Goo Goo Google Ga Ga

Google's decision to take its Microsoft Office killer, Google Apps Premier Edition, to market without any channel component shows that in more ways than one, the company is still a child. It means the dot-com dynamo is more interested in Wall Street theatrics and myth-making than delivering real software solutions to businesses.

STEVEN BURKE Can be reached via e-mail at sburke@cmp.com.

The Google strategy apparently is to throw anything and everything into a Software-as-a-Service pot and try to get businesses to shell out $50 per person per year for the privilege of eating up what can only be described as a bad potluck supper (word processor, spreadsheet, instant messaging/VoIP, e-mail, calendar and Web creation tools all in one bundle). This is like putting a child in the kitchen and having him empty the refrigerator into a trash can and then selling it to any fool off the street who will pay cold hard cash to taste it. Of course, you've got to cook it up yourself.

What's so funny is that the folks running this little Google Software-as-a-Service sideshow are too afraid to even utter the dreaded M word: Microsoft.

Are these do-no-evil guys serious? Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer must be laughing themselves silly. Breathe a sigh of relief, guys. Microsoft is built on Windows and Office. Google had a chance here to make a play for that franchise and decided it doesn't have the stuff to be on the same field as Microsoft. This is like a young pitching phenom walking off the mound the first time a big-league slugger steps into the batter's box. Say what you will about Microsoft, but it comes to play. The Microsoft fastball isn't as strong as it once was, but the company still throws hard.

Partners that were looking for a Microsoft alternative should invest in Linux talent and OpenOffice. Forget about Google. Those guys are worried sick about Microsoft eating their search engine breakfast, lunch and dinner. They should be. Microsoft is working on a unified search user interface designed to kill Google Desktop. Code-named Casino and referred to as OneView, the new application provides one user interface for searching across the desktop, intranets and the Web. Microsoft is getting ready to take away Google's search engine rattle, while Google is lying like a baby in a crib cooing "Goo Goo Google Ga Ga."

What do you think of google's baby talk?
Send your thoughts to sburke@cmp.com.