Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

fastcompany.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 183 posts

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#71

Post by vezycash »

hardtke wrote: post #43
Proven wrote: 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.

Search ads do not require the collection of user data beyond the search query to be profitable. it can be argued that they don’t violate user privacy.

You're right in theory. In practice - especially due to adsense, they HAVE TO track users at least to distinguish fraudulent clicks. At least, fraud was the initial reason for tracking.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#72

Post by dzmien »

oculusthrift wrote: post #57
outside1234 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft owns five of the top ten platforms used by enterprises. These enterprises pay them tons of money to make these platforms run, some spending more than $100M each.

sometimes i think people can’t comprehend of products that aren’t in the consumer sphere.

Hence their shock when they realized how Facebook makes money.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#73

Post by oculusthrift »

I think most people really don’t understand the wide breadth and the real market of Microsoft as compared to other companies. Just look at these charts of income sources of each company:

http://ritholtz.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cotd52602.png

Google is literally just Ads whereas Microsoft is very evenly spread. If it lost one area itd be fine in the others.

I think people have an exposure bias where they can only comprehend fo the consumer market. When in reality a lot of the consumer market is free and Microsoft is making a killing selling to businesses.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#74

Post by swebs »

lkrubner wrote: 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…

>MS collects user data but so do Ubuntu and CentOS

Wow, that wins the most disingenuous statement of the year. Ubuntu just asks for your system configuration, which you can say no to.

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2018/02/ubuntu-data-collection-o...

Microsoft's data collection is far more insidious and can not be disabled.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/2968288/microsoft-wind...

Microsoft also collects:

- User contacts

- Calendar data

- Location data

- Keyboard input (keylogger)

- Microphone input (wiretap)

- Local files

- Installed programs

- How long you interact with programs

- Browser history

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#75

Post by vezycash »

Alupis wrote: post #10
baud147258 wrote: post #6

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…

I can't understand why MS hasn't made an Adsense competitor, it'll be a fairer fight.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#76

Post by wilsonnb »

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #68
maltalex wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve installed Windows 10 Pro 1803 on two separate machines in the last month. Both with local accounts.

Could this be a Pro vs Home thing?

Anecdotal, but installed Home on my computer about a month ago and used a local account with no problem.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#77

Post by amoshi »

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #68
maltalex wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve installed Windows 10 Pro 1803 on two separate machines in the last month. Both with local accounts.

Could this be a Pro vs Home thing?

Running Windows Home here with a local account. Maybe you were tired or affected by a 1 in a million bug.

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#78

Post by [deleted] »

jacksmith21006 wrote: post #8
Proven wrote: 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

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft is now worth more than Alphabet

#80

Post by sillywindows »

radarsat1 wrote: post #35
Proven wrote: 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…

I had that issue, then I accidentally scrolled down and found the button.. something silly like that. A lot of the installation UI hides the skip buttons unless you scroll about.
Post reply on HN