Big G Speaks about Microsoft, Yahoo

by on Feb 4, 2008 | 3 comments

As has been reported about a ba-zillion times, Microsoft is trying to acquire Yahoo. Google, while silent initially, put their own thoughts in an article of their own by saying more than a few very blunt things about Microsoft. Google’s concern is that Microsoft will exert the same influence on the internet as it has done with PCs and software.

Aside from the open/innovative aspect of future technologies, I thought about what would happen in the here and now concerning existing Yahoo services if they were Microsoft influenced.

First, some required reading: What If Gmail Had Been Designed by Microsoft? I’m fairly certain this has made a PCMech appearance before but it’s still really really good. It’s a funny (and well done) look at how a Microsoft internet influence can sometimes ruin things. Everything you need to know can more or less can be seen there.

Concerning Yahoo’s existing services, the big 3 that people use the most are Yahoo! Messenger, Flickr and Yahoo! Mail.

And if interested, every single service that Yahoo has is listed here. It’s a very long list. You will notice that Yahoo themselves has done quite a bit of acquiring of their own over the years.

So anyway, let’s examine the big 3.

Yahoo! Messenger

Big picture: MSN/Live is the most used instant messaging service, so Google has a very valid concern. Microsoft would essentially have total monopolization over instant messaging on the internet if they acquired Yahoo.

Small picture: Yahoo! Messenger, the software, in its current form is an absolute piece of garbage. It’s bloated beyond belief. You’d think it was a Microsoft product already. It’s a bit ironic that Windows Live Messenger actually operates better and doesn’t chew up as much resource. I don’t honestly think there’s anything Microsoft could do to Yahoo’s messaging service or client that could possibly make it any worse.

Yahoo! Mail

Big picture: Yahoo is the #1 used e-mail on the internet. MySpace is #2. Hotmail (Microsoft) is #3. Google yet again is a very valid concern about this too. Microsoft would also monopolize internet e-mail if they acquired Yahoo.

Small picture: Yahoo’s current redesigned interface very closely resembles Microsoft Outlook on purpose. If Microsoft owned it, does anything really change in the way it’s used? Not really.

Flickr

I don’t know where Flickr stands compared to other photo-sharing sites like Picasa, but I do know a ton of people use it. Microsoft has a Live service of their own called Gallery. If anyone out there has some kind of statistics to see which is used most, please feel free to post a comment on that because I’d be interested to see it.

Big picture: Based on a raw guess I’d say Flickr, compared to Picasa and Gallery, is used the most. If Microsoft owns Yahoo, they own Flickr.

Small picture: Even if Microsoft had Yahoo which means they’d have Flickr, would that mean they’d have more internet presence than, say, PhotoBucket? Probably not.

Final notes

All of Google’s points on the maybe/maybe-not acquisition are all valid.

If you, the regular ol’ internet user, use a PC and Microsoft acquires Yahoo, then you could very well be a user that:

  • Uses a Microsoft operating system to get to the internet
  • Uses a Microsoft web browser (IE) to browse the internet
  • Uses a Microsoft service for all instant messaging
  • Uses a Microsoft service for all e-mail
  • Uses a Microsoft service for all your photos

That’s a big, big chunk of stuff.

A bit too big.

Scary? Yes. Having a single company for all that stuff is just.. not smart.  At that point you’re not really using the internet but rather serving it as far as I’m concerned.

The internet is not about one company running everything. Never has been; never will be.

I can completely understand why Google is more than just a tad concerned about this possible acquisition by Microsoft.

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  • lespaul20

    First, does the FTC have any authority over international business? Assuming I’m correct, worldwide stats really don’t mean anything. These stats tell a different story. I didn’t verify any sources on the page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_messaging

    The same goes for e-mail users. The article you cited says that there is very little real numbers. There isn’t a real way to tell if those are active account and/or if the are all legit.

    This is a good article that say that anti-competitive behavior is viewed in the eyes of the consumer not the corporation.
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080204/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_yahoo_antitrust;_ylt=AtzzFLI8iiOujbL9dRMmPDqs0NUE

    Google is currently the most used search engine and I assume that a lot of the revenue comes from those searches.

  • a bosch

    every thing about money and control

    well it is true Google is worried about a combine co of Microsoft and yahoo, it would hurt there money tree, but in the same breath I sure do not like seeing Microsoft get any bigger, and have more control over my computer

    Google’s points on the maybe/maybe-not acquisition are all valid.

    http://www.pcmech.com/article/big-g-speaks-about-microsoft-yahoo/

    If you, the regular ol’ internet user, use a PC and Microsoft acquires Yahoo, then you could very well be a user that:

    Uses a Microsoft operating system to get to the internet
    Uses a Microsoft web browser (IE) to browse the internet
    Uses a Microsoft service for all instant messaging
    Uses a Microsoft service for all e-mail
    Uses a Microsoft service for all your photos
    That’s a big, big chunk of stuff.

    A bit too big.

    using a Microsoft-owned service or product for every ounce of your computer usage is scary. Everything from IM to OS would be branded with M$. Every time you click on something, their shareholders make a bit of revenue.

  • lespaul20

    The fact that a company, specifically speaking Microsoft, has broad product base does not constitute a economic monopoly. Apart from the OS, there are viable and reasonable alternatives, or economically speaking substitutes, to every product you listed.

    Another decent article
    http://www.computingsa.co.za/article.aspx?id=700049

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