In the red corner: ready for a techno rumble in the jungle? Photograph: AP
CNet's Charles Cooper has a good column spinning off the wrangling between Google and Microsoft over the hiring of former MS executive Kai-Fu Lee. Redmond claims he's under a non-compete contract, and so can't head up Google's Chinese operation. Honestly, the way these two are going on...
Considering the horseradish each side is slinging, that's no inconsiderable effort. The outraged hurt voiced by Microsoft and Google alike would lead one to assume that the other is the most heinous no-goodnik. Of course it's all balderdash. This is just part of the escalating rivalry between these two Internet giants. Fact is that Microsoft is just as paranoid about Google as Google is paranoid about Microsoft.
It's really, says Cooper, about how Microsoft sees Google as a huge long-term threat (almost certainly the biggest threat out there), and he gives the run-down on why that's the case - and why these two megacorps should stop grizzling like children and start scrapping like Ali and Foreman.
Weehee, them's fightin' words!
