It shouldn't come as a surprise to readers that the folks over at Google might not be totally stoked on the potential
merger of Microsoft and Yahoo!. If you weren't sure where the company stood on the issue, you can now get clued in thanks to a post on the official Google Blog earlier today. David Drummond, senior VP of corporate development (and the company's chief legal officer) says that he worries the acquisition of the internet portal by a company that has "frequently sought to establish proprietary monopolies" could "extend unfair practices from browsers and operating systems to the internet." His concern centers around the possibility that the combination of the two monoliths could "unfairly limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors' email, IM, and web-based services." Sure, Google has more than a little stake in seeing fair play on the net (gotta keep those ad revenues up), but this is serious food for thought nonetheless.
Update: It looks like the war of words is
really starting to heat up. Brad Smith, general counsel for Microsoft, has issued his own little statement
here, telling us that Google holds far more marketshare when it comes to internet searching than a combined Microsoft and Yahoo! possibly could, and then going on to explain that the Redmond giant is "committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy." Uh, whatever you say Brad.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
posted Feb 3rd 2008 7:47PM
i think the yahosoft merger would be good because it would really force google to step up which i would like to see happen.
I HATE GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT EQUALLY!
Any chance maybe one will shoot the other's top intern, and that starts off a bloody vendetta war where EVERYONE dies (employees, friends, fam, customers) and it ends with both top execs having some big show down in a server room, but the smoke from one of their gun nozzle's sets off the sprinkler system, electrocuting them both?
NO SURPRISE
I stopped caring about Google's complaints after that bullshit about how Microsoft shouldn't be allowed to include a desktop search feature because that unfairly competed with Google's product.
I'm just glad Google is looking out for my best interest and not their bottom line :)
Just when you thought Google was everything, they have found a new role: CB'er.
CB'er = c*ck blocker?
Spell it out, i'm slow.
a google competitor... i say, bring it on.
It's desperately natural for one hedgemony to dislike another.
It's embarrassing that Google, though, feels the need to comment.
After all, if they indeed have the better product, then the need to comment on said merger should be superfluous.
What does Google have to fear?
I mean, they're Google, aren't they? The company that can do no wrong?
I agree. Google cried because it meant there was no need for Google's shitty product, as Microsoft had created a better one.
If Microsoft becomes a monopoly after this merger than that's only because Google hasn't been competing and hasn't done anything amazing. Just look at Ask.com, I wish Google had a sidebar like that.
Google's bitching sounds pretty stupid to me. Though why MS would want to lockup so much of its money in Yahoo is beyond me and the fact that they would almost certainly have to take out a giant loan or clean out their own cash reserves to buy Yahoo seems like the wrong option for Microsoft to take in its fight for search and email services.
Forget Skynet.
Hello Microsoft.
Go MicroHoo!
"limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors' email, IM, and web-based services"
Microsoft has their own search engine, e-mail, and messaging program now. If they're not "BLOCKING" Google now, why would they start?
Crybabies.
Step up and do what?
I personally would like to see "Microyahoo" as the acquisition trade name.
I guess it doesn't take a genius to figure out where Mr. Topolsky stands on this issue. Bias much?
"Microsoft is committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy on the Internet. We believe that the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! will advance these goals."
ORLY!~!!!!!!
When Micro$oft is "commited to openness, innovation, and protection of privacy", the Sun will rise from the WEST
Sun Microsystem actually rose from the west...
Yeah Microo!soft ....Nah, I don't really care.
What's with all the Microsoft Fanboys?!?! Microsoft complained about Google having bought Doubleclick while they enjoy 90 percent market share on desktops. Now they are using there muscle to buy a company against it's will. And they think Yahoo folks are just going to just be submissive young children and follow Ballmaer and crew? PC culture and internet culture are very different. I see alot of the best Yahoo folks going to Google.
"buy a company against its will"????
