Internet Community Profits from Google/Yahoo War

 
Jan 09, 2006

by Michael Dinowitz

Google and Yahoo both want to be on top. Very simply, both of them want you to choose them. And in order to entice you into their service, they're willing to offer you large chunks of software, some of which you might have actually paid money for! Even if you wouldn't have paid money for the software, getting it all at one single location is not only good for you, the Internet professional. It's also good because it makes the Internet safer for the Internet non-Professional.

Let's be honest: The biggest problem on the Internet is other people. People don't install proper antivirus software. People don't scan their systems for adware. People leave their systems open and vulnerable. Google, in their Google Packs, has given everyone a free six-month subscription to Norton Antivirus. That sounds like a great idea to me! Because now no one has an excuse not to be running an antivirus program on their computer. (Note: Right now Google Packs is only for Windows XP, but hopefully they'll change that in the future and make my previous statement true.)

Okay, they're not including Zone Alarm with the download, but this is just the first release.

So now that we know that Google is doing such good, we should really be asking, "What is Yahoo doing to entice people?"

Yahoo is talking about their upcoming Dashboard, which really is just their way of talking about Konfabulator (acquired by Yahoo a while back and apparently renamed rather unimaginatively). Konfabulator, a formerly for-pay product, allows people to write little widgets that exist on a person's desktop. These widgets include such things as clocks, web search, stock tickers, and personal information managers. Yahoo's announcement basically says, "Hey, we have something even cooler than the Google Desktop," which will force Google to say, "Hey, we have something even cooler than you." Each one is fighting to come out with the best thing for people to use -- the thing that people will use -- the thing that will grab and keep your attention. They want you.

I truly suggest that you go and download the Google Pack (if you have XP). That you get the Yahoo Widget engine. That you play with these things, see what you like and see what's missing, and then let these companies know what you want them to give you ... for free.

Google Pack

Yahoo Launches Dashboard (Slashdot.org, January 6, 2006)

Live from Yahoo's Keynote (Engadget.com, January 6, 2006)

Yahoo Widgets

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