> Microsoft often "competes" by trying to strangle competitors revenue streams even when it's outside their core business, where they will happily lose billions on Bing and their online division if it can reduce Googles revenues:
This is true as you point out. However it's worth pointing out that Google is the exact same.
They release free products that Microsoft charges for loosing money to reduce Microsoft's primary revenue stream.
Except Google's "free services" helps their strategy of keeping users on Google's services, enriches their Google profile and helps create targeted ads.
Couldn't that also be said when Microsoft started bundling Internet Explorer with Windows? Does it make it right? NO!
The truth is the tech industry politics is becoming as nasty as real politics. Smear campaigns by Microsoft against Google. Google trying to sabotage Windows mobile platform by actively excluding their core products. Apple and Samsung at copycat wars. Once the open world of computing is now turning into a war of ecosystems and we the consumers are the only ones standing to lose.
> Except Google's "free services" helps their strategy of keeping users on Google's services, enriches their Google profile and helps create targeted ads.
I get your point but the same sentence can easily apply to Microsoft. Microsoft wants to do the same thing:)
This is true as you point out. However it's worth pointing out that Google is the exact same.
They release free products that Microsoft charges for loosing money to reduce Microsoft's primary revenue stream.