Microsoft’s Ozzie Talks Of Google “Wake-Up Call,” Vertical Search Hopes

Ray Ozzie, chief software architect at Microsoft, spoke today about trying to
beat Google during a Goldman Sachs investors conference. Various reports cover
his comments relating to the Big G, Google, as well as search in general. Among
them:

• Vertical search may be a place to pull ahead of Google selectively,
  pointing to
  yesterday’s move in getting into health search [I agree]
• Google’s success was a "wake-up call" for Microsoft
• Search as a "command line" for the internet [as John Battelle
  
  has been putting it] but not the only place where people search
• A reprise of the "it’s early days" and search is just past its "first
  generation" comments we’ve heard from Microsoft execs many time before

Places to read more:

• 
  Excerpts: Microsoft’s Ozzie talks strategy, competition, Seattle PI (great
  extended coverage of his talk by Todd Bishop)
   
• 
  Microsoft says Google success was "wake-up call", Reuters
   
• 
  Microsoft’s Ozzie says company will refine, surpass Google’s approach,
  MarketWatch
   
• 
  Reading the
  Ray Ozzie tea leaves, All About Microsoft
   
• Looking At
  Microsoft’s Continued Long Game In Search, Search Engine Land (from me
  last month, it covers much of what Microsoft has said in the past about taking
  on Google since 2003, with some comments on why vertical search may be the
  company’s best shot.

The webcast of his talk can be heard from
here.