My (off-topic) thoughts on Google

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This is completely off topic but after reading and listening to a few things in the last couple of days it has got me thinking (and by the looks of it ranting). CNN Money has a fairly lofty article Imaging the Future of Google from four different scenarios: Google becomes the media, Google becomes the Internet, Google dies or Google becomes God. It all makes for an interesting read, even if some of the possible outcomes are rather far-fetched in a Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy kind of way.

Recently Steve Gillmor on his podshows The Gillmor Gang (Captain Crunchberry Gang) and The Gillmor Daily (Gym Shorts) has enjoyed bringing up the question of who will prevail, Google or Microsoft? To Steve the battle between Microsoft and Google is a life or death one and something Microsoft is sure to loose. He views the Internet as the new platform, not the operating system. With this change the balance of power has shifted significantly from the ‘stagnant’ Microsoft to the ‘can do no wrong’ Google. On the Gym Shorts podcasts he heatedly discusses this opinion with Mike Arrington (of TechCrunch fame). Mike has recently met with Microsoft and seen what they have planned with Windows Live and he is “pretty excited about some of the stuff that was discussed”. Mike sees Microsoft’s command of the operating system and their ability to bridge that and a user’s Internet experience as something that will eventually trump Google. As it is Steve’s show he steadfastly controls the debate but unfortunately often fails to make his point or stick to a concise idea. Mike on the other hand strikes down most of Steve’s points and ridicules most of Google’s product line, except for PageRank, which he views as their only real innovation in the market-space. The podshows are a good listen but at times it would be nice to have a little less Steve and more guest, but as he says often it is his show and if you want to control the message make your own.

2006 CAD predictions

Rachel Dalton-Taggart has posted some 2006 predictions for the CAD industry. Blog use will grow, 3D will continue to be adopted at a snails pace, Adobe may begin a flirt into the 3D market and more software companies will move their software back to the Mac thanks to its growning popularity. I think the first two are pretty good, Adobe will be too busy integrating Macromedia into their product lineup and combating competing software from Apple and Microsoft. As for Mac migration it would be nice to see but unforunately AutoDesk and now Bentley are firmly entrenched in Microsoft's proprietary DirectX API and Graphisoft did not even bother showing up to MacWorld 2006 this year for the second time in a row.