It’s amazing to me that Google could launch in 1998 and become the totally dominant worldwide search engine within just a few years. Onestat.com announced this week that Google handles 56% of all queries worldwide.
The search engine wars will continue and intensify as Microsoft prepares to introduce Longhorn, its next operating system, in 2006.
The big question is “Will Google get Netscaped?”
Will Microsoft incorporate search into its operating system in a way that will virtually eliminate the need for Google?
I’ve been thinking that it might happen, but then Google made a brilliant move. Google introduced its DeskBar download, a search tool that doesn’t require a browser to run.
The moment I heard about this I realized that Google could take one additional step–another brilliant move–and actually win the war with Microsoft or at least postpone its eventual defeat for a very long time.
All Google needs to do is offer a desktop indexing component to the DeskBar–basically to enable you to index all the documents on your entire hard drive or network, including all of your personal email.
They can do this for 2 years or more before Microsoft can incorporate the local/global search function into Windows.
In the DOS world, I used to have a search engine product called Folio MailBag that would index all of my emails and provide instant retrieval of any message with a powerful keyword search.
If Google did this, tens of millions of people would become addicted to it before Microsoft has a chance to upgrade us to the 2006 OS.
If everyone gets used to using Google for both local and webwide search, I think they will buy themselves a few more years and help justify the possible $25 billion valuation they might reach after their IPO.
Larry, Sergey, are you listening?
2 thoughts on “Will Google get Netscaped?”
Paul, you made a very prescient remark about desktop search of emails and files in Nov 2003. Sitting in feb 2007, I am already using (as million others)Google desktop search rather than the timid and horribly slow F3 key that windows XP provides.
Looks like larry and sergey were really listening to you!!!
Relax, Badri, regarding indexation of emails, Xobni is doing a much better job than Google desktop. There’s always a nasty bug.