I'm not sure if you know anything about business practices, but Microsoft offered yahoo an OFFER to buy it. Im not sure what that means to you but to me, Yahoo can clearly tell Microsoft to fuck off and tell them that they're not interested, as they've done before in the past. I'm pretty sure that's not buying a company against they're will.
Just my $0.02.
It's not Microsoft's fault that it has 90% share in desktops. Hell, they financed Apple for years just to make sure that it didn't reach 100%.
Yahoo shareholders will take the money and run, Yahoo brass have a responsibility to shareholders so your option doesn't fly bud.
Then it's not against Yahoo!'s will is it? The shareholders are the true owners of the company. If they decide to sell then it's not a hostile takeover. Dumbass.
What's with the name calling low life. Jerry Yang and company did not want to sell to Microsoft but will be out voted because shareholders will want the quick buck. Not exactly Yang's vision.
Well you can't call other people bud either. If that guy ain't your buddy, you DONT call him bud. That just doesn't fly.
That's almost as bad as me calling you as dumbass.
Hey bud I don't know where you come from but where I'm from bud is a name of mutual respect. Anyways, let's stick to the issues shall we? Microsoft's bid is against the will of yahoo brass, but will fly because shareholders don't care about Yahoo's legacy all they care about is the quick buck.
Dane cook. It was a joke from Dane Cook. lol
What I'm trying to say is, so what if it doesn't flow with Yahoo!'s brass, if the true owners, the share holders, agree with it then it is going by Yahoo!'s wishes. They aren't being forced to sell.
I guess the Yahoo! employees might be forced to work for a merged company, but they are just employees, not owners.
The real talent at yahoo will go to Google, there no sellouts.
The real talent at yahoo will go to Google, there no sellouts.
"and then going on to explain that the Redmond giant is "committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy." Uh, whatever you say Brad"
WTF?
And in other news Engadget launch their latest column "The Microsoft Rant".
If Microsoft aren't open, then Apple is China!
At least Apple is a "china" (as you mentioned it) that still provide a stylish product nonetheless...
A Micro$oft "china" is bad because not only the content SUCKS but the design SUCKS too
gg
"Uh, whatever you say Brad."
This was completely uncalled for. Microsoft's info-gathering services (the "customer experience improvement program"s) are completely optional, and assured as anonymous usage data; any thing in violation of said privacy protection is a violation of the law. Microsoft didn't cave to China's assault on freedom; Google did. Microsoft and Yahoo! have been able to share IM networks for what, 2 years prior to this offer? Yeah, huge sign that Microsoft is against interoperability.
And, as Mr. Smith points out, Google's marketshare in Internet revenue and search services is above and beyond Microsoft and Yahoo!'s combined. They can stop their bitching right about now.
Microsoft+Yahoo!=
Micro$oft and Yahoo! IM service are interoperable due to the fact that M$ tried to purchase Yahoo previously but was rejected by the higher ups of yahoo since they thought that their "new" strategy will work out... however after 1 year, the strategy doesn't give them anything and now Microsoft is launching another bid to yahoo except this time it's a hostile bid...
If this happens, Google will team up with Apple and thus consumers will switch from Windows to Mac to use Google, and the computer market share will become 33.333% each for Windows, Mac and [Linux]. Wouldn't that be such a peaceful day? No-one could argue superiority with actual backing!
Do you care about your privacy?
Does Google share your opinion?
watch this:
http://www.masterplanthemovie.com/
I know you got rated down, but Google and Microsoft have this e-mail program available to universities if they wish to participate. Basically Google or Microsoft will handle the email for students and they offer no ads during your stay at the university, but when you leave you get to keep your email which is a huge plus but they support it with ads when you are no longer enrolled.
The problem: While they both have their downfalls, Google, once your email hits their servers takes almost full control of it. They could do anything they want with it and there is nothing you can do. Microsoft on the other hand takes a much more standoffish approach. They don't claim your email as theirs and have limits on what they do with it. This is very important for personal communications and privacy.
Microsoft may not be perfect on privacy, but Google is far from a champion too.
Where is this better product you speak of?
