http://cubist.cs.washington.edu/Security/2008/03/16/microsoft-yahoo-and-internet-breakage/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:40:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://cubist.cs.washington.edu/Security/2008/03/16/microsoft-yahoo-and-internet-breakage/#comment-4199 Justin McOmie Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:40:40 +0000 http://cubist.cs.washington.edu/Security/2008/03/16/microsoft-yahoo-and-internet-breakage/#comment-4199 I think the concern is that if Microsoft is able to amass a dominating percentage of the IM and Email markets then they could choose to create new de facto standards by ‘embracing and extending’ the existing ones. This would involve introducing proprietary (or semi-proprietary) “enhancements” to the standards that would have the effect of segmenting the email and IM using populace into incompatible Microsoft and non-Microsoft parts, effectively ‘breaking’ the Internet. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish) That being said, Eric Schmidt should really consider qualifying such statements better if he wishes to make them in the future. Because as they stand I don’t feel they merit anything more than scoff or satire. Sometimes I feel that Google as a company is so indoctrinated with the notion that they are “good” and “do no evil” that there’s an unspoken belief that anything that might challenge their supremacy is manifestly wrong. I think the concern is that if Microsoft is able to amass a dominating percentage of the IM and Email markets then they could choose to create new de facto standards by ‘embracing and extending’ the existing ones. This would involve introducing proprietary (or semi-proprietary) “enhancements” to the standards that would have the effect of segmenting the email and IM using populace into incompatible Microsoft and non-Microsoft parts, effectively ‘breaking’ the Internet. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrace,_extend_and_extinguish)
That being said, Eric Schmidt should really consider qualifying such statements better if he wishes to make them in the future. Because as they stand I don’t feel they merit anything more than scoff or satire.
Sometimes I feel that Google as a company is so indoctrinated with the notion that they are “good” and “do no evil” that there’s an unspoken belief that anything that might challenge their supremacy is manifestly wrong.

]]> http://cubist.cs.washington.edu/Security/2008/03/16/microsoft-yahoo-and-internet-breakage/#comment-4007 Jessica Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:33:00 +0000 http://cubist.cs.washington.edu/Security/2008/03/16/microsoft-yahoo-and-internet-breakage/#comment-4007 What does "breaking the Internet" mean? And how could Microsoft possibly "break" the Internet? Email and messenger are merely applications that use the Internet infrastructure and in no way could the consolidation of these cause the downfall of the Internet. I highly doubt that there will be any change in the branding of Yahoo mail or messenger. Everything will probably look identical to the end user. Besides that, Google has plenty of email and messenger market share and thus nothing to worry about. Microsoft is merely trying to get into the search game. The Internet is a network of computers connected by telephone line, ethernet and satellite. Do you really think that a merger with Yahoo would cause all these lines to be cut and satellites to fall out of the sky such that the Internet would be rendered "broken". No. Google is just paranoid and doesn't want to face even the slightest similitude of competition in their search dynasty. What does “breaking the Internet” mean? And how could Microsoft possibly “break” the Internet? Email and messenger are merely applications that use the Internet infrastructure and in no way could the consolidation of these cause the downfall of the Internet. I highly doubt that there will be any change in the branding of Yahoo mail or messenger. Everything will probably look identical to the end user. Besides that, Google has plenty of email and messenger market share and thus nothing to worry about. Microsoft is merely trying to get into the search game.
The Internet is a network of computers connected by telephone line, ethernet and satellite. Do you really think that a merger with Yahoo would cause all these lines to be cut and satellites to fall out of the sky such that the Internet would be rendered “broken”. No. Google is just paranoid and doesn’t want to face even the slightest similitude of competition in their search dynasty.

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