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Google sues the US government over Microsoft favoritism
Google filed a complaint against the US government late last week, accusing the government of anti-competitive practices because only Microsoft products were considered for the Department of the Interior's new all-in-one hosted email and messaging solution. The Request for Quotation, the document that outlines the government's requirements for potential bidders on the project, specified that the new system had to be part of the Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite, essentially ruling out any competing software products without consideration.From that information, it sounds like Google has a pretty good case that the government illegally restricted competition. Google met with the DOI to discuss why the project was limited to Microsoft solutions, and they were told that Microsoft was the only company that provided "unified/consolidated email" and "enhanced security." In its filing, Google argues that this is completely false, and that competing products (like Google's own) meet the DOI's needs.
Here's the catch, though: the case might not have any legs, because Google doesn't even have the proper contracts to do business with the government, so it may never have been in the running to begin with. Expect the government to bring up the issue of Google's standing to sue (or lack there of) in its response.
[via Techdirt]
Comments
17
Subscribe to commentsNightHawkNov 1st 2010 6:41PM
While Gmail is really good for an end-user, Outlook mail servers are a lot better for institutions and businesses. Support, connectivity with custom systems and centralisation. It's really good.
BugMeNotNov 1st 2010 7:02PM
Not to mention MS has better drop in compatibility for existing MSoffice documents, large word/excel files with VB and macros, Visio files,etc. While openoffice and google docs are fine for many people and business, when you start to add in third party plugs, macros and services, and work on a very massive scale (100meg+ excel files for example), MS is better suited.
StevenNov 1st 2010 7:10PM
I think Google should be more worried with paying their taxes than suing the US Government...
BugMeNotNov 1st 2010 7:15PM
Aye, here is the link to that story:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-21/google-2-4-rate-shows-how-60-billion-u-s-revenue-lost-to-tax-loopholes.html
60 billion lost USA revenue, ouch!
JordanNov 2nd 2010 12:05AM
Google's exploiting loopholes. It's nothing new, and it's not illegal. If I were you, I'd be more concerned with choosing your politicians wisely in the elections than pointing the fingers at Google, Microsoft, etc, for using those loopholes. It's the politician's job to close them, and while they may look unfavorable for using those loopholes, a corporation is doing nothing wrong by using them.
DrakkenfyreNov 1st 2010 7:39PM
So they are suing the government because they didn't consider them?
There is some irony here. Google, the company who wants to be the provider and controller of everything, suing a government because they didn't choose them.
JordanNov 2nd 2010 12:02AM
Not quite. They're suing because the government was ONLY considering Microsoft options, they never even looked at Google's (or other competitors') solutions. It smells terribly like an under-the-table deal, and Google's definitely within its rights to challenge the government to explain why it closed its eyes to more than one option.
Think about it, government and military contracts are the most lucrative deals a business can get. If a government isn't considering all the options in a free market society, then there's a problem with either the government or the market. Google says there's nothing wrong with the market (that they can also match the government's requirements in features), so the problem must lie with the government.
Raffi12Nov 2nd 2010 4:57AM
@Jordan
No they're not, they didn't consider Google because they MISSED the bidding deadline. Now they want the rules changed because they were too incompetent to get their products certified on time.
QuikboyNov 1st 2010 9:28PM
Gee, why does Google feel they're entitled to everything? Microsoft obviously offers the better products (not to mention the security), so it's pretty obvious why Google wasn't even a contender.
shellscripttylerNov 2nd 2010 1:20AM
Gee, why does Microsoft feel they're entitled to everything? Google obviously offers the better products (not to mention the security), so it's pretty obvious why Microsoft shouldn't even be contender.
**Microsoft is a monopoly, they already HAVE everything.
QuikboyNov 2nd 2010 1:29AM
@shellscripttyler:
"Gee, why does Microsoft feel they're entitled to everything? Google obviously offers the better products (not to mention the security), so it's pretty obvious why Microsoft shouldn't even be contender.
**Microsoft is a monopoly, they already HAVE everything."
Wow, spoken like a true fanboy. In what case does Microsoft CURRENTLY have a true monopoly in? You know, in the sense they control a particular market or is the sole provider of such? Answer: Nothing.
If Microsoft has 'everything', then I guess you're saying they control the web search market, portable media player market, and everything else, eh? Sorry buddy, but you're so wrong.
BugMeNotNov 2nd 2010 3:21AM
if anyone has a monopoly in their products is it google
KellNov 2nd 2010 9:34AM
In a war between MS and Google, I'm enlisting with Microsoft.
KyithNov 2nd 2010 7:56PM
nothing can be worse than the battle by tech companies to sue each other for capital gains.
if you think its always the microsofts and apples take a look at how interconnected it is http://www.investmentmoats.com/stock-market-commentary/business/the-world-of-suing-the-shit-out-of-your-competitors/
UberSilNov 4th 2010 9:55PM
Yes, because the government wants to leave it's (possibly) classified documents in a cloud where they aren't the ones ensuring the security. I mean it's not like Googlet gets hacked...except for that time that it's Gmail got hacked by the "chinese". And it's not like the DOI should use the same software package that the rest of the government uses because they're not going to go share documents with other departments.
SanskritNov 3rd 2010 8:50AM
Hey, I work here at DOI and personally, I'd rather have Gmail or Outlook than what we currently have (Lotus Notes).
biotechieNov 8th 2010 3:13PM
google seemed pissed at its competitor's lately fb, ms, maybe apple is next in line, seem like they are worried, ms have been rocking for years, google could use their help lmao