Google, Microsoft in software war

SAN FRANCISCO – Internet giant Google Inc. Monday took the software battle deeper into Microsoft’s territory with a new package of online services for small-business users.

Google said it would offer businesses tailor-made versions of its free e-mail service Gmail, instant messaging, voice calling, shared calendars and basic design, publishing and hosting of websites. “Google is on a relentless release-after-release path to put itself squarely in Microsoft’s headlights,” Forrester Research senior analyst Matthew Brown told AFP.”It changes the dynamic in an area where Microsoft has made its home for years.”The Mountain View, California, company is marketing its “Google Apps for Your Domain” service to smaller companies, non-profit groups and universities that want a range of corporate IT services without the cost.The service expands on basic online software already offered by Google such as word processing and spreadsheets that analysts say are part of a strategy by the search titan to take on industry leader Microsoft at its own game.Dave Girouard, vice president of Google’s enterprise group, said the new package “eliminates many of the expenses and hassles of maintaining a communications infrastructure, which is welcome relief for many small business owners and IT staffers”.”Organisations can let Google be the experts in delivering high quality e-mail, messaging, and other web-based services while they focus on the needs of their users and their day-to-day business,” he said.While Google has been careful to maintain that its release was not aimed at the heart of Microsoft’s software empire, analysts said that was its trajectory.”It would appear Google is attempting to relearn the lesson Netscape learned,” said Rob Enderle, senior analyst of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.”By trying to shoot at the enterprise market first, they are just asking for a catastrophe.Netscape is the perfect example of that.”Enderle recounted how Netscape nearly went out of business during a similar battle with Microsoft.The enterprise server market is made up of large corporations that make decisions based on lengthy business cycles and relationships measured in decades, according to Enderle.”If you are a new vendor, you are not even on an even playing field,” Enderle said.”You have to be a lot better.”Nampa-AFP”Google is on a relentless release-after-release path to put itself squarely in Microsoft’s headlights,” Forrester Research senior analyst Matthew Brown told AFP.”It changes the dynamic in an area where Microsoft has made its home for years.”The Mountain View, California, company is marketing its “Google Apps for Your Domain” service to smaller companies, non-profit groups and universities that want a range of corporate IT services without the cost.The service expands on basic online software already offered by Google such as word processing and spreadsheets that analysts say are part of a strategy by the search titan to take on industry leader Microsoft at its own game.Dave Girouard, vice president of Google’s enterprise group, said the new package “eliminates many of the expenses and hassles of maintaining a communications infrastructure, which is welcome relief for many small business owners and IT staffers”.”Organisations can let Google be the experts in delivering high quality e-mail, messaging, and other web-based services while they focus on the needs of their users and their day-to-day business,” he said.While Google has been careful to maintain that its release was not aimed at the heart of Microsoft’s software empire, analysts said that was its trajectory.”It would appear Google is attempting to relearn the lesson Netscape learned,” said Rob Enderle, senior analyst of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.”By trying to shoot at the enterprise market first, they are just asking for a catastrophe.Netscape is the perfect example of that.”Enderle recounted how Netscape nearly went out of business during a similar battle with Microsoft.The enterprise server market is made up of large corporations that make decisions based on lengthy business cycles and relationships measured in decades, according to Enderle.”If you are a new vendor, you are not even on an even playing field,” Enderle said.”You have to be a lot better.”Nampa-AFP