Shakespeare wrote the famous lines "To be or Not to Be - that is the Question" for Hamlet but it could just as well apply to MicroHoo if it ends up The Soul of Microsoft merged with Yahoo’s body and what would that body look like?
Well, Gary Angel reasoned it out and came up with some interesting observations in a post titled The Soul of an Old Machine which says that Microsoft had a innovative streak of it's own in that it improved products and wrote a lot of great software but has lost it's way on the Internet.
And maybe, in a strange way, the acquisition of Yahoo, if it's done right, if it happens at all (see Microsoft Yahoo Scenarios - Henry Blodget) gives Microsoft the chance to kill 2 or 3 birds with one stone.
- Beat Google by providing a superior content network (thereby humbling Google, for once).
- Resurrect Search, improve it - make a Search Product that is actually better than anything Google or anyone else has now.
- Decide Yahoo's fate - Yahoo has been sorta hanging in limbo for a few years - maybe it started, in my opinion, with the acquisition of Overture about 5 years ago - but that's just my opinion.
Both Microsoft and Yahoo have essentially lost their way - maybe they can help each other find a path out - and stick it to Google at the same time.
The world would be better if Google were less powerful, checked - they've become too monopolistic - it's not a question of weather they have superior products and expertise - they do in many cases - but more and more, Google is narrowing down our choices so we essentially only end up depending on them.
That's not healthy - we need a viable alternative for Organic, Paid and Advertising - we need a true equal, in every sense of the word - and we don't have one - perhaps, if MicroHoo succeeds, we will.
But then again - it'll be a good year or so before any of this is decided on.
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