One of the most highly anticipated IPOs. Investors are swarming in circles, like a mob of sharks, waiting for this IPO to drop. The public is even hungrier. Alternatives to Google are out there, and they're becoming better. Especially when Google's search algorithms can being exploited by only a handful. (1 reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3298443.stm) Naturally, search engines are GREAT for ad placement. Unlike SPAM, they can do product placement very effectively without being too intrusive or annoying. This is why there is going to be much more competition in this arena as SPAM, telemarketing, junkmail, and TV commercials go away (with like TiVo). In the future, no longer will we be seeing ads on what we don't want, instead we will be using ads to educate ourselves on products we DO want. There are challengers to Google. Two big ones that you may be familiar with are Yahoo! and Microsoft. Both companies have used the last few years buying and developing their own technologies. (1 reference: http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/040106/0157000411_1.html) There are many many many more in the woodworks by smaller, unknown groups. (1 reference: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/05/seeing.search1.ap/index.html) Google may be approaching it's databasing limits. I don't know for sure what kind of processors Google uses, other than it uses arrays of lowcost hardware, but the databasing architecture (probably 32 bits?) cannot sustain performance growth as they index more and more webpages. (1 reference: http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum3/14114-4-15.htm) misc reference(s): http://www.google-watch.org http://www.google.com/press/ http://www.google.com This one is cool: http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html What were the queries on Google on September 11, 2001? http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist/zeitgeist-sept.html
What is a databasing limit? And, this is BS. If you don't think that Google will invest in technology on the database and hardware side to ensure optimal performance, you are an idiot. And, by the way, Google rules the search engine world. Nothing comes close!!!
After the ipo, I think Google will be able to afford a few dozen Cray's if they so choose, so don't worry about it.
i think this is going to be big... google is to the internet what jblu is to the airline industry IMO...
... Might be interesting since everybody will be watching it. Despite what everybody might think there is still overcapacity in utility search as well and this area will continue to consolidate. Technical limitations really are not an issue for search as there are workable solutions to deal with large databases that allow acceptable performance.