I got to thinking about this today after reading a few articles about Google celebrating its 10th anniversary and now, apparently, getting into the crosshairs of both the anti-trust and privacy hawks.  Microsoft and IBM have long been considered the big tech companies that everybody loved to hate even though their products continue to find a market and their revenues continue to climb.

So what happens when the antithesis to Microsoft comes of age and becomes one of these big companies?

Google has done some growing up, is experiencing a decline/pause in its massive stock appreciation, and is desperately trying to be more than an advertising company.  I can't find the source (apologies) but remember reading a quote about Google that goes something like this:  "it is a company of mad scientists supported by an advertising business."  Great for now, but what happens when an earnings miss occurs, a downturn in ad spending happens, or margins begin to erode?

The other "cool" player on the landscape is Apple and has held the title of "not IBM/Microsoft" for some time driven home by its really clever Mac vs PC commercials.  Their resurgence as a company has been very exciting to watch which makes me wonder what's next to sustain this growth?  Look around next time you are in a coffee shop or board meeting and count the number of Macs you see.  It is no longer the unique/alternative choice it once was.

It will be interesting to watch as the "enemy of my enemy is my friend" approach begins to wane and these two cool companies collide as tech industry giants.

I use products and services from all these companies and like the fact that they continue to raise the bar with each other.  I believe this drives innovation, creates opportunities for start ups, and creates a near-term exit path for venture-backed companies while the IPO market continues to be flat. 

Evolving from scrappy start up set on dethroning the big guy to large global multi-billion dollar player is what happens when you become successful beyond imagination.  It is part of the natural evolution and motivates a whole new generation of young companies to come after you.