Google, Salesforce.com Consider Alliance to Battle Microsoft

[engine]

Internet giant Google Inc. and Salesforce.com Inc., a pioneer in online services for businesses, are discussing an alliance that could help them compete more effectively with Microsoft Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.

Google, Salesforce.com Consider Alliance to Battle Microsoft [online.wsj.com]

[potentialgeek]

Man, they're really in an all-out war now, aren't they, GOOG v. MSN. G fired the first shot with the DoubleClick buy, and since then it's been wild.

p/g

[iThink]

Salesforce.com is the most successful player in the hosted software applications market and its founder/CEO is well known for his anti-Microsoft bias. With salesforce.com in the bag, Google can take an aim at multiple revenue streams of MS in one go. Surprisingly the shares of Salesforce.com are down on the news.

[drdplane]

Sure salesforce prices are down. Buy the rumor sell the fact.

I have been salesforce customer for 2 years. Reluctantly. I flew to San Jose last week for the developer conference. I wanted to get some answers to quetions, and at least I could actually talk to the salesforce engineers instead of the low level tech support answering the phone.

What I would short this stock (if Google were not looking to do some sort of deal). Look at their EARNINGS. Revenues growing, but look at earnings.

ZERO Earning last Quarter.
PE (price earnings) of 3902.79 (nice, huh).

They have all sorts of bells and whistles coming out later this year, Apex, etc., but I am not sure how many of us customers are going to pony up more money for these "add-ons" with competition like Net Suite, etc.

I think Mr. Marc will pull of a briliant move if he can figure out some way to sell it all to Google right not. Reminds me of Mark Cuban and Yahoo.