The ‘B’ Connection

Do you remember the film ‘The French Connection’, a 1971 mafia sensation. A connection between New York and Marseilles (France). Two sides of Atlantic. 

Now let’s start our story. We don’t need to cross the Ocean. 😉

Let’s say, long long ago they thought about it, and then they planned it, and finally (successfully) accomplished it – The Mission Accomplished. 

Yes, it’s the Yahoo! – Microsoft deal. One of the biggest deals so far in tech industry. The deal was announced on 29^th July this year. 

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer tried it all the year round of 2008. But could not make a head through, although billion dollars offer was walking ahead of Yahoo! Boss’s nose. But Jerry didn’t like the smell. That time he was in ‘chair-and in power’. 

However, in the course of time, Jerry Yang had to step down and leave the helm at Mrs. Bartz’s hand. Mrs. Carol Bartz is of course very qualified and efficient executive. 

What Mr. Ballmer could not make with Jerry, having Mrs. Bartz in Chair, he could draw a final conclusion very fast and very successfully. Mr. Ballmer had not to pay even a cent in advance. Now Microsoft will handle the ‘search and ad’ directly and indirectly, and Mrs. Bartz will be busy producing contents for Yahoo! 

“In simple terms, Microsoft will now power Yahoo! search while Yahoo! will become the exclusive   worldwide relationship sales force for both companies’ premium search advertisers” says Microsoft’s press release. 

Good deal, many are happy, many unhappy. But how could it all happen so easily for Microsoft after all these struggling years. 

Just dig or digg it little deeper. You will smell something other than usual business talk here. 

Mrs. Bartz just doesn’t believe in ‘balancing in life’ as it sense to her some kind of perfection (don’t take it so seriously), rather she believes that life is ‘about catching the ball before it hits the floor’. 

Did you already mark the points – ‘catching the balls before it hits the floor’. Great philosophy. 

Now come to Mr. Ballmer. When one of Microsoft’s top software developer wanted to leave the company to join rival Google, Mr. Ballmer made a lot of ‘Fu..king’ therapy. 

As mentioned in Wikipedia, the super-angry Mr. Ballmer responded redly: “Fucking Erich Schmidt is a fucking pussy. I’m going to fucking bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I am going to fucking kill Google”. 

Well, whatever that ‘F’ killing could or might be, Microsoft’s new search engine ‘Bing’ is showing some progress towards the ‘red expression’. Reuters reported stating StatCounter, in July ‘Bing’ gained 1% more search share (9.41%) in the U.S. than its previous month (in June – 8.23%). That shows the ‘F’ factor is working. Very pragmatic. ‘Bing’ took an obvious central role in the deal. 

So, now we have two Great CEOs. One loves to play with the ‘balls’, and the other has his ‘F’-factor. 

And what more: 

Carol Bartz, Bing, and Steve Ballmer. 

In the course of your life, you might probably stumble on a saying that says, ‘Good things come in threes’. And look, we have exactly 3’B’s here. 

That’s the point here – it was the ‘B Connection’ (you may believe it or not).  

However, if you feel a little bit Mafia-mafia sensation, just forget it, never mind. 🙂