Alot people love google and their spirit, including me. MS got a late start in the Internet and still catching up. However, if you look outside PCs, i think probably MS will win because: a) they are more aggressive and well-organized. I dont know any company can write "acceptable software" better than MS on a consistent basis b) they have more political power c) they are moving to control new important device (home theater, xbox, cell phone...) to diversify their revenues.

In a sense, MS represents "order" (IP rights...) and google represents freedom (open source, open social, Internet...); and that is why alot of people love Google. Yet, I still believe you need to be extremely competitive to win in this world. Just look at US as a nation for a good example....

I like companies that say no evil, do no evil (do we hear no evil?). And jack up the internet till you wish you could install 'em in yer brain.

Anyway, I also think that Microsoft is so last decade, even though you gotta hand it to them, they made computer geeks out of a bunch of nobodies.

So I'd pick GOOG. How about you?

I think in the long run Google will win in the markets they compete in. People are moving more and more to a Software as a Service model rather than wanting to purchase, install, and maintain their software locally. Google harnesses this change and is adapting to it, while Microsoft is still holding on to the old days of desktop computing.