Microsoft wants Yahoo, Google protests...

For the record, so do I. Mainly, because I am a satisfied Yahoo! Mail user and I very much dislike the idea of being back at Microsoft - the whole fricking point of me changing from Hotmail to Yahoo, oh, 6 or 7 years ago now.

But let's focus on the more interesting part of this deal. Whereas Microsoft wants Yahoo, the feeling clearly isn mutual - Yahoo is just with its back against the wall, looking for an escape route. No merger or hostile takeover by Microsoft would be benificial to Yahoo as a brand, but they have not done well in the years past and shareholders will probably take the money (even with the Microsoft stock reducing the market value of the offer).

In the meanwhile, Google is scheming and plotting behind the big doors of the Google fortress. Their claims against Microsoft are hardly likely to be taken seriously - after all, their takeover of DoubleClick was criticized by the other parties involved in this deal. No bid they bring will and can be taken seriously, for all their goodwill that would certainly be considered too monopolist. They could try with the EU, for in the EU a takeover that helps strengthening a monopolist in its market share is illegal - however, it would have to be with strong evidence that Yahoo! could support the marketshare for Windows or Internet Explorer. The latter of course might be possible (just imagine the horror: yahoo! mail working only by IE 7 standards rather than W3C standards). My biggest guess is they'll not rely on politicians to do the work for them. They probably prefer scheming with companies and venture capitalists to buy yahoo, split it up dramatically (this WILL be a slaughter) and sell each individual part for its remaining worth, with google compensating possible losses. Without serious engagers who would have Yahoo, that would be much preferable to Microsoft gaining control of it all.