Just when it seemed that Microsoft had managed to placate Google over its concerns about Vista desktop search, Google has renewed its attack on the software giant and is seeking further changes to Vista.

Last month Google filed a complaint with the Department of Justice claiming that Vista’s built-in search tool discourages the use of other competing desktop search tools, such as Google Desktop Search.

The complaint was filed as part of court proceedings relating to the 2001 antitrust settlement reached between the US Department of Justice, 17 US states, and Microsoft.

Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer initially said that Google’s claims were “baseless”, but that didn’t stop the software giant from agreeing to make two key changes in response to Google’s complaint, which involved:

• Allowing competing products to be set as the default desktop search tool in Vista, and linking to the default search tool where search doesn’t open a new window
• Publishing more information about the Vista indexer to show how it can be disabled, and to support Microsoft’s claims that it unnecessary to disable the indexer as it automatically stops functioning when system resources are needed by other applications. 

Many commentators presumed this was the end of the matter.

However, Google has decided that the proposed changes do not fully address its concerns, and has asked permission to file a amicus “friend of the court” brief with the judge overseeing the 2001 antitrust settlement. 

“The remedies won by the Department of Justice and state attorneys general from Microsoft are a positive step, but consumers will likely need further measures to ensure meaningful choice,” David Drummond, Google’s chief legal officer, told the Seattle Times.

“Ultimately, these issues raise the need for continued judicial oversight of Microsoft’s practices, to ensure that consumers’ interests are best served.”

One of Google’s concerns is that Microsoft might completely remove the right-click search option rather than give users a choice. 

A Microsoft spokesperson responded by saying that Microsoft went the “extra mile” to try to resolve the issues, but that Google was refusing to budge an inch, and that any further changes would be a “setback for computer users”.

The 2001 antitrust settlement proceedings are due to be wrapped up in the next few months, so Google is asking that the settlement period be extended so that the court can oversee the resolution of its recent complaint.

Obviously Google is keen to avoid a Netscape Navigator scenario, where in the mid 1990s Microsoft was able to destroy Navigator as a competitor by bundling its own web browser, Internet Explorer, with Windows. What’s interesting is just how rapidly Google has risen in stature. Google’s latest legal maneuvers demonstrate that it’s very comfortable taking on Microsoft when needed. 

Apple and Microsoft once were the two biggest rivals in the computer industry, though Google now seems to have displaced Apple as Microsoft’s number one adversary.

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Entry was posted on Monday, June 25th, 2007 at 12:29 pm under Google, Internet, Legal, Microsoft.

Read more entries by John Pospisil.
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