Leadership Matters: Google, Microsoft Duel Good Drama

Similar to the famous note in 1897 in which Mark Twain pointed out that the reports of his death were an exaggeration, I can't help but think that reports of the demise of Microsoft's(MSFT Quote) Windows may be just a bit premature as well.

There is a part of me that cheers the sentiment. I mean, who among us hasn't prayed to the Vista gods that whatever was happening to our computers would stop happening so we could get on with our work? And of course, were it not for Microsoft Windows, Symantec(SYMC Quote), the maker of Norton, McAfee(MFE Quote) and several other antivirus providers would be out of business. But personal sentiment aside, it is difficult for me to believe that Steve Ballmer is staying awake at night worrying about Google's(GOOG Quote) recent announcement of the upcoming Chrome operating system.

Battle Royale: Microsoft vs. Google

Doing a search on Google (hmmm) for "Microsoft Killer," you will get thousands of hits related to this newly announced software. In the hyperbole that we have all come to love when talking tech, it appears the Chrome OS will not only be another tool available to Internet users, but will in some way finally relegate Microsoft to a more humble place in the corporate community as Google finally does what no other operating system has been able to do. David will finally beat Goliath.

Of course, the problem with this David and Goliath story is that it isn't exactly David and Goliath. It's more like, "Clash of the Titans." Google CEO Eric Schmidt has the great advantage of public sentiment regarding support for the anti-Windows. Schmidt also has the advantage -- or disadvantage -- of a career-long obsession with pounding Microsoft.