Microsoft built its moral case against antitrust allegations on the argument that restricting their business practices would be restricting their freedom to innovate. The dream goes something like this: After a favorable settlement is reached between the DOJ and Microsoft, Microsoft’s future will be all about enjoying the unfettered ability to innovate, newly validated by the courts. A stirring victory for the grass roots Freedom to Innovate Network!
Strange, then, the moves that have been made since — especially when it comes to Microsoft’s recent obsession with Google:
- Does Microsoft’s Newsbot (announced today) look anything like a poor man’s Google News?
- How about their attempt to one-up Gmail’s 1gb by upping Hotmail’s paid service to 2gb? Most folks choose their email provider based on capacity, right?
- And who can forget Microsoft’s innovative new lightweight MSN Search? Now, it doesn’t look at all familliar, does it?
Instead of taking the lead in challenging Google, Billy’s boys waited for them to have the good ideas and fast-followed, as they’re wont to do. Where’s all this unbridled innovation they promised? It ain’t in their responses to Google’s products, that’s for sure. It doesn’t seem to be in their hoplessly bungled .NET strategy, either. As for Longhorn, we’ll see in 2006 or later…
After the DOJ settlement, then, everything was in place for innovation except, well, the fact that Microsoft don’t do innovation. Go figure.
For more, see Wired’s list, read Pride Before the Fall, or just get Longhorn now.
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