I don’t see how Microsoft can take part of such a transaction any-which-way.

Imagine that Google changed their online services so that none of them could be used by Windows. It would be suicide. By necessity in fact, Google’s service have had to FAVOR Windows users,because they are still such a majority.

But the reverse is not true. All that stops Microsoft from cutting Google off with every new Vista install is fear of Justice Department (and EU) reaction. As we’ve seen before, Microsoft, in a pinch, can play croquet with the legal authorities while their opponent of the day bleeds to death. I don’t rule out the possibility that MS could take this path (again).

While Google’s so called monopoly on search gives them an advantage, it hardly seems insurmountable, certainly not by a company such as Microsoft. But at this point, no small company can even compete in this market due to the huge infrastructure needed just to get off the ground. Don’t forget though that 100 percent of ad dollars are not in search. If you look at search as just one facet of “content” then I think Google’s so called monopoly gets put more into its proper perspective.

I hope your wrong about the Bartz comment. It was a mistake and an embarrassment to Bostock as he was meeting in New York.
Attribute it to rust.