Comments on: Microsoft ends its siesta, plays hardball

From the time it took News.com's Ina Fried to fly from Maimi to Colombia, the software maker went on the offensive, serving up a three-week deadline.

[lmasanti]

Why is MS pushing?

It can "put a new board". It can "get the shareholders".
Why the hurry?

Maybe the "board" is too costy? Maybe the shareholders ask
"more money"? Or "just say NO"?

Or does Bill Gates want this "ended" before leaving? (He probably
knows that if he has to do a "second coming" it would be more
on the lines of Michell Dell than in those of Steve Jobs!)

And what if MS looses this fight? What's next move? Even the
"best economic and strategic" move will be seen as a "forced
act".

MS is just play hard because the "little David" put Goliat against
the ropes!

[scannall--2008]

Same old story

It's what they have always done. Make marginal software, but
expand market share by buying others out. Or crushing the ones
that don't go along.

[mikalg]

Its "Goliath"

besides, not much else of your post made much more sense either.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Hardball is how business gets done...

Be Bold...kick their a** MSFT.

[jkeels]

Mmmm Hmmm

And in the process of playing Hardball you become a complete jerk for a dollar sign and decimal point. Business requires intelligence, negotiation and sometimes a firm approach. However, those in business who use the hammer to beat the stake into the heart of everyone around them do not get my respect.

[nightflyer32]

And once again...

Msoft sticks to the two old theories: 1) if you can't make it or
compete with it, you just buy it. And
2) You can never own so much that you can't own a little more.

Go to hell, Microsoft. I hope the shareholders have more principles
than to just be one more sell-out to the Gates-Balmer machine.

[snatchmo]

Ballmer is really serious about this?

Interesting indeed. So we will see MSFT at $25 this week as the
prospect of this deal not getting done dwindles. The best MS could
hope was that the rest of the world forgot and MSFT could just
walk (run) away from this deal. YHOO will be an albatross for MSFT.