George Colony: “I like Google. But the hype, silliness, and rumored $15 billion-plus market cap of the company’s impending IPO beckons. Is Google’s search good? Yes. Is the company worth tens of billions? No–and here’s my thinking: […]”

Excellent piece. I’ve thought a lot about this as well, particularly Google’s lack of barriers to entry (Factor Two). Google has a strong brand, and perhaps marginally better technology (for now), but that’s about it. (Of course, a few billion dollars cash can buy some pretty good barriers..)

I’m a big fan of Google too and have been for many years, but I find myself hoping that Yahoo! Search gives Google a run for its money. I’ve always liked Yahoo! for the personalized, integrated experience it offers, and I’d very much like to see search neatly integrated with the rest of what Yahoo! gives me. I suspect I’m not alone, and for this reason, I think Yahoo! is well-positioned to compete with Google–as I’ve argued before, it’s all about integration.

Microsoft, as always, is the wildcard.