Research Papers / Paper on Google vs Microsoft -help me understand analysis and my school assignment [5]

Thanks for the reply. Here is what I have so far:

"Google Versus Microsoft
Technology giants Microsoft and Google are in competition to change the way we interact with computers. Microsoft has dominated the desktop environment(cite) and Google rose to prominence with its Internet services. The two companies are taking their expertise and success in the industry, and applying it to shape the future of computing.

Microsoft's success comes from their operating system, Windows, and their application suite, Microsoft Office. The software is installed on local desktop computers. Windows reached peak popularity before the Internet gained mainstream adoption in the 1990s. While Internet has grown worldwide, Windows is still based on a desktop core that interacts with the expanse of the Web.

For desktop computing, most applications do not require an Internet connection. The user's information is kept on the computer's storage drive. There are disadvantage of this model. The consumer has to maintain the hardware, and consult the software vendor for updates. All of the applications and information must be accessed by the device-- be it a desktop computer, portable laptop or netbook.

Google has gained a lot of experience in Internet computing, based on their dominance in web searching and other web-based ventures. Their vision of computing involves the "cloud," or applications and information delivered from data centers to your computer through the Web-- essentially the reverse of traditional desktop computing. Cloud computing's advantages include platform-agnostic access-- your information and applications could be viewed through any computer, netbook, or cell phone. The hardware requirements for processing a web service is far less complicated than the desktop model. That includes lower costs for hardware repair and upgrades. The costs for web services like applications and information storage should be far lower than the typical desktop setup.

The disadvantages of a cloud computing model are the requirement for a constant Internet connection. Possibly the biggest disadvantage is storing information remotely to another hosting company, something many companies would not be willing to agree to.

Microsoft has made it a priority to adopt cloud computing, but their version of the cloud would allow their established desktop model to remain intact. There's another possible reason why Microsoft would want to hold onto the desktop model-- because they may not have the infrastructure in place to fully embrace cloud computing, before Google does. Recently, Microsoft has made attempts to partner with Internet portal Yahoo!. Access to the infrastructure at Yahoo! could help Microsoft compete with Google's cloud strategy.

Google has stated that they aren't interested in toppling Microsoft's empire, but they want the public to use Google's services when it is most practical. That could mean accessing Google Apps on a handheld device or cell phone, or for informal tasks where security is not of utmost concern. The Google Apps suite contains applications like word processing and spreadsheet that don't have as many features as Microsoft Office.

Finally, the battle between Microsoft does not have to be won by the best computing model for consumers and businesses. Microsoft is known for aggressive business practices that have considered anti-competitive by other companies. Also, many companies and end-users are very comfortable and familiar with the Windows and Office interface, and may not be ready to adopt a drastically different approach to computing that Google has proposed.

Putting it all together,"

It's not much, but I think it reflects where I'm having the most problems. This draft of the essay contains all of the facts from a case study in my textbook (Management Information Systems, Global Edition). I have to analyze the case study and I can't change the topic.