(For those unfamiliar with the term pwned: a definition)

Make no mistake, Microsoft is a business first before anything else; a very aggressive one. In no uncertain terms they’ve basically said “Yahoo, we tried to play nice, but like it or not you’re going under our flag. Prepare to be boarded. Yours truly, -Steve B.”

The deadline is April 26.

What does this mean to you?

To be honest, not much.

The first reaction by dedicated users of Yahoo! service (notably Flickr users) is that Microsoft is going to butt their noses into something otherwise good and wreck it.

If anything, the technologies acquired thru a Yahoo! acquisition would improve existing services.

The first thing you’ll probably see is easier integration of stuff you already use in Yahoo! into the Windows operating system.

The second thing will be something you don’t see; a protection of the Yahoo! brand. Could you imagine the internet without Yahoo? Probably not. But the acquisition would ensure the brand would stick around for years to come.

It’s my opinion that an MS acquisition doesn’t spell out doom and despair for Yahoo! users as some think it might.

Also something to bear in mind: Flickr wasn’t a Yahoo! invention. Rather it was an acquisition by Yahoo into their existing services.

[Source: SearchEngineWatch]