Microsoft Yahoo!

[nrc]

Warning: Blog Ahead

Does anyone really think that combining Yahoo with Microsoft is going to create an online presence that will rival Google? The problem is not that Microsoft or Yahoo aren't big enough to rival Google, it's that they just don't get it.

Google has become the dominant search engine and advertising medium on the Internet because they provide people with free services that work well and do what they want. Whatever ads they include are unobtrusive and relevant. Add to that the fact that they've come up with innovative ways to make money on the back end of all of that an that's why Google became an Internet juggernaut.

If Microsoft buys Yahoo! they're not going to "get it" any better than they do now. The people who "get it" and the clever people who could actually have an impact will just leave because Microsoft doesn't foster that culture. The end result might have a bigger online presence than either does now, but it will be substantially less than the sum of its parts. It will be another Hotmail where MS gets a big boost from the purchase and then whatever gains they make start to melt away as more innovative companies move in.

Now if Microsoft wants to flush 46 billion (with a B) down the toilet that's their call and in the past I wouldn't care enough about Yahoo to be bothered. But late last year Yahoo! bought a company called Zimbra (http://www.zimbra.com/).

Zimbra is an Open Source company that has created a very cool email suite. It provides a web based client that is as responsive as a desktop client and in some ways is more advanced. Its open standards approach and programming APIs makes integration with other applications simple.

We chose it at the university to replace our Groupwise email a while back and we're about half way through a project to make that happen. Of course this creates uncertainy that makes everyone nervous. I doubt that it will completely derail the project but it's no fun answering the questions when there are no real answers.

The good thing about Zimbra is that since it's open source it will go on in one form or another even if Microsoft buys Yahoo! and attempts to kill it. The bad thing is that all the uncertainty in the meantime could really hurt the momentum they've been building.

[Insomniac]

My thoughts on your blog. So are replies just comments? ;)

First, I think Google is dominant, not because of their unobtrusive ads, but because they simply provided the right results at the right time. I would guess many of us used other, or multiple search engines in the past. Now, with Google generally the first place you try, you find what you're looking for. If you always find what you're looking for, why would you bother with other search engines? That, IMO, is why Google got to #1 and continues to stay there.

The Microsoft/Yahoo! offer is mostly about advertisement revenue. Google is able to set much higher rates because they control such a large market share. Think of it like billboards. Drive around your city and see what name is on the bottom of the billboard. You'll see they are owned by just a small handful of companies, and maybe even just one company. It allows them to set much higher rates with less owners and bigger market share.

It's probably a bit too early to know what Microsoft will do to integrate the two companies. I do recall even transitioning Hotmail (externally and internally) took quite a while.

[Andrew Longman]

Yahoo won't make Microsoft better. Microsoft ill make Yahoo worse.

Microsoft is rumbling towards becoming the GM of the IT biz. As with the Federal Government, too big too kill off but too big to get out of its own way.

Moreover, the IT world is no longer about operating systems and apps and that is the MS cultural mindset. Yes you need them so MS will not go away, but comparitively it is far removed from the user and not where the money is.

[dando]

The Yahoo play is simply a grab for more eyeballs. There was much discussion about such a move in the fall of '06 when GOOG and MSFT courted AOL. The result was a small investment by GOOG into AOL for $1B. Now I'm hoping that MSFT's move forces GOOG to buy AOL lock, stock and barrel (pretty please?). :) And yes, MSFT will screw up YHOO trying to 'integrate' it. I've seen the same thing happen with umpteen acquisitions by AOL over the years...NSCP, ICQ, WinAmp, CSRV, etc. I'm not bitter, really. :irked:

-Kevin

[eiregosod]

lets keep it in perspective.

Google bought youtube for less than $1bn

'soft think thet they're buying a fanbase.

[STD]

^^^An interesting perspective on many fronts today.

[oddlycalm]

" Why doesn't anyone ever learn that when you mate a dog with a dog you never end up with a pony"

Quote from John Fine at Business Week

oc

[JLMannin]

I stay away from most Yahoo! sites these days because the ads are so obtrusive and cause the pages to load r e a l s l o w from time to time.

I, for one, never viewed Yahoo! as a search engine - I always perceived them to be an internet portal - a site that does 10,000,000 things and does none of them really well.

At work and at home, I always have a Google page/tab open whevever I am at a computer.

[eiregosod]

I stay away from most Yahoo! sites these days because the ads are so obtrusive and cause the pages to load r e a l s l o w from time to time.

I, for one, never viewed Yahoo! as a search engine - I always perceived them to be an internet portal - a site that does 10,000,000 things and does none of them really well.

