What's up with Google?

You've read the recent news about Google plotting against Microsoft. But is it all a farce? First, Google was going to start a huge VoIP network; then they were going to build a nationwide WiFi service; and most recently they primed to distribute OpenOffice. Except they didn't do any of that.

What happened? For starters, the mainstream press really messed up (yes, us too.) Sure, Google's technology could be used for these three services, and who knows, any of them could still happen. What's not there is the business logic or the personnel. What does a search company have to do with VoIP, WiFi, or office suites? What does a search company know about administering those things?

Drum roll please (ba-bum ba-bum ba-bum): they know nothing!

Not that they couldn't learn, or more reasonably, acquire their way into such technologies. Hey, Wall Street knocked Symantec for acquiring Veritas--the argument was that security has nothing to do with backup and storage. I didn't understand why the street was so confused. "Data protection" is data protection whether it's anti-virus or storage. Makes sense to me. But this time, all these Google rumors are confusing the heck out of me.

So can someone please explain the natural expansion from search to VoIP or WiFi or office suites? Google may not like Microsoft (honestly, who does?), but spite and "because we can!" are not valid expansion plans for public companies.

What's your opinion? Share it please by email.

Evan Koblentz is editor of FierceEnterprise.