Ballmer Still Yahoo for Yahoo

• By Doug Barney
• 07/08/2008

You probably recall that after Ballmer’s $40 billion-plus bid was rejected, Microsoft gave up the chase, only to see Carl Icahn start to buy up shares, manipulate the board, try to get the deal done with Microsoft, and then cash in on the premium Microsoft would have to pay.

Seems like Ballmer is now fine with that approach, and is himself pushing for the Yahoo board to be largely overthrown so he can buy all or a part of the company.

I still think it’s a bad deal...but then again, Ballmer is worth $15 billion and I’m just an underpaid journalist.

Now imagine this scenario: Ballmer and Icahn end up replacing the Yahoo board, but then Microsoft doesn’t even buy the company. Imagine the fallout.

Should Ballmer buy Yahoo? Your erudite answers welcome at [email protected].

IE 8 More Secure
Microsoft has long known it had a security problem with Internet Explorer, and it has struggled mightily to fix it. The company now argues that IE 8, now in beta, will be far more secure than any of its predecessors.

Chief among the protections are a way to stop cross-site scripting exploits, and safer surfing of social networking Web sites. There are also ways to keep hackers from jumping from an individual PC to the entire network.

What can Microsoft do to make IE safer? Should it remain a part of the OS and thus near-impossible to remove? Send your thoughts to [email protected].

Post-Holiday Patch Tuesday
Hopefully you all had a relaxing long holiday weekend, but now it's back to the grind. And today is patching time again as Microsoft plans to roll out four fixes.

Fortunately, they're all only "important," which is far less serious than "critical."

SQL Server is getting protection against elevation-of-privilege attacks, and Microsoft continues to plug remote code execution flaws.

Help Run Redmond Magazine
Here at Redmond magazine, we pride ourselves on being reader-driven. In fact, this newsletter is the main way I get to know what you, the IT professional, care about and think.

Now I'm asking for even more help. What should we write about? Technologies, issues, problems?

Write me directly at [email protected] and you may find your idea in the pages of Redmond magazine.

Mailbag: Hyper-V a Non-Debate, Piling on the Hogans, More
Readers chime in on a grab-bag of topics -- the Hyper-V debate that isn't, the pros and cons of cloud computing, and Bill Gates' post-retirement plans:

Here's what has been annoying me about this Hyper-V versus VMware "debate": There's nothing to debate! People are approaching this as though Microsoft should be eviscerated for coming out with a 1.0 product -- how dare they! You mean Hyper-V version 1.0 doesn't match up feature-for-feature with ESX, a product that VMware has been working on for years? Well, that's no surprise, and I'm a bit astounded that people are acting so vehemently about this.

I for one am excited about Hyper-V. It's apparently targeted precisely at a shop my size. We have about 12 servers and around four or five of them are ready to be replaced so, for me, Hyper-V looks a lot more attractive than spending thousands on ESX features I don't need. We may someday need a more robust product, fine, but for the time being, I think Hyper-V is going to be just what the doctor ordered. So I wish people would get off their soapboxes and use whichever product suits them and leave everyone else alone to do the same thing.
-Greg

There is no choice in the browser wars! There are too many sites and devices on the Internet that do not play well with any browser but Internet Explorer. Our corporate HR Web site will not even let a user log in with a browser other that Internet Explorer.

Firefox is my default browser at home. It's fast, clean and functional. I use it for everything except the corporate stuff (and my Web cam). I have never been hijacked or seen a drive-by download using it. But I have been asked to clean more than my share of computers when the users (running IE), despite having AV and anti-spyware software installed, get stuck with a useless machine due to Internet pop-ups and browser hijacking.
-Tom

I love cloud computing for my own business and I am sure that others who try will, too. But there is a downside: Customisation is real tricky. So yes, I agree, the clouds are approaching fast, but once in the cloud, your business better fit the model or you are not going to be able to fine-tune your business model at all, wasting any savings that you might make.
-Garry

Perhaps I simply have a firm grasp of the obvious reason Billy Boy allegedly "retired": He is taking over the programming aspect of Microsoft once again, where he started, to be sure the next OS is not the embarrassment that Vista is, and will continue to be. Vista is to Windows 7 what Windows ME was to Windows XP -- simply a test product at the consumer's expense. After all, the stock price of Microsoft has dropped and he is no longer the wealthiest man on this planet. Ouch!
-R.M.

Finally, reader Chris took offense at the "Nick Hogan-induced coma" line in a recent Redmond Report, and most of you agreed with him -- but that doesn't mean the Hogans got off scot-free:

I have to agree with Chris. Your choice of that reference was in poor taste. No other analogy came to mind?
-Mercury

Regarding your Hogan controversy, I agree that it is offensive to refer to the victim's condition as some fun, pop-culture reference. I understand and share your disdain for the Hogans but think you displayed it in the wrong fashion.
-Peter

The whole Hogan tirade was in the wrong venue. Get a new frame of reference. Subscribe to Google Good News.
-Gordon

Clever, but yes, it was in poor taste, because while Nick Hogan and Hulk Hogan are indeed the dirtbags you proclaim them to be, the young man in the coma is not. Cut him a little slack for not hearing of Bill Gates' retirement due to his current circumstances.
-Phil

Surely your reader was referring to the victim when he cried foul, and not in support of a douchebag like Nick Hogan. Anyone that has watched Hulk Hogan over the decades knows that he's always been a douche. His latest antics are nothing new. I can't believe anyone would be upset because you pointed out the foul behavior of one of these sociopaths.
-Gerry

As for Hulk Hogan wearing his do-rag to court, I can only say that every true Texan knows a gentleman never wears his hat indoors. Even legendary Texan and Houston Oilers coach Bum Phillips never wore his Stetson inside the Astrodome because it was indoors. Then again, who would ever expect a professional wrestler to be a gentleman?
-Dave

I agree with you. The Hogan family does not deserve admiration, respect or attention in any way, shape or form. Anyone who jumps to their defense has been watching too many reality shows!
-Eric

Yep, Nick...and his dirtbag dad. Typical liberals -- they don't give a sh*t about anyone but themselves and believe they can do no wrong even when they do.
-Lloyd

What do you think? Share your thoughts by commenting below or send an e-mail to [email protected].