Is Google making the same mistakes that Microsoft made with IE?

For years now, users have been griping about Microsoft bundling their web browser with Windows. By doing so, users were never compelled to install a browser – why go about selecting the best one when my pc came with one installed? Microsoft was blamed for monopolizing the market, using the popularity of Windows to make Internet Explorer the dominant force.

Google does not have a product like Windows (yet!) but they do have their web properties which are used by millions of people. I was just surfing youtube, on the latest version of Opera and I saw this:

Google Monopoly

Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t they doing the same thing by nagging me when I surf one of their websites? Also, “new web browser”? Does that mean my browser is outdated?

The same message shows up in Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox.

15 thoughts on “Is Google making the same mistakes that Microsoft made with IE?

  1. No. That only means – Chrome is new 🙂

    I agree ads are not welcome and are a distraction to those of us not really interested.

    But this is a website that is not profitable yet. I saw this promotion and I must say that it is not as in-your-face promotion as some of what I’ve seen. They are only promoting their browser (which is obviously free) subtly at the bottom of the page which I find harmless.

  2. Yes I think they are. I can sense the animosity everywhere towards them. They’re trying to be too many things at the same time. I have serious issues with the way they are tracking my browsing details etc… gives me the jitters.

  3. you got a point there..But..I think most of the users use google products and services these days..they have grown enormously, technically and non technically.
    So i zthink they are giving users a good option of browser software that works well with their products and services.
    but..its chrome is soo light to work with.

    in business at one point or other..someone monopolizes
    as they say “LET THE BEST TECHNOLOGY WIN”

  4. I guess promotion is inevitable. At the end google is a business and they have the investors to answer too.

    And promotion does help us know new products. At the end – users will only use what they like once they experience it.

    I just hope the promotion isnt too in your face.

    What does worry me about google is – Is there another entity in the world that has more information than google. All our preferences are reflected through search. And where do most people search???

    Scary

  5. To the core of it I believe MS and Google are to companies belonging to different eras. Comparing Google to MS is wrong.

    What MS did what it did with browsers was for a totally different reason, for what Google is doing with browser today. Yes ! both were/are motivated by different business senses.

    Google on one hand is shelling out enormous amount of cash and resources to Firefox and on the other hand they are building their own browser. Looks like they have some grand plan, may to have all existing platforms, upcoming platforms (Crome, Android) all on same page. Their need is completely valid, they cannot have every feature request of theirs scrutinized by Mozilla corp.

    Well !! in anyways Google is not going to be another MS. They are two different souls ir-replacable.

    Once there is a product, advertise it what is wrong in that !!! be it anyone. they have a right to advertise.

  6. Even I thought so. But wasnt so confident about it. This happened when I updated the just released Firefox and went to Youtube. Even Orkut had the same message coming in.

    No wonder, the fact that Chrome is gaining foot in India and Brazil.

  7. That proves that Chrome is one of the products Google would trust word-by-mouth marketing with.
    Maybe they know it – that this ain’t good enough.

  8. i admire MS marketing policies and how they took over market …..their products won’t support other vendors…….but now days, everybody wants open sources ……..everything to be free where google is gaining but MS isn’t………if MS can find a way around it…..they can compete with google at that big level

  9. Google is not doing a mistake, considering that their OS is their browser. The adoption of Chrome would definitely boost their chances of success with Chrome OS. I am a fan of Chrome and ofcourse Google !

  10. Well, Google now has something like Windows- Chrome OS.
    I’ve personally used it and find it to be quite bland, extremely basic and useless. I prefer Windows. 🙂
    But, Google has created a mind-blowing mobile platform- Android! I love Android! 😀
    Comparing MS to Google is kinda wrong. They are companies from different eras. But, the bigger your company is, the more comparisons it will receive. So, no harm done there!

    Featured post, please read & promote- goo.gl/02h5y

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