Google the next Microsoft???

Google is on a major application launch blitz...almost every month a new tool or an application is being launched from the Mountain View, California based giant...

First there was the Google Talk instant messenger and then an upgrade to Google Desktop Search, which adds a product called Sidebar that pulls data from the Net and serves up a personalized panel of information such as e-mail, stock quotes and news. The browsing pattern information is sent back to build up a user database, which should raise security concerns...

Such rapid expansion in the range of services offered by Google has led to questions being raised about what Google wants and comparisons are being drawn with a certain Microsoft in its early years.
It has even led Google to change its core philosophy...(Its an interesting read, Googledom)

Microsoft's developer orientation led to the creation of applications that run on Windows and Office, its desktop application suite, promoting the adoption of its core products.
Some say that's exactly what Google is now trying to re-create on the Web, all of Google's services are accessible via application programming interfaces, or APIs, which give software developers the documentation needed to build add-on products.

The New York Times published a story last week that pondered whether Google was morphing arrogantly into "the new Microsoft" - poaching talent from other companies, trying to monopolize and eat up the competition. There is a belief that Google trying to live up to the expectations at the Wall Street is no longer the good guy.
Its interesting to note the shift in perception from being - the darling of the Silicon Valley, the underdog every one rooted for, the upstart that could do no wrong to being called overtly aggressive and arrogant. How times change!

But I don't see these developments in the same light. I welcome them. Big is not necessarily bad for us - consumers. Already we can see Google pushing Yahoo and Microsoft to innovate at a rate faster than ever before...Competition can inspire innovation and make technology more accessible to people (both require deep pockets).

So Google for me remains a fantastic success story like Microsoft and remains worthy of respect.

p.s: I know there have been pretenders before, Netscape comes to mind immediately...but Google seems better equipped and prepared. So I say Let the fun begin!!