Got there in the end
The Microhoo saga, which started with Microsoft announcing its intention to acquire Yahoo! in early 2008, has finally culminated in the announcement of an agreement between Microsoft and Yahoo! to combine their respective online search operations, in a bid to better compete with the overwhelming market leader - Google.
As had already been extensively anticipated, Microsoft will take over the technical side of things, effectively making Bing the Yahoo! search engine too, and Yahoo! will become the exclusive worldwide relationship sales force for both companies' premium search advertisers.
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer was quick to point his crosshairs at Google. "Through this agreement with Yahoo!, we will create more innovation in search, better value for advertisers, and real consumer choice in a market currently dominated by a single company," he said
Yahoo! CEO Carol Bartz added: "Users will continue to experience search as a vital part of their Yahoo! experiences and will enjoy increased innovation thanks to the scale and resources this deal provides. Advertisers will also benefit from scale and enjoy greater ease of use and efficiencies working with a single platform and sales team for premium advertisers."
Here are a couple of Silverlight videos showing Ballmer and Bartz talking about the deal. There's also a joint website, in case you still haven't got the message, here. The full details of the arrangement can be read on the press release.