"Microsoft and Yahoo! have been able to share IM networks for what, 2 years prior to this offer? Yeah, huge sign that Microsoft is against interoperability."
Wow, you just made Google's point and you don't even know it!
Sharing between 2 proprietary networks isn't anywhere as good as the approach Google took with GTalk, that is basically Jabber and is compatible with any Jabber network.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Talk#Interoperability
Maybe it's more Microsoft astroturfing. MS is notorious for these campaigns.
http://timlambert.org/2003/11/tcs/
Google is complaining about a company having too much share in a market? Seriously? Google seems to have a foothold in every market, or is planning to. Some are much larger than others, obviously.
From WSJ: Google CEO Eric Schmidt offered Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang help in any effort to thwart Microsoft's unsolicited $44.6 billion bid. Though regulatory concerns make a bid by Google unlikely, it could play a role in bids by others.
Are these guys crybabies or what?
I HATE GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT EQUALLY!
Any chance maybe one will shoot the other's top intern, and that starts off a bloody vendetta war where EVERYONE dies (employees, friends, fam, customers) and it ends with both top execs having some big show down in a server room, but the smoke from one of their gun nozzle's sets off the sprinkler system, electrocuting them both?
Yeah, Google, Microsoft gives me a crap load more APIs to interface with for their Live products than you do. So who's trying to protect their proprietary monopoly again?
Google is far more dangerous than Microsoft on the internet. Google has already gotten rid of every major advertising competitor, then they got rid of youtube as a competitor. Google is out of control, I think anything that hurts them right now is a VERY good thing, regardless who is hurting them.
This is one hell of a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
http://www.tshirthell.com/store/product.php?productid=812
Just thought that I would punctuate what you said (I agree) with this.
"committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy."
WTF? They got guts to say that.
I'm starting to get tired with Google and their bitching.
From another article:
"At $31 a share, Yahoo believes the bid undervalues the company, two sources said."
Lol. I had to laugh. Can you really Undervalue Yahoo?
aaaaaaand their share prices were at what before the bid?
Yeah, I agree with you nano. They are smoking something if they think that MS's 60% over stock price offer is an undervalue.
To bad Google couldn't spend their time worrying about actually getting their products out of perpetual beta.
It's hardly a hostile takeover - Microsoft laid the offer on the table, nothing more. A hostile takeover would be if Microsoft bought a majority share and took over Yahoo! without the current board's consent.
Dammit...stupid commenting system's messed up.
My comment was in response to illutionz, and later Wifiguy.
Isn't this an opportunity for Google? I mean, they are organised completely differently to MS and Yahoo!, and I'm sure the transition for Yahoo! people will be difficult into the MS culture (especially if MS kills off Yahoo! in the end)... I just don't see that MS/Yahoo! can support/coordinate the kind of integration/interconnectedness of features that Google currently has without some teething problems (or it taking an eternity to do anything)... not sure... If I was Google I'd be rubbing my hands and stroking my trousers ;-) Let's keep reading I guess :)
when I hear "unfair practices", "browsers", and "internet" in one sentence I think about gmail and opera.
Patriots FTW
Patriots, FTL.
oh ho. Let this be a lesson to you friend: wait till the final 2 minutes ARE OVER before you post. 8^P
lost freakin money on that game!
Oh, people still use Yahoo? For anything? I used to use Yahoo when my computer was "IBM Compatible".
Aside from your arrogance, I beg to differ.
Yahoo! has 130 million unique users, with an average of 3.4 billion page views per day.
And Flickr, Y! Mail, Y! Messenger, and Y! Answers prove to be pretty popular. Especially in Asia.
I'm assuming your probably only use Google services, and have failed to even try other services, just because you adore Google much, I bet.
@ Micheal
ohhh, you got me! burn! it's called "having a sense of humor", try it sometime, it's fun.
anyone but microsoft, who's had a lousy interface themselves. yahoo is great without the MS influence. yahoo using some innovative tech, if ms takes over - we'll end up with some buggy asp and windows server. worse still they might strip plenty of great features and products n favour of lousy MS ones.
i hope yahoo stays the hell out of that deal.
