"Google in December announced a program to give its Chromebook computers to schools for $99 each."
That's an interesting use of "give."
Anyway, the idea of an ad free search engine hits right at the heart of Google's business. While I know many adults who are unconcerned about their own online privacy, many of them have serious concerns about their children's.
I don't see how targeting children with an adfree product with the stated intention of turning them into lifetime Bing users (with ads) is improving on Google's creepiness.
I'm quite surprised it took this long. Hasn't Microsoft's strategy in this space for a long time been to sell schools Microsoft stuff insanely cheap to win the mindshare of students, most of whom leave school knowing only of Windows and Office?
My ICT teacher was quite open that Microsoft essentially wrote his curriculum and provided all his funding, and that's why all we learned was Excel/Access.
Actually I wonder why doesn't Microsoft do it for every one? No tracking, no ads just plain old good results. Google has been attacking Microsoft with its scorched earth strategy in many areas (google docs, chrome OS, etc.) And given that google is just a one trick pony, this might affect them more.
Can you elaborate? People are turning for Bing for image searches for "research" purposes since google disabled the disabling of the content filter in the US?
More relevant, this has long been Apple's strategy. One which has evolved from primary education onto college campuses by following the money - money in the form of student loans.
Not sure I understand this - if a school so desperately wants ad-free search, just deploy an adblock plugin to the school's browsers? It's a very strange thing to 'give away' as an incentive.
Microsoft is providing an institutional scaled solution to solve institutional scale problems. Students don't just search on school computers. They search from home, and often their school's website serves as an entry portal - eg. the student fires up the browser on their home computer with a link to a school or class web page. This provides a familiar starting point for continuing the lesson from home.
Why? Well that's a reasonably safe way for parents to allow computer use with less supervision. It's not quite a walled garden, but at least there's a shared interest among the adults.
In other words, Microsoft is helping school districts solve the problem of solving problems for parents - and without having to stipulate which browser people use at home or in the classroom - many mobile browsers do not allow plugins.
I can't help but feel that this is typical of Microsoft's sales/PR team.
Generate a false problem:
"You don't wan't ads on your search engine do you!?"
Claim to have a solution:
"You can use Bing! We don't have ads for students!"
As a systems admin for a large school district, I'm very comfortable stating that what Microsoft and Apple offer to education is a joke compared to Google's offerings.
I'm curious, what do you feel "Google's offerings" are when it comes to education?
I'm asking because besides search, and the ability to search effectively, which I think is a very necessary skill for a modern education, I've never considered Google as company with educational offerings.
[+] [-] brudgers|12 years ago|reply
That's an interesting use of "give."
Anyway, the idea of an ad free search engine hits right at the heart of Google's business. While I know many adults who are unconcerned about their own online privacy, many of them have serious concerns about their children's.
Google is entangled with Schmidt's creepy line.
[+] [-] Kylekramer|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] marccuban|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chollida1|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brudgers|12 years ago|reply
And what is Google going to do in response? Any competing project has to admit the premise that their primary product is unsuitable for children.
Essentially, Microsoft is competing with Wikipedia and homegrown solutions from school districts and the governor's brother in law.
[+] [-] mcintyre1994|12 years ago|reply
My ICT teacher was quite open that Microsoft essentially wrote his curriculum and provided all his funding, and that's why all we learned was Excel/Access.
[+] [-] barista|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jlgreco|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] venomsnake|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] swalsh|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brudgers|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] iterationx|12 years ago|reply
Because they can't sell them... this is just PR garbage.
[+] [-] RyanZAG|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brudgers|12 years ago|reply
Why? Well that's a reasonably safe way for parents to allow computer use with less supervision. It's not quite a walled garden, but at least there's a shared interest among the adults.
In other words, Microsoft is helping school districts solve the problem of solving problems for parents - and without having to stipulate which browser people use at home or in the classroom - many mobile browsers do not allow plugins.
[+] [-] SilasX|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Selfcommit|12 years ago|reply
Generate a false problem: "You don't wan't ads on your search engine do you!?"
Claim to have a solution: "You can use Bing! We don't have ads for students!"
As a systems admin for a large school district, I'm very comfortable stating that what Microsoft and Apple offer to education is a joke compared to Google's offerings.
Not even comparable products.
[+] [-] avsbst|12 years ago|reply
I'm asking because besides search, and the ability to search effectively, which I think is a very necessary skill for a modern education, I've never considered Google as company with educational offerings.
[+] [-] chronic25|12 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] Simple1234|12 years ago|reply