It all started on January 31, when PC giant Microsoft disclosed its bid to acquire the popular search engine company, Yahoo. So to say; however, this game of hide and seek can be traced back to the time when Microsoft and the search engine mammoth, Google had their foundation stone laid. The plot of the tragic affair is obviously "Control". Microsoft who has had a great time in the two decades wants to control the technology. Google, its counterpart, since day one wants to control the information. Since the nuptial knots have brought information and technology closer to each other, Microsoft and Google are all prepared to replay the Trojan war.

On January 31, Microsoft disclosed to acquire Yahoo, whose share at that time valued $US 19.18. The unsolicited offer meant Microsoft's control over Yahoo at the rate of $44.6 billions. The bid of $28.93 was instantly refused by Yahoo with hostile response that said that the PC maker undervalues the search engine company. Microsoft's Chief had no reason, but to believe that the deal was a fair one considering the economic downturn and Yahoo's market share.

The news spread like a wild fire and evoked much response and speculations in the industry. The Chief Executive of Yahoo, Jerry Yang, insisted on the rejection of the offer and slightly imploring at the same time for something better, like $40 or more for a share. That brings our search engine protagonist, Google, directly in to the scene, though such a presence was a very calculated and covert one. Jerry Yang would have never insisted on a higher value had Google not offered it a deal. Google coyed Yahoo by offering search advertising technology for $1 billion a year.

In retrospection, Microsoft enjoys 21 per cent in the telecom sector in US. The couple, Microsoft -Yahoo, would mean 28 million subscribers against Google's 14.5 million.

After three months of prolonged talks and courtship, the knot could not be tied and Microsoft left quietly, instead of taking way the bride with its promised hostile takeover. On May 3, Microsoft walked out at the last offer of $33 per share. In the talks held between the two companies, Yahoo had demanded at least $37 to agree to the terms. The chivalrous Microsoft walked quietly out of the deal because of the indulgence of Google. Google's offer to Yahoo had made Microsoft to drop the idea of hostile takeover; so was the reason forwarded by Steven A. Balmer.

With Microsoft leaving the scene, the stock of Yahoo minified by about 15 per cent. Its value is still better than that observed on January 31, and is $24. Yahoo Chief has been rebuked by majority of the share holders who were willing to accept $33 to $35. Also, when all of this was happening, Google had threatened to fight the duo on anti trust grounds. Yahoo has just lost $4.2 a share and our champion Google has earned extra $4 billions. That is what is called strategy.