Ballmer: We're David to Google's Goliath

Steve Ballmer wants you to root for the little guy and underdog: Microsoft. In an interview with the BBC, he likened Microsoft to David up against Google as Goliath. There's one problem here: Microsoft's aim with a sling is off-target.

Steve Ballmer admitted to the BBC in an interview that Microsoft made a mistake in not building a better search engine sooner. "Do I wish we'd started the investment in search a few years earlier?" he asked, then answered his own question: "Yes."

He went on to say that "We may be the David up against Goliath but we're working on it."

The admission was refreshing. But from what he went on to say, it's clear that Microsoft won't be able to defeat Goliath with its sling, because Microsoft is aiming at the wrong target.

Ballmer insisted that Microsoft's search technology is as good as Google's, and that the problem it faces is only advertising based. He said:

"We probably missed the power of the advertising model, not so much the technology."

Microsoft's "Search Perks" plan in which it essentially pays people to use its search engine is one example of Microsoft thinking the issue is ad-based or marketing-based rather than technology-based.

But people use Google for a simple reason: It's search is the best there is. No ad-based or marketing strategy will solve that problem. As long as Microsoft thinks that its search engine is as good as Google's, it will never catch up.

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