[dundee] Google's Response to the MS bid for Yahoo

[Barry Carr]

Gary Short wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
>> From: Barry Carr <barry at benericht.co.uk>
>> Sent: 04 February 2008 10:33
>> To: Tayside Linux User Group <dundee at mailman.lug.org.uk>
>> Subject: Re: [dundee] Google's Response to the MS bid for Yahoo
>>
>> Gary Short wrote:
>>> http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/yahoo-and-future-of-internet.html
>>>
>> That doesn't pull any punches, does it?
>>
>> I can't really see either the EU or the DoJ letting this deal through, to be honest. MS has too much 
>> anti-competitive form to be trusted. 
> 
> I'm not so sure to be honest. True, MS and Yahoo! (between them) have ~80% of online email and personal messaging sewn up; however, Google has ~80% of the online advertising market, so Google have to be careful that any calls to look at "Microhoo" doesn't spark calls to break up their advertising monopoly. Look out for some really slick "lawyer shit" in the coming days. :-)

I think this is unlikely. Google have just been scrutinised by the FCC over the purchase of 
doubleclick. However, if Google did try and purchase Yahoo then I think alarm bells would ring at 
the FCC (and rightly so). And if that blog posting you linked to is anything to go by Google don't 
appear to be afraid of using strong language in their condemnation of MS. But you're right in that 
the real winners, as usual, will be the lawyers.

Cheers
Barry