry foul?