This image was lost some time after publication.

So what's everyone think of the Yahoo-Google search deal? Let's start with one of Yahoo and Google's Madison Avenue advertising customers:

I think its very interesting that Google thought the Yahoo partnership with Microsoft would stifle the market place, yet somehow they don't see the same thing happening in search. Anytime you don't have a true number two it stifles innovation. Right when Yahoo announced Panama we saw Google react when they hadn't in a while. I don't think we'll see the same level of innovation anymore

Well, despite the spin, running a business isn't always about what's best for the customers. It's about pleasing the company owners, shareholders. Too bad they aren't saying nice things either. One of them, a major Yahoo investor, emailed Kara Swisher just after the news broke: “The Board and Jerry are idiots.”

Eek. What about employees? Surely the wage earners are happy to see the bosses bringing in another $800 million. Nope. Here's how one reacted to the end of Microsoft merger talks and the Google deal: “Out of the frying pan, into the fire. At least, the frying pan was a slower death.”