Microsoft really hates Google.

Google Apps has been luring customers away from Office 365, so it’s not surprising that Microsoft would fight back with some attack ads. Here’s another one that targets Gmail:

These videos are pretty cheesy, but considering some of Microsoft’s past commercials, it’s pretty much expected. Does anyone else think it’s ironic that Microsoft is attacking Google by uploading videos on YouTube?

I don’t like taking sides, but I’m very averse to attack ads. And Microsoft’s claims are very misleading:

Google killed off Gears and Wave.

Google Gears wasn’t a business product; it was a stopgap for HTML5. Now that HTML5 is gaining cross-browser adoption, Gears isn’t needed anymore. Google Wave was experimental and wasn’t a core product. Wave was eventually open-sourced (so it’s still there for people who want to use it), and its real-time features were absorbed into Google Docs.

They buried Buzz the same way.

Google Buzz also wasn’t a business product.

If Google Apps meets its grave, your business is hosed.

Last but not least, Google Apps is a business product, meaning they have a contractual obligation to support their customers in the unlikely event that Google Apps gets shut down. Speaking of which, Microsoft is being hypocritical here, since they killed off their Business Productivity Online Standard Suite and replaced it with Office 365. Migrating customers from BPOS to Office 365 turned out to be a messy process.

There’s some truth to Gmail displaying ads based on keywords in your email, but this fear mongering can go both ways. Microsoft personalizes ads based on online activity that it’s collected from you, and Microsoft is no stranger to user privacy accusations.

In case you were wondering, Google responded to Microsoft’s attacks with a post on their Public Policy blog. They dispelled some myths from Microsoft’s ads and ended the post with this:

We’ve always believed the facts should inform our marketing—and that it’s best to focus on our users rather than negative attacks on other companies. Onwards!

Watch out, Microsoft. I get that you’ve got some pent-up frustration from years of jabs by Apple, but this just makes you look like a bully, especially if Google isn’t willing to fight back. And considering the number of down votes and negative comments these two videos have on YouTube, it’s not looking like these ads are well-received.