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Google Rebuffs Microsoft Takeover Bid

Posted by timothy on from the money-to-be-made-somewhere dept.

Chris Gondek writes "The Sydney Morning Herald has posted that Internet search leader Google has rejected a takeover bid from Microsoft in favour of selling its shares directly to the public. According to The New York Times (Login Required), Google wishes to sell only about $US2 billion worth of shares to the public."

12 of 376 comments (clear)

  1. Google rebuffing M$ is only HALF the story.... by i_want_you_to_throw_ · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's turns out that Google IS being bought by Nestle!
    Here's the link to the story. I guess Nestle just offered too sweet of a deal to pass up.

    1. Re:Google rebuffing M$ is only HALF the story.... by diersing · · Score: 5, Informative
      From our friends at The Register I've pasted this from the following article.

      To understand why, you have to understand how Google makes money, and remarkably few reports have pinpointed how. It's said to be in the 'search engine business' - but unless you take the term at its most literal, to encompass comparison shopping sites, or pay-to-play engines - there is no public search engine business.

      Google is an advertising business. It's an intermediary between media buyers and sites who want to see some advertising revenue: it's simply an old-fashioned media agency. Some of the property, the 'billboards' if you like, in the sense of the word that ClearChannel understands it, Google owns and operates itself. Advertisements show up on the search results, in Usenet groups and of course on its prime 'content' advertising space at the moment, Blogger.com. Google's main rival is Overture, which was recently acquired by Yahoo!. In this business model, Google doesn't 'own' the properties but acts a broker in the classic sense.

    2. Re:Google rebuffing M$ is only HALF the story.... by BrynM · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Don't forget that Google also sells technology. In fact, that business is growing for them.

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  2. small change eh? by Benneh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Only $2 billion dollars....if only i could talk about money like that

  3. Good by The+One+KEA · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Looks like the management at Google understand the situation. Only selling about $2 billion USD will get them the funds they need to expand, but without the risk of a hostile takeover. Let's just hope that the voting shareholders don't defect to Microsoft. Or to anyone else.

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  4. Thank God... by KD5YPT · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, looks like Google just throw down the gauntlet against Microsoft. Now, it is time to see whether public support or big money business will win out.
    And as a side note, let's buy Google stock when they come out to show our support.

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    1. Re:Thank God... by BigRedFish · · Score: 5, Insightful

      time to see whether public support or big money business will win

      Methinks accurate results relevant to the search performed will always win. The search engine landscape is littered with 'portals' that don't do jack - when I search for, say, 'KDE 3.2 beta KWin C++ API' and get back 'Buy books about C++ at Amazon.com!', 'Microsoft Visual C++ Studio 50% off!' and so on for the entire first page, I'm outta there and will never go back. Point being, when I hit a search engine it's because I'm looking for links to specific information, not someone to 'manage' my 'internet shopping experience'.

      I wonder how many hits on Google are from research assistants, paralegals, programmers, etc. compared to how many are looking for an 'internet shopping experience?' Does Yahoo! think everyone's going to Google because they don't have enough paid links and useless portal categories cluttering up the page at Yahoo!?

      I have no idea who the target market is for so many of these sites. There must be someone who sits down at the computer, credit card in hand, hoping a window will pop up allowing them to buy something - anything! - on the Internet. I think this someone only exists in the marketing department's imagination, though. I've never met that person.

      Kudos to Google for just saying no. Both to intrusive advertising, and to the do-it-all portal concept that ends up donig nothing well.

  5. 2 billion?!?!? by simp · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damn, if i'd had 2 billion dollar I wouldn't need Google. I'd had some naked petrified girls doing all the searching for me...

  6. you know by digitalsushi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    you know, google is the first thing on the internet (not just the web) that i think has actually changed my life is some way. i use google probably 30 to 40 times on a regular business day, searching for certain strings and letting it do the hard part for me. if i didnt have google, or anything exactly like it or better, i would be really grumpy for a very long time. if google ever sold out and became a crap factory, it'd be a dark day on the intarweb. fortunately i didnt get the vibe that's about to happen from the nyt article.

