Google Responds to MicroHOO
Google has kept mum on the much talked about Microsoft-Yahoo deal, but today the company broke its silence and posted its official statement on its blog. The statement is credited to David Drummond, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer…
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.
Could the acquisition of Yahoo! allow Microsoft — despite its legacy of serious legal and regulatory offenses — to extend unfair practices from browsers and operating systems to the Internet? In addition, Microsoft plus Yahoo! equals an overwhelming share of instant messaging and web email accounts.
Does anyone else see this as Google playing tit-for-tat? After all Microsoft created some problems and complained loudly when Google decided to when it acquired DoubleClick. Will Google now start beating the anti-trust drums?
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“After all Microsoft created some problems for Google when it acquired DoubleClick”
Seems to be a typo – Microsoft acquired aQuantitative and Google has plans to acquire DoubleClick (depending on the outcome of the the EU competition commission).
Do you mean “…Google created some problems for Microsoft…”?
No Martin, the problems – Microsoft and Yahoo were most vocal when Google bought DoubleClick. The deal is pending approval in EU, so I guess bought is not the right phrase.
Another typo Om..
“Will Google is going to start beating the anti-trust drums?”
No. He had it right. Microsoft is crying foul at Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick. Although if we are pointing to typos, that last sentence is a bit of a train wreck: “Will Google is going to start…”
But I don’t see it that way. I think Google would have played tit regardless of Microsoft playing tat.
Oops … I fixed those typos. Damn…. sorry about that.
yes – saw it and could NOT believe what i was reading.
it has already been translated into “Plain English” for layman reading: http://tinyurl.com/yrh7pu
Om, great to see this post, no doubt it’ll spark an interesting discussion.
Keep on truckin! :-)
No complaints are valid. It´s just business.
Well, Google’s right with their response, with pointing out the problems Microsoft could make in future. There are anti-trust-problems, when Microsoft as one of the biggest internet companies out there wants to buy a company like Yahoo. If Google can do something to weaken the acquisition (through forcing Microhoo! to sell parts of the new company), they will – of course!
Not much different to Microsoft’s complaint about the DoubleClick-acquisition. There are real anti-trust-problems, and Microsoft’s doing everything they can to weaken the deal.
That’s not tit-for-tat, that’s business as usual – on a bigger scale, of course.
I agree with Sebastian. It’s not tit-for-tat, each side has been and will continue to try and create the most favorable situation for themselves.