GigaOM

[...] + GigaOm [...]

[...] Riley over on TechCrunch writes Google "cries wolf". Om Malik has a response saying it looks like Google is "playing tit for [...]

[...] - Google Responds to MicroHOO - GigaOM Could Microsoft now attempt to exert the same sort of inappropriate and illegal influence over the [...]

[...] course; this is a cheap operation), but if you’re any good at predicting things, like whether Yahoo or not will get a white knight, your virtual net worth will [...]

[...] Coverage on TechCrunch, GigaOM, BuzzMachine, Read Write Web, Business Week, Mashable, VentureBeat and Between The Lines. [...]

[...] blocking the deal as it stands. Many people are thinking that this is simply Google’s way to get back at Microsoft for slowing down their own DoubleClick acquisition, but could it be a carefully thought out [...]

[...] - my view of what a joint MSFT/YHOO company might be called. Sure you’ve seen Yacrosoft and MicroHOO. These all give far too much equivalence in this relationship. The reality would be much more like [...]

[...] "Does anyone else see this as Google playing tit-for-tat?" [...]

[...] much chance of them blocking the deal as it stands. Many are suspecting this is just Google’s way to get back at Microsoft for slowing down their own DoubleClick acquisition, but could it be a carefully thought out [...]

“After all Microsoft created some problems for Google when it acquired DoubleClick”

Seems to be a typo - Microsoft acquired aQuantitative and Google has plans to acquire DoubleClick (depending on the outcome of the the EU competition commission).

Do you mean “…Google created some problems for Microsoft…”?

Another typo Om..

“Will Google is going to start beating the anti-trust drums?”

No. He had it right. Microsoft is crying foul at Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick. Although if we are pointing to typos, that last sentence is a bit of a train wreck: “Will Google is going to start…”

But I don’t see it that way. I think Google would have played tit regardless of Microsoft playing tat.

yes - saw it and could NOT believe what i was reading.

it has already been translated into “Plain English” for layman reading: (link)

Om, great to see this post, no doubt it’ll spark an interesting discussion.

Keep on truckin! :-)

No complaints are valid. It´s just business.

Well, Google’s right with their response, with pointing out the problems Microsoft could make in future. There are anti-trust-problems, when Microsoft as one of the biggest internet companies out there wants to buy a company like Yahoo. If Google can do something to weaken the acquisition (through forcing Microhoo! to sell parts of the new company), they will - of course!
Not much different to Microsoft’s complaint about the DoubleClick-acquisition. There are real anti-trust-problems, and Microsoft’s doing everything they can to weaken the deal.

That’s not tit-for-tat, that’s business as usual - on a bigger scale, of course.

I agree with Sebastian. It’s not tit-for-tat, each side has been and will continue to try and create the most favorable situation for themselves.

Must admit - those are some legitimate concerns expressed by Google. Just to give one small example: What will happen to Zimbra when Microsoft takes over Yahoo? Will MS allow an Outlook Exchange competitor to survive?

Will anyone care what Google thinks of the deal? Even if they too legal action, their chances of blocking the deal would be close to zero. To me it’s just FUD.

Interesting move El G… Trying to block the deal based on the dominant (= monopoly => antitrust) share of IM + email ???

I dont think the feds will bite though …

Inspite of Googles very very apparent fear, I think google will come out on top of this one… When has a mega huge merger like this ever ever worked ? Two very very different cultures….

Do you hear Google crying? I do :)

Yuvamani,
The cultures of Microsoft and Yahoo may be different (as it would be between majority of companies of such size), but their business and talent pool complement each other. Also, don’t forget that they’ve had an ad exchange deal for a number of years and they decided to open up their IM pipes, etc. They have a relatively amicable relationship, so they are not as far from one another as one might think.

That’s the way it goes. Jacking up the lawyer fees. Though MicroHOO will find itself not in as much trouble in the EU. Since Yahoo is only small potatoes in the EU.

But the HR department of Google will have to work overtime today receiving all those resume’s of Yahoo’s developers. Can you imagine having to listen to Ballmer shouting DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS.

Same old story - the only revelation is - goolge - who has now become part of this corporate war.

Microsoft must see a world of hurt coming their way if they’re trying to spend tens of billions of dollars to change from an OS/on-PC-applications company to a Web-based company, huh?

Google should better attack Microsoft where it hurts, and launch Google Linux (why not Goobuntu) to hit hard on Windows and Office that brings billions in profits to Microsoft.

(link)

Pushing rods into wheels is such an old tactics - if it makes sense for business, if it is legal 100% then why not? And those who doesn’t like it - when was the last time you were talking to your legislator, huh?

heads: msft+yhoo goes through, goog wins as users migrate over and new users continue to accumulate their way and feed their monetization engines. tails: msft+yhoo has issues, stretches out for months, goog wins as users migrate over. if i was goog, why wouldn’t i launch a few barbs here and there while yhoo contemplates the offer at hand.

Disappointing to see this from a person and organization that I hold in such high esteem.

It is intellectually insulting to read his argument; David is right- there are anti- trust issues- but they all concern advertising aggregation. But as that is a hard argument to articulate, he regrettably shifts the debate to anti-trust for consumers (and talks abut IM? Really?) because that is tangible to readers of the blog. Ludicrous argument.

“Miahoo”, that sounds right

and what about the new stock symbol: “MHOO” ?

At last, the unthinkable has happened. The sky has fallen down and the world is ending! Yahoo is being acquired by the 500Ib Redmond beast. Who in a million years would ever think that this day will ever come? I remember many years ago about using an excellent service called hotmail.com. It was the best e-mail service. But as soon as the 500Ib gorilla acquired it, that service went down the toilet and became a joke. Then there was WebTV. Where is it? WebT what? Now, Yahoo? May God help us, because in 5 yrs it may be Google’s turn to go to bed with the beast. I prefer that the Beast acquire Google now so it can de-construct it and lay it to waste as quickly as possible. Please leave Yahoo alone!!! I don’t think by acquiring Yahoo, the beast can make any improvement in its competition with the Googledontbevilbutbevilanyway.

Goog le Response to MicroHoo is to Worry… that’s the only thing
they can do right now. Nothing could stop Behemoth Microsoft to
stand on their way.