MS “frightened” of Google monopoly: Analyst

[Heeter]

MS “frightened” of Google monopoly: Analyst
By: Rafael Ruffolo
ComputerWorld Canada (04 Feb 2008)
As made abundantly clear with Friday’s announcement, Microsoft Corp.’s US$44.6 billion bid for search engine Yahoo Inc. was driven by the Redmond, Wash. software giant’s desire to stay viable in the online advertising market.
In addition to holding over half of the market for online search, Mountain View, Calif.-based Google Inc. has also become the leading choice for advertisers looking to buy paid search ads. And adding to an already successful online ad business with AdWords, the search engine giant also acquired online advertising firm DoubleClick last spring.
With the pressure mounting to remain relevant in the online world – and to help grow its user base in the process – analysts have speculated that Microsoft’s hand was pretty much forced in the bold takeover bid.

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[Grandmaster]

This is such a retarded move by MS.

They are gaining "fake" marketshare.

If Google continues to be amazing in online advertising, what makes them think they won't lose all the marketshare they "earned" through this merger with Yahoo?

 

[Sazar]

Yahoo related sites still generate more hits than any other "real-estate" online.

Not such a retarded move in light of that.

Besides, it's not like it is the first time Microsoft has tried to buy Yahoo.

 

[j79zlr]

It doesn't matter. This will probably be ok'd by the US since they seem to have no intentions of enforcing any of the laws regarding MS's monopoly conviction, but there is not a snowball's chance in hell that the EU would approve of it.

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

Yeah they will

 

[Shamus MacNoob]

Report: Yahoo Board to Reject Microsoft
Saturday February 9, 1:15 pm ET Report: Yahoo Board Intends to Turn Down Microsoft's Unsolicited $44.6 Billion Takeover Bid

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Yahoo Inc.'s board plans to reject Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion bid to buy the Internet pioneer, The Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Saturday.
Board members concluded the unsolicited offer massively undervalues the company, a person familiar with the situation told the newspaper.
The bid was made public Feb. 1.

 

[Heeter]

Thanks for the update, Shamus

I would of thought they would of just rolled over.

Heeter

 

[melon]

They are gaining "fake" marketshare.

Welcome to the modern corporation...heh.

 

[Grandmaster]

Yahoo related sites still generate more hits than any other "real-estate" online.

Not such a retarded move in light of that.

Besides, it's not like it is the first time Microsoft has tried to buy Yahoo.

Yeah Yahoo generates a lot of hits, but why isn't it churning out profits like Google? More hits doesn't necessarily equal mo' money.

Not to mention all the practical issues of merging two huge corporations with different cultures/hierarchies/etc.

In the mean time, Google is readying more kick ass products...

 

[Grandmaster]

Welcome to the modern corporation...heh.

Stealing value instead of creating it. Reminds me of the RIAA/MPAA.

 

[Sazar]

Yeah Yahoo generates a lot of hits, but why isn't it churning out profits like Google? More hits doesn't necessarily equal mo' money.

Not to mention all the practical issues of merging two huge corporations with different cultures/hierarchies/etc.

In the mean time, Google is readying more kick ass products...

That has nothing to do with my point bud

They have more hits, but don't generate as much in terms of ad-revenue and that is something this partnership should rectify.

The issue here is that there are a lot of potential hiccups what with Yahoo over-valuing themselves.

Given how AOL did the same thing back in the days of their merger, I am not sure if Microsoft will want to raise their already large bid for a declinig Yahoo, but who knows.

 

[gonaads]

It was said that MS could possibly raise the amount of the offer but it was rumored in light of the rejection of the MS offer(which will be made official by Yahoo on Monday [the rejection]) that they (MS) could take the offer directly to Yahoo's shareholders.

 

[Grandmaster]

That has nothing to do with my point bud

They have more hits, but don't generate as much in terms of ad-revenue...

Yeah, that's why what I said DID have something to do with your point :devious:

...and that is something this partnership should rectify.

