Guy's Economics and the Internet Blog

The Google-Sun Alliance

This week has seen the announcement of an alliance between Google and Sun Microsystems. Under the agreement Sun will distribute the Google Toolbar with its Java software when it is downloaded from the Sun website. Sun will also add a Google search bar to their OpenOffice software (a free alternative to Microsoft Office). Some analysts had a lukewarm reaction to the announcement, which had been heavily trailed. They had been expecting rather more. But others see it as a very significant development. Stephen Shankland, a CNET News Staff Writer, writing in the New York Times, says “..is there anything in the partnership that isn’t directly aimed at Microsoft?”. The new alliance is geared towards moving the focus for software from the PC desktop to the network and the wider Internet. Instead of having software stored locally on your own computer you would access it from the Internet. That way you could be sure of having the latest up to date version. This idea of a “thin client” environment has been around for a number of years, but maybe this latest partnership will be the one to make it happen. And if it does Microsoft should be very worried. As Jonathan Schwartz said in his weblog this week, the Internet allows us to bypass Microsoft’s distribution system.

Sources

Jonathan Schwartz’s blog, 1st October 2005

Stephen Shankland FAQ: The Sun-Google partnership New York Times 4th October 2005

Associated Press
Google, Sun in Challenge to Microsoft New York Times 5th October 2005

James Brown
Sun partners with Google Yahoo! News 5th October 2005

Jennifer Guevin
Sun and Google underwhelm Yahoo! News 5th October 2005

posted by Guy @ 5:00 PM