History is big business. Just as millions look to the future of technology, millions more are using technology to peer into the past. That's been Ancestry.com's
Enter the softy
Facebook or Google
Microsoft
Foe or friend?
Microsoft might find partnerships a better use of its new project. Competing with Ancestry would require a massive data-gathering operation to catch up to its decades-long head start, or an expensive acquisition. On the other hand, interactive timelines would be a great way to make membership stickier for Ancestry, the better to combat potentially dangerous subscriber churn.
Another possibility: Microsoft could license the service to Ancestry, and could also make it work with XO Group's
Will we see the nice Mr. Softy or mean old Microsoft emerge from Project Greenwich? For Ancestry's sake, let's hope it's the former. In the meantime, add these companies to your Watchlist to keep track of how Project Greenwich affects their prospects.