I guess we disagree about the assumption that by combining their marketshare, MS/Yahoo will be able to make more money than Google.

 

[mlakrid]

I guess we disagree about the assumption that by combining their marketshare, MS/Yahoo will be able to make more money than Google.

It is NOT an assumption... the whole point of the buyout is to make sure they maintain current marketshare...

They won't neccessarily gain or lose anything...

It was never about making more $$$ than Google...

Solely about making sure they KEEP what they have...

Buying out Yahoo will give them brand name recognition AND a place to advertise from as a base...

Mike A!

 

[mlakrid]

It doesn't matter. This will probably be ok'd by the US since they seem to have no intentions of enforcing any of the laws regarding MS's monopoly conviction, but there is not a snowball's chance in hell that the EU would approve of it.

As for this little tidbit of nonsense...

The law suits that have been posted about MS are 100% TOTAL garbage... the only way MS loses more marketshare to PC consumers is if another company with BIG BUCKS... like google maybe??? Can take a large chunk of MS's business...
(Google has already previously hinted this is in the works)
If they are able to provide a user friendly OS that other large programmers will be willing to write for...
and....if I were you I wouldnt hold my breath...

Packaging YOUR product how you want is YOUR business... in this instance "they" M.S. did nothing wrong...

Think of it from the point of view of a fastfood joint you go into your favorite hamburger resutraunt and find out they only provide you with Heinz ketchup... but you dont like heinz, well then you have to do what?

OH THATS RIGHT... goto another store or goto a different sotre and buy your condiments...

Get real... the EU was a good idea at first, but the largest proponent of the EU is now staying out of it in terms of its biggest agreed upon advantage: $$$ funny how that works huh?

Keep spending those pounds...

Mike A!

 

[j79zlr]

That is the problem with being a monopoly, the same rules do not apply. When you use your monopoly position to crush competition it is illegal. Ask Netscape. Why are they so opposed to open standards for documents? They have thrown millions of dollars worth of lobbyists to block the open document format and at the same time they have tried to bribe ooxml through the ISO process. This is fact and that is by definition abusive monopoly practices.

 

[Grandmaster]

It is NOT an assumption... the whole point of the buyout is to make sure they maintain current marketshare...

They won't neccessarily gain or lose anything...

It was never about making more $$$ than Google...

Solely about making sure they KEEP what they have...

Buying out Yahoo will give them brand name recognition AND a place to advertise from as a base...

Mike A!

Yeah. I get what you're saying.

And I'm saying... they won't be able to keep what they have because Google will continue to drive marketshare away from MS/Yahoo not only because their current product is better, but also because as MS/Yahoo spend years trying to gel together, Google is be able to push out better products and attack MS/Yahoo's marketshare.

It's about being reactive vs. being innovative.

 

[mlakrid]

That is the problem with being a monopoly, the same rules do not apply. When you use your monopoly position to crush competition it is illegal. Ask Netscape. Why are they so opposed to open standards for documents? They have thrown millions of dollars worth of lobbyists to block the open document format and at the same time they have tried to bribe ooxml through the ISO process. This is fact and that is by definition abusive monopoly practices.

J79zlr...

I have to ask, because by reading your post I can not tell...

Are you serious? Are you comparing what Netscape has been doing to Microsoft... what happened to everyone believeing in capitalism??

Seriously... there has not been a contender in the PC market for an OS to take anything more than a few percentage points... so how can it be monopolization?

It isnt... now if they went and tried to buy out every single compnay that opened up against them, that would be one thing... simple of the matter is, if they own multiple software pieces, they should be allowed to package them however they want...

Mike A!

 

[Oush]

Google’s monopoly is an evident fact, and there is no wonder that Microsoft (another 'giant') tries to take control. However, Microsoft vs. Google confrontation won't put the market in order. One of them will stay a dominant anyway.
The technological progress requires market competitiveness for the advancement, while Google monopoly impedes new search technologies development. It‘s time for alternatives to existing search engines. Maybe newly launched Incubator of Search Engines (www.omfica.org) can assure market competitiveness?