At work and at home, I always have a Google page/tab open whevever I am at a computer.

The flash based ads might be your problem. I got a Direox extension that doesn't loa up the lash objects. computer keeps running fine.

[Cam]

The flash based ads might be your problem. I got a Direox extension that doesn't loa up the lash objects. computer keeps running fine.

Firefox with adblock plus (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865). Never see another ad again. Some of yoos really need to be edjumacated. :gomer:

[emjaya]

Firefox with adblock plus (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865). Never see another ad again. Some of yoos really need to be edjumacated. :gomer:

Nah, I have this friend on a motor racing forum who is a computer nerd. He tells me what I need to do. (click's on link) :gomer:

[coolhand]

Yahoo is still the #1 visited site on the web.

[KLang]

According to whom?

Can't remember the last time I went to Yahoo. Possibly one of their groups.

[Insomniac]

According to whom?

Can't remember the last time I went to Yahoo. Possibly one of their groups.

Alexa, Nielsen, etc. It's global. In the U.S., Google is #1, Yahoo! #2. (That's all web sites, not search engines only).

[Sean Malone]

I've been using Yahoo's 'yellow pages' for years. But it's the only thing I go to them for. I used to prefer yahoo maps better than mapquest...until Google maps came along.

[Insomniac]

I use Yanoo! Finance, Yahoo! Music (which they seem to be shutting down and sending us to Rhapsody?) and Launchcast Radio. Yahoo! Groups are popular as well. Basically, if Google copied it, Yahoo! had it and it was popular.

Also, those who think Google is so much better than Microsoft, watch out. They're growing like crazy. They certainly aren't hiring just the top people anymore. They lobby hard in Washington. They will do anything to protect their marketplace dominance. They will even relax "do no evil" for China. Market leaders tend to stagnate and then start buying the new kids on the block.

[dando]

According to whom?

Can't remember the last time I went to Yahoo. Possibly one of their groups.

Top Innerweb sites for the US according to Alexa:

http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_sites?cc=US&ts_mode=country&lang=none

The global list is here:

http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/top_500

Nielsen and comScore (Media Metrix) also do rankings. Nielsen also recently changed how it measures Web traffic from page view to time spent on sites, primarily due to the use of videos and AJAX technology on sites these daze.

I use GOOG exclusively. I've dabbled with their iGoogle page, but I never really found it that useful. I just explode FF with a set of tabs for the sites I frequent and tab around as needed. Less savvy surfers still use sites like MSN, AOL, and Yahoo. Default browser pages reap a ton of page views for sites like Yahoo and MSN.

-Kevin

[TKGAngel]

I use GOOG exclusively. I've dabbled with their iGoogle page, but I never really found it that useful. I just explode FF with a set of tabs for the sites I frequent and tab around as needed. Less savvy surfers still use sites like MSN, AOL, and Yahoo. Default browser pages reap a ton of page views for sites like Yahoo and MSN.

-Kevin

My department has become converts to the iGoogle page. Most of us already have gmail accounts, and using the RSS capabilities of iGoogle helps us keep up with several different useful sites all in one place.

I love the gmail format. The text ads are unobtrusive, and its easy to navigate and print from. The mom unit still uses AO-Hell email, and its become such a mess of ads that its nearly impossible to navigate, and she has such problems even opening or printing emails.

[dando]

The mom unit still uses AO-Hell email, and its become such a mess of ads that its nearly impossible to navigate, and she has such problems even opening or printing emails.

I know. They (I would say we, but I had nothing to do with that shizzle) really messed that up with the new mail releases over the summer. :( You should get her to use a mail client like Tbird so it's just mail and no ads. Or get her to use FF and install Cam's suggested extension. It works brilliantly.

-Kevin

[cameraman]

I use my isp's email. No ads period. I have my homepage set for the google search page as it loads instantly and is blissfully blank. The only think I use yahoo for is sacrificial email accounts. When you know that they are going to sell that email address to everybody and their dog.

[coolhand]

Yahoo also has a big market in the fantasy sports software.

I honestly am not a fan of the 3 companies but I like how Microsoft is portrayed as the evil company and that people think that google is the angel.

Google wont be much different soon, "do no evil" lol.

edit, Yahoo also handed over private email accounts to Chinese authorities to prosecute dissidents. Many companies are bending over backwards there for "potential market access" they will NEVER have. Baidu or whatever is the search engine developed there.

