Rumor: Miscrosoft offered Yahoo $80bil

[pk_synths]

It's just speculation at this point. But there were rumors this past weekend that Microsoft offered $80 billion for Yahoo. (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-predict1jan01,1,2277666.story?ctrack=1&cset=true) Yahoo was said to have rejected the bid as too low. On Tuesday, even though neither party would comment, talk of a potential Yahoo-Microsoft deal (http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-01-04T044155Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-230324-1.xml) of some kind sent Yahoo shares up 4.4 percent. For the record, Microsoft has $40 billion in cash at hand.

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,2180,1907746,00.asp

First Google gets 5% of AOL and now M$ is going straight for the throat. I hope all this "Me too" wont make both companies fizzle out.

[rustybrick]

This would cause a major shake up. I agree, 80b is too little.

[dazzlindonna]

All I can say is, WOW!

[earlpearl]

Did you guys know my middle name is Yahoo. In fact my first name is Yahoo and my last name is Yahoo.

Hey you ....you with the $80 billion don't let those other guys scare you off. Talk with me.

Yahoo yahoo Yahoo

[seo-ireland]

That would change the face of the Internet. Personally i don't want Microsoft going any way near the Yahoo Mail service. Hands off Micro-boys.

[SEOJaimie]

If it is true, it could have a few implications:

Microsoft admits it cannot implement a proper search engine
-- honestly, I doubt this, because MSN search is very advanced for its age, and still getting better. Something to note is that according to the search engine relevency challenge, though, Yahoo is better than Google.

-- Microsoft wants all the other Yahoo properties. As we know, Yahoo is not a one-product company, and Google is copying their formula as we speak.

Personally, I doubt this rumor, though.

J.

[randfish]

Probably has as much legitimacy as the Bill Clinton running MS story. Personally, I think that would be really cool - I'd love to see the ex-pres in the tech sphere - would make for fun press conferences.

[pk_synths]

Something to note is that according to the search engine relevency challenge, though, Yahoo is better than Google.

Relevancy doesnt have alot of pull to an average user. Most cant tell relevant SERPs from scraper sites. It's the pull a search engine/portal has that attracts users. Yahoo has alot of services because they want to offer as many attractive products as possible. A user might not use Yahoo as their search engine but they might use Yahoo as their email client. That form of monetization is why Yahoo might have thought 80bil was low (if the rumour is real).

I wish that when companies did these market share reports they would also factor in user pull for other services.