The battle for "Search" , Microsoft vs Google

iTWire.com an online technology magazine reported in March 19, 2007 that Microsoft has decided to leverage its global base of Windows users and to give cash incentives to switch from Yahoo or Google search engines to Windows Live Search . These cash incentives are however not available to individual users , but to companies who have thousands of installed PC's . Microsoft’s new program is called “Microsoft Service Credits for Web Search has already been rolled out . At the time of the launch of the scheme Microsoft had a minuscule 6% share of the search business wherein Google commanded more than 50% . Microsoft believes that the new scheme would make a big difference to its fortunes in the search business. However according to another report recent , Microsoft lost ground in the search business in April this year. Its market share slipped to 9% to 10.1% in the month of April (though it grew 4% approx in the first quarter of 2007) . Correspondingly Google witnessed a growth of 1.5% and Yahoo 1% . Google now commands almost 55% of the search business , clearly a leader ....... . As we know Google is continuing its onslaught on the Microsoft citadel with Writey and Spreadsheets growing in stature .It would be worthwhile to examine whether Microsoft's recent aggression in the online advertisement business and its focus on the Windows Live search engine is good enough to put brakes to the great Google story ....