Really this is the 5th time i have been on this site now and cannot stand the Fanboyism it portrays in its articles "Uh yea whatever brad"?
Really engadget should grow up and start reporting with some sort of professional perspective.....we get it you dont like microsoft and u dont hide it..but really this is starting to get old.
I always use Yahoo and for two reasons.
1)The site doesn't look like it was designed by a 5 year old.
2)The site provides news and another information right on the frontpage.
WTH?
wth?
Why do you people have anything against google? They've been providing good service and great products for years. They may be big.. but they're using their resources for the good of IT. If Microsoft and Yahoo! merge I seriously doubt there will be much good for the people. (can anyone say... netscape vs ie?)
Nobody's saying their completely against Google, just that this sounds like another case of Google whining over something Microsoft-related again. After complaining to the DOJ about not giving the consumer an "option" for Google Search into Vista (when it's not their OS), I haven't been like Google that much lately. Notice how they don't complain about OS X doing the same thing.
And yes, while Google has many accomplishments, that doesn't mean they've always been the good guys. There's still privacy issues in stake when using Google. There's the time about complaining to the DOJ about something as silly as Vista's desktop search. There's the time that Google "stole" copyrighted content from publishers without their permission, and publishers had to officially "opt-out" to get their content out. Though Microsoft was actually the nice guy, and asked politetly to do their works online.
So Google isn't perfect either.
And it seems both Microsoft and Y! are very serious about gaining the lead in the internet. I could see them working much more harder to bringing better services and content to people with this merger. You can probably expect all the BEST features from both sides to merge, making one super internet site.
The only reason people are attacking this merger, is only because of their love of Google and hate of MS. That's quite silly. I think it's coming from fear that MS + Y! could be really something dynmaic.
Google has a point. MS has a known and documented history of dicking around with access to competitors sites in there wares. Yes in most of these cases it was several years ago but if you look at how fracking insane monkey boy is to catch up to google I wouldn't only not put it past them, but outright expect it. MS has learned nothing from the DOJ's solutions to their monopoly, as such the games will continue. I have no issues with competition for Google. However MS also owns the most used OS on the planet. WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN THAT YOU CANNOT TREAT COMPANIES THE SAME UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES.
As someone who has worked with Google on the end of serving their advertising and dealing with their idiot staff (which is UNREACHABLE except by their whim) I have a deep hatred of Google which has almost extended to not even using their search engine. They actually jumped all over me for HIDDEN text in a website! That supposedly hidden text... was a DROPDOWN menu that's sitting right there for all to see. This is just one of their many idiotic 'rulings of the internet'.
Apple wares suck ass (an this is coming from someone who owns a C2D MBP, iPod, and purchased leopard on day one. The concept of quality at that company died the day Jobs took over, again.) and is somewhere in the 5-6% market share range. So yah. If Google want to hand the market over to MS feel free to take your moronic advice. I love fanboi comments. They seem to be based on another plain of existence where the color of the sky is a beautiful, green.
It is a hostile takeover because Yahoo founders refused to sell but Microsoft will get there way with Yahoo because shareholders outside of Yahoo brass will say yes for the money.
the founders lost control the day the company went public, it does matter what the founders want its up to the shareholders
Meant to say it doesnt matter what the founders want, they should have known that when they went public
@Dave: Perhaps it's because the whole "Do no Evil" mantra is a tad hard to swallow for someone with a monopoly on search and ad revenue. Either way Yahoo! execs have bucked at the offer but there are alternative means we know M$ will likely exploit.
wait, are you serious? microsoft's mail and search experience is better than googles? really? wow, i cant believe that. hotmail has the worst filters ive ever seen. Gmail stops ~99% of spam that comes my way, while hotmail will filter out ~10%, its really ridiculous. my hotmail account has several hunderd spam emails in the inbox right now, its why i abandoned that account, with gmail almost every spam message is filtered out. and as far as search results, there really isnt anything better than google. microsoft's offering is really really awful.
