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Topic: Legal

Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

Summary: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Larry Page will have their duels throughout the years. Those duels are likely to pick up once Facebook raises truckloads of cash.

Larry Dignan

By for Between the Lines |

It has become increasingly clear that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates had a bit of a complicated relationship. The two tech luminaries were fierce competitors, cooperated from time to time and had a healthy respect for each other over time (jabs aside of course).

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

Jobs and Gates were like two boxers. The difference was that they traded jabs in computing. One was elegant liberal arts type and the other was an engineering wonk. When Jobs passed away late last year one of the questions instantly revolved around his replacement. Who would be the next Jobs? Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos came up frequently as tech's new leader. There's an argument to be made there, but the Bezos case misses a key ingredient---competition from a foil.

Gates and Jobs fed off each other in many ways as they dueled through the decades. The relationship was complicated. That back and forth between two tech titans may be missed but not for long.

More: Techmeme | | Report: Facebook IPO to be much smaller - its valuation could soar beyond $100bn | Facebook to file $5 billion IPO tomorrow (rumor) | CNET: Facebook IPO may be downsized to $5 billion

Google CEO Larry Page.

Google CEO Larry Page.

Why? Facebook's initial public offering proceedings will kick off soon. And with that IPO will come vast riches, capital and the heft for Facebook to compete with Google. That reality will mean that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Larry Page will have their duels throughout the years. The two execs are already dueling.

  • Facebook takes time and eyeballs away from Google.
  • Google launches Google+.
  • Google then integrates Google+ with its search.
  • Facebook is teamed with Bing.
  • Both companies have mobile ambitions.
  • Google is search. Facebook is social graphs.
  • Does anyone doubt that Google and Facebook will be in court at some point?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Although the Facebook-Google competition isn't as clear cut as Apple and Microsoft---two companies jousting in the PC market---rest assured that the battles are just beginning.

Dan Farber on CBS News noted:

Facebook isn't going to invest in out-gunning Google in search. It will leave that daunting task to its partner Microsoft Bing for now, but over time Facebook's social search sprinkled with the standard web results could become robust enough keep users away from Google for many kinds of searches.

That passage nails it. Google and Facebook are competing for your time and ultimately a better ad mousetrap. In this new world order, Page is more like Gates. He has a dominant position, enters multiple markets and may spread Google too thin. Facebook's Zuckerberg is focused, evangelistic about sharing and a bit of a tech messiah to some. Zuckerberg may be Jobsian over time.

In any case, Facebook's IPO sets the stage for a good old tech CEO duel. Zuckerberg-Page are destined to be the next Jobs vs. Gates.

Topics: Legal, Apple, Banking, Google, Social Enterprise

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  • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

    Short Answer: No. Neither really have the recognition of the masses. Ask someone who Bill Gates or Steve Jobs was. Chances are, they'll at least have heard of them. Yet I still have to qualify Zuckerberg with "the guy who made Facebook" to most people, even after having a movie made about him. Larry Page's recognition is even worse (hell, I had to double check the article because I didn't quite remember if his first name was Larry).
    Aerowind
    Reply Vote

    • Blame that on the dumbing down of the masses, not the stature of Page

      I bet you know who kim kardashan is. I even dare to bet that you have no idea who Grigory Perelman is while being absolutely sure that you keep track of the "adventures" of a ton of celebrity half-wits.

      Everyone knows who Paris Hilton is so according to you her stature must be bigger than Page's.
      Not a Fool
      Reply Vote

      • Page is an Enterpenuer at this point; since the beginning of Eric Shcmitz.

        @Not a Fool >

        " I appreciate what Google has done under Eric Shcmitz leadership. Most anything of great value came after their search engine took hold of advertisers. In fact what both of these companies have in common is they are both advertising companies. But, Facebook above $10 billion is leading into hedge fund territory."

        " And, Paris Hilton is worth a lot more than Bank of America; I don't know about Google or those individuals comparatively?"
        Zurk_Orkin
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @Not a Fool Don't make Page holier than the masses. Everyone's not dumb-ed down because they don't know the CEO of a search engine. He didn't create the search engine (Webcrawler, AOL, Yahoo, etc). It's not 1993, there's never going to be any hopla about a search engine until someone invents one that can figure out what you're looking for with 98% accuracy. BTW: Kardashians are on TV, Page is not. Which is even more proof that the majority of Americans still watch television. Do you hear that ZD folks? No more articles about TV being replaced by the Interweb! NO ONE likes clicking a hundred clicks to watch Person of Interest via a web browser.
        myangeldust
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

