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Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang's delay tactics may be working. Microsoft employees are more opposed to merging with Yahoo now than they were when CEO Steve Ballmer first made his offer in February. Some of these wary employees are leaving Microsoft, "rank-and-file workers and executives" told the Wall Street Journal.

Those in Microsoft's online services group, particularly advertising salespeople, have been the first to head for the door. Microsoft VP Joanne Bradford, for example, left her job running MSN in March to join Los Angeles-based ad agency Spot Runner.

Others tell the Journal Microsoft management is spending too much time and resources trying to rope an obviously reluctant Yahoo into a merger. They have a point. Yahoo's earnings were nice enough, but Microsoft executives have, in the past, put their energy toward much more attractive distractions. (Photo by Rory Finneren)