You are kidding right? I mean when's the last time you've used Hotmail?
I use it all the time, and I get absolutely get no spam. I do on my Y! accounts (even when I keep pressing this is spam link). It filters out all the spam from my inbox very well, and I never noticed getting an e-mail that didn't belong to me.
And if you'd actually try Live Search (esp. Image and Video search, which actually are quite amazing), then maybe you wouldn't think the same. It's completely better than what Y! has, and in some areas better than Google's if you ask me.
i just checked it, over 300 spam messages in my inbox, and 109 in my spam box. that is an awful filter rate.
that was supposed to be for intrepid on page1, i guess it didnt want to attach my comment to his.
Eric Schmidt to "help" Yahoo?
As if Google were a disinterested 3rd party, offering assistance to a friend in need. Give me a break!
Schmidt to Yang: Why take MSFT's offer with a 60% premium when you can steadily lose market share to us and be completely worthless in a few years? Shareholders, Schmareholders.
This really hurts. I've loved yahoo! I've had my yahoo! e-mail address almost since junior high. I was probably one of the first to get one. I really value the company. But if Microsoft goes through on this one, I will certainly change my e-mail address for the first time in almost 12 Years.
Frankly, I hate to see it go. Besides, this just means that M$ will take Yahoo! and run it into the ground. Yahoo! is pretty cool. To bad the Facebook buy didn't work out for them.
You're absolutely right; all the Google Beta products (and not to mention the whole slew of fricken' Web 2.0 Beta products that it spawned) annoy me to no end.
In the mean time, a lot of Google's Beta stuff is better than "finished" Microsoft products. Win some lose some, eh?
Shite. That post was in response to @Joe on the 1st page. Damn this comments system.
"You must have a genuine copy of windows to use yahoo, activate now. Or your searches will be limited to only microsoft pages"
Something about microsoft just makes me want to activate something...
This is not going to change the internet or anything so drastic. Its all about cash, filthy lucre. Advertising baby, that's it, plain and simple. All the players want a piece of the advertising revenue from searches and the relevant links associated there with. M$ want a piece of the google dominated pie.
No advertiser is going to specifically deny a specific demographic, they may target demographics but not deny them. So the internet stays the same: search, find, shit adds, some bollix makes loads of cash, and its still not me.
Conspiracy theories are fine but all parties in this are only interested in the $$$$€€€€££££ not the future of the internet or such altruistic ideals. C'est le vie I'm afraid.
Microosoft!
If you look at the way Microsoft treats their competitors you will see why Google is a much better company to takeover, merge or partner with Yahoo. Microsoft does not even update Internet Explorer for Mac OS anymore. Now how is that open and innovative? I use Yahoomail for my personal email and I even pay extra for a business account, because it is in my opinion the best email program around. If I had to bet on which company would most likely ruin Yahoomail, it would definitely be Microsoft. If any company is open and innovative it is Google not Microsoft.
http://professionalwatches.com
-1 for the spam link.
Microsoft doesn't need to update IE for Mac anymore. There's obvious better alternatives on OS X, and Microsoft needs to really more focus on making IE better for their main group - Windows users. Though maybe IE8 could be cross-platform.
And you know what, all e-mail accounts have their own pros and cons. I personally don't really like Y! Mail much. It's ok, but I get more spam from them, than other accounts at all. But that's my preference. AND you have to PAY to get POP3 to services like Outlook and other e-mail programs. I don't like that.
And chances are, Microsoft won't "ruin" Y! Mail like you want to guess it will do. Buying Y!, is practically enough to show that they're really serious about going into the internet, and destroying Y! Mail won't get them anywhere better.
So stop being all anti-MS about this deal. I think it's more out of fear of real success than expecting it to fail.
And can people stop with the BS of MS and no innovation. I mean, it's like Microsoft managed to be successful out of the blue. I mean look at the Media Center UI, Office 2007 ribbon UI, PhotoSynth, ergo mice, Xbox Live, AJAX, etc. Stop the hate already.
