MORE FROM DAVOS... GATES CALLS CURRENT SEARCH TECHNOLOGY A JOKE
Angelina Jolie Fights Against Poverty

Was that a shot across the bow? I think it was. If I was at Google, I'm not sure if I would laugh at his arrogance or be a bit worred. Microsoft has overtaken previous leaders in other markets in the past. Interesting war developing in the next few years.

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) Chairman Bill Gates said current Internet search-engine technology is "a joke," and promised better features in two to three years.

But the head of the software giant, in an event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum here late Friday, acknowledged that Microsoft had stumbled in its own search-engine efforts. He said the company had been "stupid as hell" to let Google Inc. (GOOG) take the lead in the search market.

"Search today, compared to what it will be two to three years from now, it's a joke, in terms of how much it knows about what you subscribe to" and other features, Gates said in an on-stage interview with U.S. journalist Charlie Rose.

When Rose suggested search technology was "embryonic today," Gates responded "Thank goodness." That would seem to indicate that despite Google's dominance of the search market, Gates still believes it's early enough in the game to eventually overtake Google.


HatTip to Loic Le Meur. Angelina Jolie attended the World Economic Forum with an interest to support the fight against poverty in the world.