      @Aerowind

      =ridiculous logic and bad anecdote. Regardless of "recognition of the masses" these individuals are in the tech community, where people in the same industry would absolutely know who Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and Bill Gates are. As well, for them to have recognition among the masses is an even a greater achievement. Perhaps esoteric to you...but not to the tech world. As for the logic, this has nothing to do with the article which is trying to validate the idea that a rivalry of giants--a so called technological brinkmanship is inevitable between these to businesses...who will win? well have to wait and see.
      mrgylex
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @mrgylex I know who Jimmy Page is... Larry Page not so much. I know of Zuckerberg and Gates and Jobs. Google is just a curtain that hides a machine capable of doing some real damage to folks.
        myangeldust
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

    My favorite is steve jobs...
    nomikhokher1
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

      @nomikhokher1

      Why? Explain. Most people who say they like steve don't know why they like him, he wasn't tekkie, he didnt make anything, he just took things that already existed and made them better (well, his employees made them better).

      Whereas Bill Gates actually programmed and did a lot of things when he was younger, now he saves millions of people's lives, while the other was giving grief to his employees.

      Both got to where they were using underhanded techniques, 1 of them went on to make a difference to the world in a good way, the other didnt.
      danjames2012
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @danjames2012 Don't forget to mention, "didn't donate one red cent to charity!"
        Jobs was a hack- let's not forget his company would've been dead in the water if it hadn't been for Gates' goodwill.
        jmwells21
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @jmwells21

        While we are at it we could also say he cheated somebody out of a transplant as well using his money to make sure he got 1 long before everyone else on the transplant list.
        danjames2012
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @danjames2012 - Will you guys please stop with the Bill Gates is God banter. It's making me ill!
        The Danger is Microsoft
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @danjames2012 On top of that, Jobs really wasn't a likeable guy in real life. He was a hard-ass, difficult to work with, and an all around slave driver. Gates on the other hand was a fun-loving, go with the flow, happy kinda guy.<br><br>Me thinks the reason for the preference is the mark of the beast.... err... mark of the Apple?
        thoiness
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @The Danger is Microsoft... No one thinks Gates is God... That is what Apple worshipers are for (applying deity to corporate heads/corporations). This is simply stating TRUTH (something applites believe is subjective) about differing personalities and contributions.
        thoiness
        Reply Vote

      • You have personal knowledge of Steve Jobs?

        @danjames2012 you and all the other schmucks making sanctimonious statements against Steve Jobs and what he did or didn't do. Did you personally know Jobs, were you friends with Jobs, did you work for Jobs, or do you just dislike Jobs and anything he did or stood for?

        What have you accomplished?
        GeoffMichael
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @GeoffMichael Wow... right out there in left field. What if we did know these people, and what is it that you did that qualified you to post in some random forum? Or are you, like us, just some sanctimonious turd who either has some knowledge, has read some biographies, watched some TV, or maybe has done none of the sort except worship a logo?
        thoiness
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @GeoffMichael Ah... My bad.. You brought the word "boogan" to the Urban Dictionary. I am humbled by your feats. What made you lower yourself to hanging out with us mere mortals? Was it simply to question our first hand knowledge and brouhahas we attended with the two parties in question?

        I see you favor Apple. Do you hang out at the factory all day and inspect their products to ensure the quality of devices are prepared in such a way that you'd be qualified to comment on them?
        thoiness
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

        @danjames2012 The MacOS is NOT easier to use than WinOS. It suffers less from virus and malware but the system isn't more "intuitive" as they claim. I think each OS strengths and weaknesses neutralize each to the other and then it's all about which one you purchased first and used the most.
        myangeldust
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

      @nomikhokher1 Steve just got Samsung-ed!!
      myangeldust
      Reply Vote

  • Good Luck with the IPO, until you come crashing down

    Mark,<br><br>Good luck with the IPO and if you can squeeze $100bn out of the dumb-asses of Wall Street, good on ya. Only, it's probably my pension fund coughing the money up...<br><br>... Until the penny drops in .com bust 2, and you are exposed as a company with somewhat shady accounts, little in the way of much YOY track record, and you don't really make much more than $500m in net revenue - mostly dependant on the fickle nature of your clientele.<br><br>Sniff, sniff - Goldman Sachs stench is afoot.....<br><br>RIP Bebo. MySpace will join you soon. - Facebook don;t forget this.
    neil.postlethwaite@...
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Facebook's IPO: Is Zuckerberg-Page the new Jobs-Gates?

      @neil.postlethwaite@... You're wrong, Facebook will hit 1 billion of users in summer of 2012, Facebook has parthnerships with VEVO to provide music video services at end of 2012, this will mean death to Youtube. Facebook will provide music services in less than a year, most record companies will get profits from this parthnership. I can't wait to buy Facebook stock, I'm sure many Google investors will drop out and go to Facebook, it will sky rocket their price in less than 6 months.
      Gabriel Hernandez
      Reply Vote
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