If you’ve followed the links in my Web News posts over the past week or two then you’re well aware Google and Microsoft are duking it out over the search feature in Vista. Google appeared to have won the fight when Microsoft agreed to release a ‘fix’ in SP1 that would allow third-party search tools. Google then suggested that this wasn’t enough, they wanted the judge to extend her oversight to monitor Microsoft longer than the original consent decree’s term. Microsoft’s response to this was once again interesting and insightful.

I just saw on Vista Babble that Microsoft responded with a seven page memo contending that Google should have no standing in this matter. ComputerWorld notes:

Also in the memo, Microsoft attempted to undercut Google’s reason for extending the consent decree by promising to release a beta Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) before the decree’s Nov. 12 expiration. Google had hinted that Microsoft, which had previously committed to launching SP1 only before the end of the year, might never implement the changes. The Nov. 12 deadline for Vista SP1 is the firmest timetable yet for any major milestone of the update.

It’s unclear from this article if Microsoft’s offer was accepted as a condition of dismissing Google’s complaint, or if the complaint was dismissed for other reasons and the offer will not be taken up. It is clear though that Microsoft does not want this consent decree extended, and they are also prepared to release an SP1 public beta at any time. I know I won’t be in a rush to install that beta if they are willing to push it out the door ahead of it’s time!