[Insomniac]

I have my homepage set for the google search page as it loads instantly and is blissfully blank.

about:blank still loads faster. ;)

[dando]

about:blank still loads faster. ;)

Amen. That's what I use in IE (when I must). Google toolbar in IE == Google homepage :thumbup:

-Kevin

[cameraman]

Amen. That's what I use in IE (when I must). Google toolbar in IE == Google homepage :thumbup:

-Kevin

This is the "blank" google page I use.

http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en&tab=ws

Regular google searches are just about useless for my work.

[dando]

This is the "blank" google page I use.

http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en&tab=ws

Regular google searches are just about useless for my work.

Fancy pants. ;)

-Kevin

[RichK]

I still use Yahoo for my personal email, but only because the gmail format frustrates me. I want to be able to store individual messages in folders, is that so difficult? :cry:

[Sean Malone]

I still use Yahoo for my personal email, but only because the gmail format frustrates me. I want to be able to store individual messages in folders, is that so difficult? :cry:

they don't have folders per se but you can use the 'labels' feature to sort by. You can even assign colors. I like blue.

[dando]

I still use Yahoo for my personal email, but only because the gmail format frustrates me. I want to be able to store individual messages in folders, is that so difficult? :cry:

Thunderbird.

:)

-Kevin

[RichK]

Thunderbird.

:)

-Kevin

:laugh:

[nrc]

This is the "blank" google page I use.

http://scholar.google.com/schhp?hl=en&tab=ws

Regular google searches are just about useless for my work.

"Effect of diet composition on feed intake and growth of chicks under heat stress"?

Dude, your Google sucks.

[cameraman]

"Effect of diet composition on feed intake and growth of chicks under heat stress"?

Dude, your Google sucks.

Nah, more like "Pax-6 and Prox 1 expression during lens regeneration from Cynops iris and Xenopus cornea: evidence for a genetic program common to embryonic lens development":D

[Sean Malone]

Nah, more like "Pax-6 and Prox 1 expression during lens regeneration from Cynops iris and Xenopus cornea: evidence for a genetic program common to embryonic lens development":D

Pax 6, Prox 1, Cynops and Xenopus. I think I was prescribed those meds once.:)

[Insomniac]

I'm a keyboard junky so I make use of the bookmark search shortcuts. g <search term> and I have my search results. :)

[G.]

Pax 6, Prox 1, Cynops and Xenopus. I think I was prescribed those meds once.:)I think he was refering to the Tom Cruise scientologist video, but I could be wrong.

[dando]

"Effect of diet composition on feed intake and growth of chicks under heat stress"?

Dude, your Google sucks.

Search query for 'porn':

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=porn&hl=en&lr=&btnG=Search

:laugh: :saywhat: :gomer:

-Kevin

[dando]

Rejected!

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8UMVPE00&show_article=1


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Yahoo Inc.'s board has concluded Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6 billion takeover bid undervalues the slumping Internet pioneer and plans to reject the unsolicited offer, a person familiar with the situation said Saturday.

The decision, first reported by The Wall Street Journal on its Web site, could trigger a showdown involving two of the world's most prominent technology companies.

If it wants Yahoo badly enough, Microsoft could try to override Yahoo's board by taking its offer—originally valued at $31 per share—directly to the shareholders. If Microsoft pursued that risky route, it will likely have to nominate its slate of directors to supplant Yahoo's current 10-member board.

Alternatively, Microsoft could sweeten its bid. Many analysts believe Microsoft is prepared to offer as much as $35 per share for Yahoo, which still boasts one of the Internet's largest audiences and most powerful advertising vehicles despite a prolonged slump that has hammered its stock.



-Kevin

[nrc]

Great news. I hope they'll use the time this buys to find a way to protect their assets. :D

[dando]

Great news. I hope they'll use the time this buys to find a way to protect their assets. :D

Nah. Just a ploy to get more ca$h. I wonder what provisions thye have in their charter against a hostile takeover.

-Kevin

[nrc]

Nah. Just a ploy to get more ca$h. I wonder what provisions thye have in their charter against a hostile takeover.

-Kevin

They have a poison pill that will make a hostile takeover impossible unless MS stages a proxy fight to replace the board. To MS's benefit they vote on the entire board at once so they could replace the board this year with shareholder support.

[Andrew Longman]

But I think they got it right. Yahoo is worth far more to MS than the general market because of MS proven inability to operate as a leader in the internet ad game and their need to remain a leader generally

[Insomniac]

I'm sure Yahoo! enjoyed the 50% increase in market cap though. :) I think this is good for MS too. It worries me when a company does big things out of character (willingness to take on debt to finance the purchase).

[nrc]

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/02/say_ballmer.jpg