Why Google wants Microsoft to buy Yahoo

Publicly, Google has fought against Microsoft's attempt to take over Yahoo, but there are some reasons to believe that Google would be very pleased to see the deal go through --- it could seriously weaken its two main rivals, and be one of the best things that ever happened to the search giant.

Start off with the very nature of the Microsoft move --- it's a hostile takeover. For months, while the fight goes on, Microsoft and Yahoo will be fighting each other, rather than their common enemy, Google.

When the deal does go through (and inevitably it will), things will get even better for Google. Combining two massive companies with thoroughly different cultures, and a good deal of duplicative products and efforts, will be a gargantuan task. It will take literally years of political infighting, reorganization, and corporate nastiness before things get straight, if they ever do get straight. During all that time, Microhoo (or will it be YahSoft?) will be distracted and focused inward, and Google will be continuing to innovate, and become even more dominant.

There's no doubt that Yahoo engineers, developers, and staffers will flee, and a good number of them will head into the arms of Google. Many Yahoo employees are tied more to the Silicon Valley and its culture than they are to Yahoo itself. In their eyes, Microsoft remains something of the evil empire.

Given that one of Google's biggest challenges right now is finding enough smart, motivated, qualified people, this could be one of the best things that ever happened to the company. Not only will they be able to get more qualified staff, but that staff will be fleeing their main rivals.

The end result? A much weaker Microhoo, and Google wins the battle for the Internet.