Rupert Murdoch has been blustering about Google stealing his content and shutting down access to Google to any of his websites, including MySpace and some newspapers. This is a really strange position and most pundits, including myself (if I can call myself a pundit), think it is extremely poor judgement. Murdoch wants people paying for his content - probably because the advertising revenue he's getting isn't covering costs yet.

Google isn't the Internet, and they aren't the only search tool in town, but the idea that Google is stealing your content is pure ignorance. Google drives traffic to your sites. It's what Google does - sell advertising by getting people to stay on the Internet as long as possible! Having Google link to your content is good news for any publisher!

But then I read this post at Neowin and my mind reeled. Microsoft is encouraging websites/content owners to block Google and partner with Bing, Microsoft's search tool! OK, way to go Microsoft for trying to capitalize on a billionaire's lack of internet savvy, but this isn't good for Bing! But Murdoch wants people to pay for the content on his sites! If I have to pay to visit all of the search results I get from Bing there is no way I would switch from Google.

This could be an opportunity, but Bing is still the real underdog. Google is a real Goliath, but we haven't found a real David in Bing yet. I wish Bing luck, but I still Google almost everything.