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  7. Re:It's questionable by donnz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Except I read that Google was valued at 9 billion which would sure eat into MS' reserves.

    Here's the Guardian story.

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  8. Keep in mind by mindstrm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    that the article you reference doesn't KNOW how google makes it's money, they GUESS.
    Google is a private company, and does not have to disclose where it's profits come from, so it's just speculation based on observation.

    It sounds reasonable.. but isn't necessarily true.

  9. Very Interesting??? by ratfynk · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Just for a laugh I decided to try the acid test. I searched Google for linux Results; (top 6)

    News: The Linux Documentation Project Turns 10 - Slashdot - 31 Oct 2003 Motorola Launches Linux-Based Phone - PC World - 31 Oct 2003 Try Google News: Search news for linux or browse the latest headlines

    The Linux Home Page at Linux Online Linux Online, ... Linux is a free Unix-type operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers around the world. ... Description: Comprehensive information and resources about the Linux Operating System. Category: Computers > Software > Operating Systems > Linux > Directories www.linux.org/ - Similar pages

    Linux.com: Linux news, information, software, documentation, and ... Linux.com, New to Linux? Start Here. October 31st, 2003, ... Click Here. Linux News, section sponsor. IBM eServer xSeries + Linux: get IDC report. - Latest News -. ... Description: A Linux portal and directory. Category: Computers > Software > Operating Systems > Linux www.linux.com/ - 58k - 1 Nov 2003 - Cached - Similar pages

    Red Hat -- Linux, Embedded Linux and Open Source Solutions Red Hat is the destination for Linux, Embedded Linux, and open source solutions. We provide Linux-based support, documentation, downloads, training. ... Description: Official site; news, support, documentation, whitepapers, downloads, consulting, training, embedded... Category: Computers > Software > ... > Linux > Distributions > Red Hat www.redhat.com/ - 29k - 1 Nov 2003 - Cached - Similar pages - Stock quotes: RHAT

    Debian GNU/Linux -- The Universal Operating System Debian GNU/Linux is a free distribution of the GNU/Linux operating system. It is maintained and updated through the work of many ... Description: Official site. One of the most important distributions, uses only Free Software as defined by FSF.... Category: Computers > Software > ... > Linux > Distributions > Debian www.debian.org/ - 17k - 1 Nov 2003 - Cached - Similar pages

    The Linux Documentation Project is now on tldp.org The Linux Documentation Project is working towards developing free, high quality documentation for the Linux operating system. The ... www.linuxdoc.org/ - 16k - 1 Nov 2003 - Cached - Similar pages

    The Linux Kernel Archives The Linux Kernel Archives. Welcome to the Linux Kernel Archives. ... Many thanks for your support! The Linux Kernel Archives Mirror System. ... Description: This is the primary site for the Linux kernel source. Category: Computers > Software > Operating Systems > Linux > Kernel www.kernel.org/ - 18k - 1 Nov 2003 - Cached - Similar pages

    Then I searched MSN

    RESULTS (TOP 6)

    FEATURED SITES - ABOUT # Amazon.com Buy Linux software at the Amazon.com software store. www.amazon.com

    # eBay Find great deals on Linux software and accessories. Also find millions of other items in over 18,000 categories. www.ebay.com

    # Introducing Linux Find the latest news and information on this operating system. tech.msn.com

    # Alternatives to Linux-Apache-MySQL-PHP Learn about the Microsoft alternatives and how to move to them from open source products. www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/migration

    WEB DIRECTORY SITES - ABOUT # Linux Online Provides support, advice on getting started, a bookstore and sections for downloading applications, hardware, and distributions. www.linux.org

    # Linux Journal Previews the upcoming issue and presents selected articles from past issues. Includes subscription details and related links. www.linuxjournal.com

    If you follow the google links you can actually easily find out linux distros and learn about lots about linux. All and all it goes to show how a search engine can slant results in favour of a company. To alow MS to take over internet search is like sending the mouse to see the cat.

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