Microsoft and Google At It Again

Microsoft and Google clash again on the classifieds field. Microsoft's seven month old project code-named "Fremont" has started testing only two weeks after Google showed its own classified service.

Fremont ties buyers according to their level of familiarity with the seller.

Garry Wiseman, Microsoft's product unit manager said, "we decided that trust is very important when you are looking for things like babysitting services… People should determine who can see their classified ads. You might decide you only want to share them with your email contacts or other students if you are at a university." Mr. Wiseman also added that "there are quite a few scenarios like that related to dating, garage sales, barbecues, etc."

"It is more than just a classifieds service: you can post information you'd like to share with your social network--it integrates with Virtual Earth and aids in the discovery of items via search, MSN Alerts, integration with WL Messenger, WL Spaces, MSN Shopping, and other Windows Live and MSN assets," said a spokeswoman for MSN.

In comparison, Google Base is only a database featuring anything from apartment hunting to where you can find the best shopping, or even some job searches. It seems as though the biggest difference is that Microsoft's targeting the individual user experience while Google's targeting a mass audience that needs to get access to information.