The battle between Microsoft and Google to control the cyberspace has begun in earnest. The software giant has sent the message loud and clear that it will fight back the challenge mounted by Google, which was initially ignored as an ambitious upstart.

After all, Microsoft has successfully fought off similar challenges to its supremacy by Apple, IBM, Netscape Navigator, Yahoo and others. With its monopoly of the software market — most personal computers today are run and controlled by the Windows operating system of Microsoft — it has easily driven away all possible competition.