If I was M$, I would make it a default option to block ads from all sources, including G$, M$ and yahoo. The slogan: Clean, fast, and safe web surfing.
Just give users an admin interface to select which host to block will work perfectly. For example, to provide an interface for MVPS HOSTS (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt).
StoutFiles
6:52 pm on Mar 18, 2010 (gmt 0)
If I was M$, I would make it a default option to block ads from all sources, including G$, M$ and yahoo. The slogan: Clean, fast, and safe web surfing.
I believe Microsoft would be sued for doing that, considering most of the web needs advertisements to survive.
tntpower
8:25 pm on Mar 18, 2010 (gmt 0)
Then how about an open source & free Windows application that does that job?
It will simply give users the ability to block ads from specific domains.
I will be extremely surprised if there is no such free app in market. If no such one, I can build one :-)
tangor
8:52 pm on Mar 18, 2010 (gmt 0)
Users manage to do that now with ad blockers, script killers, hosts files... No need to create another war by having publicly traded companies offering anti-competitive functionality! Any of which would result in government intervention, fines, and who knows what else?
tntpower
9:07 pm on Mar 19, 2010 (gmt 0)
If I was M$, I would definitely make this app built in Windows and let users know they can enable it to block all ads, including M$'s ads.
I would not mind lawsuit. A lawsuit will easily take years before the final decision comes. Given the market share of Windows, a few years can effectively kill G$.
mack
4:38 am on Mar 21, 2010 (gmt 0)
I had a conversation about something similar a few days ago. If you look at this thread... Forces Out To Destroy Interactive Advertising [webmasterworld.com...]
What if... Microsoft where to offer the solution. A user downloads Internet Explorer 9 and during the install they are given a little bit of information about on line advertising. They are then given a simple choice...
Do you want to view on line adverts: Yes[x] No[]
They are given the choice, and it takes a user action to select no, so its opt in. If Microsoft where to do this it would kill off their own ad sales, along with Yahoo. But what they loose would be a price worth pating to kill off the Googles one and only cash cow.
It is a very big IF, but? :)
Mack.
tntpower
3:22 am on Mar 23, 2010 (gmt 0)
Suppose M$ does it, M$ will be in a pretty good position. Safe & Clean & Fast web surfing is political correct claim and no company, ie: G$ can rebuke this claim.
And M$ can give users absolute freedom to control which site is going to be blocked.
tangor
3:37 am on Mar 23, 2010 (gmt 0)
Most modern browsers already have some ad blocking capabilities to some extent (popups, some scripts, an ability to block JS)... that's nothing new. For MS to go into the ad blocking business, on the other hand is a different kettle of fish. If they did it right it would cook both the goose (google) and the gander (bing), and all the little goslings, too (yahoo, baidu, yandex and whoever else is out there...).
And as the old joke goes...
"And that's when the fight started!"
tntpower
5:06 am on Mar 23, 2010 (gmt 0)
Microsoft has a deep pocket and tons of cash. Search engine is not its core business. By sacrificing a small percentage of its business to kill others is a big deal.
tntpower
5:09 am on Mar 23, 2010 (gmt 0)
Another case study is why google fails in S. Korea.
Major websites in S. Korea explicitly tell google's robot to get away. Without getting access to those major sites and updated contents, google soon lose its feet in S. Korea.
In English world, I know at least Murdoch is doing the same as S. Koreans did.
idolw
6:43 am on Mar 23, 2010 (gmt 0)
they should buy mozilla or pay mozilla $100 for every user who would opt out from online ads
