14 DAY TRIAL // The soap opera that studs Microsoft and Google have had a part in, for winning fair maiden Yahoo!'s heart, is shooting its final episodes today. Decision time, no matter how difficult coming to this was. The Sunnyvale-based company is said to have a special and final board meeting on the matter today, and I would bet that not one of the members is going there happy or even smiling.
The latest hope for Yahoo! was Softbank, but they bowed out of the stage and left groom Microsoft to face possible lover Google. The difference between the two is just that: Microsoft is offering Yahoo! commitment, dependability and something of a bright future in the long run. Google, on the other hand, is the adventure that would make Yahoo! keep its independence, take its own decision, that only wants one thing from the Sunnyvale-based company, and after the 'transaction' is consumed, when it comes time for talks about future, it will probably bail on what was a beautiful relationship until that moment.
Going to Microsoft will probably mean that MSN will be sacrificed in order to keep the Yahoo! brand strong, but there will be no turning back from that, a slow and certain growth will be there to be counted on no matter what. Google will ask for the search business and advertising platform, but when renewing time will come, it will see Yahoo! have no leverage and shown the door because of it. Young and tumultuous their love would be.
Going to Google would also mean massive firings, again, because the two businesses that would be ceded account for about one third of the total number of employees at the Sunnyvale headquarters and around the world. Is the 25 percent cash flow immediate rise, coming from increased revenues, worth it all?
That depends on just how desperate the situation is. My best bet is that it's not, and that Yahoo! will accept the ring Microsoft is ready to put on its finger. Damn, I wouldn't have wanted that to happen.