Microsoft should be used to being accused of abusing its dominant position. But when Google bought DoubleClick, which Microsoft also had an interest in, Microsoft asked the federal government to scrutinize Google's proposed merger with DoubleClick. However, Google responded by conducting their own campaign in secret and directly with the federal government.
The New York Times revealed that Google filed a confidential complaint months ago with the Justice Department, asking Microsoft be forced to alter Vista's desktop search behavior on antitrust grounds.
A Google spokesman, Google's Ricardo Reyes, said to the Seattle PI
The search boxes built throughout Vista are hard-wired to Microsoft's own desktop search productwith no way for users to choose an alternate provider from these visible search access points. Likewise, Vista makes it impractical to turn off Microsoft's search index.
Microsoft's Bradford Smith, the company's general counsel, told the Times
We've made a decision to go the extra mile to be reasonable. The discussions between the company and the various government agencies have been quite fruitful.
This is certainly interesting to watch as each of these companies, dominant in their own relevant market, accuses each other on prohibiting free competition.
