Microsoft vs. Google

Don't run crying to The State, like Netscape, when things get tough. Be innovative says Lew.

There is also the matter of property rights. MS does own Windows and it will own its successor too. It also owns Internet Explorer. It also owns its search engine. How it bundles those products must be left to the owner. The alternative is to get the government involved in designing and managing how software is built, managed, and marketed. Google is a company that has always thrived on its independence and innovative strategies. Government intervention is not in Google's long-term interest either. A government big enough to punch out Google's competitors is big enough to punch out Google too.

Rumors have abounded for years that someday Google will come up with an operating system that runs off its own servers and provide a serious competitive alternative to Microsoft. That may yet happen, in which case Google needs to be free to compete without having to jump through regulatory hoops.