Borg reaction

Hours after google cried wolf in microsoft's attempt to takeover yahoo!, comes this statement from Brad Smith, Microsoft's General Counsel:

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 3, 2008 – The combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! will create a more competitive marketplace by establishing a compelling number two competitor for Internet search and online advertising. The alternative scenarios only lead to less competition on the Internet.

Today, Google is the dominant search engine and advertising company on the Web. Google has amassed about 75 percent of paid search revenues worldwide and its share continues to grow. According to published reports, Google currently has more than 65 percent search query share in the U.S. and more than 85 percent in Europe. Microsoft and Yahoo! on the other hand have roughly 30 percent combined in the U.S. and approximately 10 percent combined in Europe.

Microsoft is committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy on the Internet. We believe that the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! will advance these goals.

What's interesting, beyond Microsoft's swift reaction, is how Microsoft tries to portray itself as the little guy fighting the dragon in the ad revenue business. BUT what is more interesting is that both microsoft and google statements come from the companies legal teams (Brad Smith is Microsoft's General Counsel, and David Drummond is Google's Chief Legal Officer) and not their PR departments.

And when legal teams get involved, one thing is for sure: start building trenches cause this is war!!! You can already smell the blood.

P.S. I really loved the last bit:

Microsoft is committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy on the Internet. We believe that the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! will advance these goals.

hahahahaha [microsoft.com]