Google has always been one of our favorite companies at ACT. Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin built the fledging startup into the indomitable global powerhouse we now know through hard work, innovation, and shrewd business practices. We just finished a paper that looks at the way Google is helping to pave the way towards the “On-Demand Desktop” and we even have a lot of friends at Google’s growing DC office.

That is why we find it so disappointing that Google is leaving its previously successful path of innovation, to dabble in competition by litigation. It is a strategy that rarely works and, belittles the otherwise great story of Google, and could backfire on the company in the future.

But is also why we’re enjoying poking a little fun at them for their current course – especially the attempt to “shroud its $164 billion market cap in the clothes of a poor defenseless startup.”

But, then again, we’re taking the issue about as seriously as Google’s lawyers seem to be taking it. They waited 4 years before filing their first complaint, which just so happened to be a few days before Vista shipped with its enhanced desktop search functionality. Then they waited until today to file an 11th hour request to intervene in tomorrow’s status hearing on the Microsoft Consent Decree. A move I’m sure will win them a lot of favor with the judge.

Can’t wait to see what happens later today!