I am sorry, but did you just state that Microsoft was responsible for AJAX? Yeah, and Al Gore invented the internet. Get your facts straight.
You want to know why everyone says that Miccrosoft doesn't innovate. It is because they only innovate when there is any competition.
IE 6 was a total piece of @#$@# and they didn't make any improvements until Firefox started making headway into their huge market share.
Microsoft Office ribbons only came about because they are starting to see competition from open source office applications.
Despite the BS that MS doled out to the DoJ about innovating they have proven time and time again that they only innovate when there is some growing competition.
That is why people complain about MS's innovation.
Now, to be fair, this is also true of nearly all other companies. Why spend money fixing something if you can not fix it and still make major money. This is the reason that monopolies are strictly regulated and in general a very bad thing.
I think Google deserves a bit more credit than they are getting here. Trust me, they want this deal to happen, and what better way to get there than by making Ballmer think they're scared. MSFT spending $44 billion on anything is stupidity, and Google knows that.
Buying Yahoo isn't going to get Microsoft to win internet search or advertising... which is precisely the reason the acquisition is so stupid.
Those complaining about the "whatever you say Brad" line need to relax... for any MSFT rep to say that "committed to openness" stuff with a straight face is a joke. I know, I used to work there. Embrace and extend are the order of the day, and will continue to be as long as people like Steve are in charge.
If I was google I would be right behind it, as anyone knows when two idiots marry their children as super intelligent NOT!
Looking at Brad's statement, they really should follow the old Usenet rules that the content should always be bigger than the .SIG. 6 lines of statement followed by 106 lines of disclaimer. Jeez'
I don't know. Something about the merger seems a little shady. Granted, it is a brilliant business move for Microsoft and I doubt Yahoo! is going to get a better deal from anyone else or by sitting by themselves and twiddling their thumbs while everyone else is building bigger badder products.
I know this may sound fallacious, but Yahoo is the only search engine or online company for that matter that has created a service at no cost to you to support breast cancer research. I wouldn't mind if they had some more money to throw into this project.
http://www.lookpink.com/
@ everyone making fun of the Google statement.
Of COURSE they're going to say SOMETHING. They have to at this point. It would look like they were taking it lying down if they didn't. Not to mention the majority of Google's products are in Beta as someone pointed out. Even the new gTalk is technically still beta last time I checked. It would have been a bigger deal if Google didn't say anything because it would have been strange. Not to mention a loss of an opportunity to see MS try to spin the idea that they're out for goodwill and Christmas cheer.
Both sides are being somewhat stupid with their press releases and neither one is perfect. That said, I'm fairly certain I'd rather have Google overlords than MS.
In my opinion, Google is definitely the lesser of the two evils as things stand today. I don't support anything that can potentially empower Microsoft more.
Yeah, Microsoft is "committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy." just like the fox is committed to the peaceful well being of the hen.
People may not like Google, but Microsoft has a more then ample historical record of making things proprietary to the detriment of everyone except Microsoft. If you don't believe me just try to make a modern website that works with IE 6 and any other browser (read standards compliant) without numerous hacks. Or talk to an IT person for a larger company about the insane cost of switching to anything other then Microsoft Office because of proprietary file format lock in.
They are a wolf in sheep's clothing who has only recently changed its ways because of increased competition and the open platform of the web and open source software.
So, forgive us people that actually have a memory and fear Microsoft's, oh so noble, intentions.
I'm beginning to hate google..as it is the no. 1 leader with about 30 web services but average users only use about 5-6 of them. The only company with stock over $500 a pop and still whinning over competitors....huh? I think that "DO NO EVIL" slogan is actually "GOOGLE IS EVIL AND SCARED OF COMPETITORS". Instead of stepping up its game, it's worried n making indirect comments over something that is not its concern. May be it'll step up its game when M$ offer to buy the entire Mountain View and its search algorithm all together huh? how about that?
I'm officially changing my FF search from Google to Y!. Sorry...letting the LOVE GO for google piece by piece.