According to Ars Technica, Microsoft’s “capitulation” to Google’s antitrust complaint isn’t really the capitulation that the mainstream media everywhere appears to be reporting.

Upon inspection of Microsoft’s joint filing, it is apparent that Microsoft is not going to allow a complete override of the default search services in all Explorer windows. Microsoft also rejects Google’s concerns about performance.

Google chief legal officer David Drummond said in a statement:

We are pleased that as a result of Google’s request that the consent decree be enforced, the Department of Justice and state attorneys general have required Microsoft to make changes to Vista

Furthermore, Drummond said that:

Microsoft’s current approach to Vista desktop search clearly violates the consent decree and limits consumer choice… [the proposed] remedies are a step in the right direction, but they should be improved further to give consumers greater access to alternate desktop search provider.

For more information, check out these additional news sources:

At this moment, the entire situation as well as the legal recourse available to Google is still ambiguous.

Whatever it is though, this time round Microsoft will be finding itself up against another gorilla much closer to its size, and with a growing stash of lobbyists to boot. Do you think Microsoft will be able to pull off another Netscape, this time on Google?

What are you thoughts on the matter? Join the discussion.

——————————————————————————–

Stay on top of the latest tech news

Get this news story and many more by subscribing to our free IT News Digest newsletter, delivered each weekday. Automatically sign up today!