[LINK] Google now 70% of US search engine users

[Sylvano]

On Wednesday 13 August 2008 19:58, Adam Todd wrote:
<snip>
> There is no monopoly if the user still has a choice.  Just because
> people choose not to use Yahoo and MSN shows that Yahoo has less
> quality information.  I don't use Yahoo, it's a waste of time.  The
> results are always lame and pathetic and lacking greatly.  Half the
> stuff I've ever search for is eventually found on google but I rarely
> find in Yahoo.
<snip>

I think your observations are quite right, especially about Yahoo.  The one 
quibble I have, though, relates to the notion of monopoly.

The issue of monopoly for Google (or Micro$oft, or whoever for that matter) is 
not just about user choice per se, but also the abuse of power when in a 
monopoly or monopoly like position. 

One small example: logging into a google service, like adwords say, and then 
flicking to a new tab to do a google search will show that they happily 
extend your "log in" to the search function.  [It's usually in these 
scenarios that I use alternative search tools]

The arrogance of market dominance becomes clearer when you choose to log out 
in the search context, and discovering google automatically logs you out from 
the adwords account...  The notion of choice starts to become a little grey.


Sylvano

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