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Details are starting to leak out today about the alternative deal that Microsoft is proposing to Yahoo following its thwarted acquisition bid.
According to a Reuters report, confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft wants to acquire Yahoo's search business and have Yahoo sell off its investments in Japan and China. Microsoft would then acquire a minority stake in what remained of Yahoo, presumably including its e-mail and instant-messaging services and other online properties.
But both reports, based on anonymous sources, suggest that the deal is a long way from getting done. The Journal quotes people close to Yahoo saying that the company's executives "reacted lukewarmly to the plan," which wasn't presented in writing. Reuters, citing its source, notes that the proposal "represents an outline of Microsoft's current thinking and it does not yet put a value on Yahoo's search business."
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Posted by Sabon at 5/20/08 8:03 a.m.
Microsoft will apparently do just about anything or use just about anything to keep this stupid deal with Yahoo in the press. Why? So the press doesn't talk about how bad Vista is or how badly it is doing.
"But it's sold 140 million copies."
Only because it comes pre-installed on computers. And even those people that are choosing to have XP installed on their computer instead of Vista, their computer is still being counter FOR Vista. Talk about pathetic. But then of course they are trying to hide that fact from the general public or there will be a bigger out cry from people who don't want Vista or additional headaches that Windows already causes them.
"What are you talking about?"
There is a reason why Apple is surging in sales and it isn't so much to do with Apple. People are running as much too Apple as away from Microsoft and Vista.
The other joke on the public in the press this week is how Microsoft has supposedly sold 10 million XBox360s. It's all a matter of what "sold" means. Sold to stores to people going into stores and actually "buying" XBox360s.
This last month they sold a total of 180,000 copies, just barely ahead of the PS3 which is catching up (monthly trends).
I go into stores and see pillars of unsold 360s.
Meanwhile I go into stores which have only a few Wiis in stock. Nintendo sold over 750,000 units this month.
It's time to push Ballmer out. Like Bush he has been very inadequate for the job.
While he got egg literally on his face for the first time this week, he's had egg figuratively on his face for years and he'll do whatever he can to keep Yahoo in the news as long as possible to keep Vista out of the news.