Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

fastcompany.com

31–40 of 183 posts

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#31
post #19
post #3

I'm puzzled why "Proven"s comment is dead? What they wrote seems accurate. There is no reason why this comment should be downvoted, and certainly no reason why the comment should be dead. This is what they wrote: Simply speaking they actually make more products people like to use. Google essentially has just one, and it’s based on diminishing user privacy to the maximum extent possible. MS collects user data but so d…

Give Google a little more credit. They have 7 separate products with over 1 billion users each [0]. Search, Gmail, Android, Chrome, Maps, Youtube and the Google Play Store. [0]: https://www.popsci.com/google-has-7-products-with-1-billion-...

The stock market doesn't care about users, it cares about profits.

Android and Chrome and Google Play are unprofitable.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#32
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For Google, there's also Android, Gmail, Google Drive and Google docs

Overwhelming majority of revenue for Google doesn't come from consumer devices and services... but rather, from advertising. Microsoft has tried hard to get into that arena, but it seems nobody can really edge out Google. Of course, most of Google's devices and services funnel data into the advertising system... but they also do have paid services that are pretty popular, GSuite (Google Apps for Business), Google Dom…

Even in advertising it’s arguable that Facebook has become stronger than Google. FB ads already command a premium over Google ones. While Google is still gonna be the dominant player for the foreseeable future, it’s definitely a risk.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#33
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Overwhelming majority of revenue for Google doesn't come from consumer devices and services... but rather, from advertising. Microsoft has tried hard to get into that arena, but it seems nobody can really edge out Google. Of course, most of Google's devices and services funnel data into the advertising system... but they also do have paid services that are pretty popular, GSuite (Google Apps for Business), Google Dom…

Even in advertising it’s arguable that Facebook has become stronger than Google. FB ads already command a premium over Google ones. While Google is still gonna be the dominant player for the foreseeable future, it’s definitely a risk.

FB may charge more... but you don't constantly see articles about how ineffective Google advertising networks are, and they own a lot more than just one advertising network.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#34
post #3

I'm puzzled why "Proven"s comment is dead? What they wrote seems accurate. There is no reason why this comment should be downvoted, and certainly no reason why the comment should be dead. This is what they wrote: Simply speaking they actually make more products people like to use. Google essentially has just one, and it’s based on diminishing user privacy to the maximum extent possible. MS collects user data but so d…

While anecdotal, I only know one person that still uses Microsoft office, and that is just for Excel. Everyone else is libre office or Google docs. I grew up on office but once they introduced that stupid ribbon menu I ditched it. Apparently I was not the only one.

Also anecdotal: The ribbon menu made me switch back to MS Office (and thus Windows) for private use.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#35
post #2

Simply speaking they actually make more products people like to use. Google essentially has just one, and it’s based on diminishing user privacy to the maximum extent possible. MS collects user data but so do Ubuntu and CentOS... not to the extent Google and FB do it.

> MS collects user data but so do Ubuntu and CentOS... not to the extent Google and FB do it.

They're working on it though.

I just installed Windows 10 for the first time on a brand new computer I bought. I was shocked to discover that I could not make an account on my own personal machine without "logging in" to a Microsoft service either with an existing or new email address. I looked up tutorials to skip that step but they all pointed to a button ("No account" or something like that) that was not on my screen, I swear. No button was provided to skip logging into a Microsoft account. Next, I had to give them my phone number for user verification. Also no way to skip that step. I had to wait for a verification code, which by the way failed, (got the message, they didn't accept the code), tried again, never got the new message.. figured out how to back out of that, then provided a proper email... Once set up, in making extra user accounts on the machine, they now differentiate for some reason between "Family" users and non-"Family" users.

This is on MY PERSONAL COMPUTER. I literally want to just be able to use Microsoft Word on the rare occasion that I am forced to use it, and I found myself having to fork over my phone number and make TWO accounts. (One for ASUS too for some reason.) I found the whole process of setting up Windows shockingly invasive. I even had to explicitly opt out of letting them advertise to me on my own personal computer, and sending my personal info to advertisers. Not on websites. There are ads on like.. the file explorer or something. I mean, what the hell? What is this a shopping mall kiosk? No, it's a laptop I bought and paid for! Why would I want ADS?

I dual-booted Ubuntu on it right away, who wanted nothing but my name and desired username, and provided extremely clear method to opt out of submitting my info to Ubuntu servers, and am happily using that now with no issues.

MS definitely want your personal information, they just aren't as good at getting it as FB. I wouldn't give them a pass on privacy, not with how Windows 10 is now organized.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#36
post #2

Simply speaking they actually make more products people like to use. Google essentially has just one, and it’s based on diminishing user privacy to the maximum extent possible. MS collects user data but so do Ubuntu and CentOS... not to the extent Google and FB do it.

Google owns five of the top ten apps used on all smartphones. Not aware of any for MS? Plus Google owns the top 2 web sites. http://www.businessinsider.com/most-used-smartphone-apps-201... The 10 most used smartphone apps - Business Insider

Ever tried Office Lens of Office?

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#37
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Give Google a little more credit. They have 7 separate products with over 1 billion users each [0]. Search, Gmail, Android, Chrome, Maps, Youtube and the Google Play Store. [0]: https://www.popsci.com/google-has-7-products-with-1-billion-...

The stock market doesn't care about users, it cares about profits. Android and Chrome and Google Play are unprofitable.

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#38
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Overwhelming majority of revenue for Google doesn't come from consumer devices and services... but rather, from advertising. Microsoft has tried hard to get into that arena, but it seems nobody can really edge out Google. Of course, most of Google's devices and services funnel data into the advertising system... but they also do have paid services that are pretty popular, GSuite (Google Apps for Business), Google Dom…

Even in advertising it’s arguable that Facebook has become stronger than Google. FB ads already command a premium over Google ones. While Google is still gonna be the dominant player for the foreseeable future, it’s definitely a risk.

Fb ads are partially over.

Source: ecommerce groups on fb

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#39
post #25
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>certainly no reason why the comment should be dead. probably shadow banned. take a look at his comment history.

I got rate limited somehow and I can't figure out a way to even know what comment(s) / discussions kicked it off or how to remove it. Almost 5000 karma. Pretty frustrating.

Welcome to the club. You can't remove it on your own. Gonna have to grovel to a mod to convince them you can be trusted with more than 5 comments/day or whatever it is.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#40
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While anecdotal, I only know one person that still uses Microsoft office, and that is just for Excel. Everyone else is libre office or Google docs. I grew up on office but once they introduced that stupid ribbon menu I ditched it. Apparently I was not the only one.

> While anecdotal, I only know one person that still uses Microsoft office, and that is just for Excel. Everyone else is libre office or Google docs. I grew up on office but once they introduced that stupid ribbon menu I ditched it. Apparently I was not the only one. That's highly anecdotal. It's probably not much of an overstatement to say that a large fraction of the economy literally runs on Excel notebooks.

work at large company. can confirm.
Post reply on HN