Microsoft Crosses The Line

Microsoft/Ballmer's behaviour has been entirely consistent with their reputation as take-no-prisoners bullies. Bullying is all about destroying and humiliating people. It is all about intimidating a crowd of people by making an example of someone.

I seriously doubt anyone, even Microsoft shareholders, are cheering Ballmer on. Actually, I revise this: I especially doubt Microsoft shareholders are cheering Ballmer on.

The key here is to understand what "Destroying Yahoo" means. Does it mean pillaging Yahoo and taking its assets? No. Instead, destroying Yahoo means putting its people and customers on the open market.

Who stands most to gain from Yahoo's people and customers being on the open market? Google, the market leader. ABove and beyond the deal Google has already done with Yahoo, Google has the most to gain from Yahoo' slide into irrelevance.

When at the end of this process Microsoft acquires Yahoo for a pittance, Ballmer will congratulate himself for paying so much less than B$44. But this is like setting fire to a house you wish to buy and then allowing its neighbours to build on what's left of the property.

Ballmer may take a victory lap, but I believe that Google will be the ones drinking champagne.

Can Techcrunch wait until something actually happens before writing about the same thing for the 14th time?

The bullying by Ballmer and co, is 1.Throw the current board out bcos it didnt agree with MS. The current board can be thrown by MS by telling that there is a chance that they come back, so shareholders will vote for Carl. 2.Grab Yahoo for even cheaper as with Carl on board there is no other option for growth other than by selling.

"Since then, Yahoo has quite literally prostrated themselves before Microsoft to get a merger done, even perhaps at a price much lower than Microsoft’s original bid."

You know, I thought this was an error. But look!

"Pronunciation

IPA: /ˈlɪtəɹəli/, SAMPA: /"lIt@r@li/

   1. In the direct, word for word sense. With neither idiom nor metaphor.

"When my sewing kit fell off of the barn loft, I literally had to look for a needle in a haystack."

   2. In a non-direct, figurative sense. Not literally.

"When I saw that Michael Arrington, someone who writes for a living, use the word "literally" to mean "figuratively", my eyes literally exploded with figurative rage."

Also, in case anyone needs a memorable explanation of when not to say "literally", consider: http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/van/144733448.html

My knowledge of business at this level is incomplete. What would be the implications of replacing Yahoo's board of directors?