Google calls MS' Yahoo! bid 'Troubling'
Thrax
🐌Austin, TX Icrontian
<p>As we very recently reported, Microsft plunked down a $44bn USD bid to acquire Yahoo!. With Microsoft's R&D budget and reach combined with Yahoo!'s superior web presence, Microsoft figures they could make a fine pair.</p>
<p>But what's a proposed merger without a little bit of drama? </p>
<p>Google's Chief Legal Officer had this to say in his blog:</p>
<blockquote>Could Microsoft now attempt to exert the same sort of inappropriate and illegal influence over the Internet that it did with the PC? While the Internet rewards competitive innovation, Microsoft has frequently sought to establish proprietary monopolies--and then leverage its dominance into new, adjacent markets,</blockquote>
<p>The fear is that combining two of the most popular IM protocols and two of the most popular web portals could give Microsoft leverage to control the flow of the Internet.</p>
<p>Shouldn't they be hounding the RIAA and DARPA about that? </p>
<p>But what's a proposed merger without a little bit of drama? </p>
<p>Google's Chief Legal Officer had this to say in his blog:</p>
<blockquote>Could Microsoft now attempt to exert the same sort of inappropriate and illegal influence over the Internet that it did with the PC? While the Internet rewards competitive innovation, Microsoft has frequently sought to establish proprietary monopolies--and then leverage its dominance into new, adjacent markets,</blockquote>
<p>The fear is that combining two of the most popular IM protocols and two of the most popular web portals could give Microsoft leverage to control the flow of the Internet.</p>
<p>Shouldn't they be hounding the RIAA and DARPA about that? </p>
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Comments
Google calls Microsoft's bid for Yahoo 'hostile'
Yahoo may join Google instead of Microsoft
"The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google's chief executive Eric Schmidt called Yahoo's chief executive Jerry Yang to offer his company's help in any effort to thwart Microsoft's bid."
I would welcome a major challenger to Google. Google has done wonderful things and has changed the way the developed world conducts business - figuratively and literally. But with that said, Google has the potential to be far worse of an overbearing monolith than all the negative characteristics ascribed to Microsoft.
Sorry, I was playing WoW this morning.
Google = open source, free, Internet
Yahoo has gotten itself caught in the middle. Which way it goes may well impact the future of the Internet and tip the scales.