Did Microsoft Buy Yang's Departure?

摘要

Some of my colleagues are making much out of Microsoft's lobbying efforts to kill the proposed Google-Yahoo advertising deal that ultimately led to the resignation of Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang Nov. 17 (see story, Page 20). As the Iconoclast puts it, "In return for millions of dollars distributed to Washington insiders, Microsoft could save billions on an eventual Yahoo purchase." This, of course, assumes Microsoft spent all of its lobbying dollars directly on scotching the Google-Yahoo ad deal (it didn't) and that Microsoft is still interested in acquiring Yahoo (it might or might not be). It also assumes another of the Iconoclast's favorite themes-deep, dark conspiracies-was in play.