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Robert Scoble left a comment on my last post that Jeff Reynar at Google is behind the Google Toolbar's controversial ...

... new Autolink feature. Ironically, he's the same person who was behind the similar SmartTag feature that Microsoft tried to build into IE. Reynar co-authored Microsoft's Smart Tag FAQ in 2001 and his home page identifies him as a current Google program manager.

Scoble also weighed in at length today on the whole issue, saying that he agrees with Dave Winer and I, but that Google can get away with lots of things Microsoft can't. That said, I think he somewhat underestates Google's ability to set a prescedent. They're no Microsoft. But if they get away with this it might set up Microsoft and Yahoo to follow in their footsteps.

Link: Scobles comment on Steve's post.

Steve Rubel is a PR strategist with nearly 16 years of public relations, marketing, journalism and communications experience. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President with Edelman, the largest independent global PR firm.He authors the Micro Persuasion weblog, which tracks how blogs and participatory journalism are changing the public relations practice.