IMHO Yahoo! has the right experience, right assets and the right user base to knock Google off the top of the mountain. It is simply a mater of putting the competition in the cross-hairs and focused execution. Example of Yahoo! properties that rock are Yahoo! Widgets and Delicious. I am looking for Yahoo! to more effectively leverage these assets that have engaged, creative thought-leader users.

One mistake Yahoo! needs to avoid is under-estimating the potential of RSS. The technology is powerful and stable and has not yet achieved critical mass among main-stream users. Break this into critical mass adoption rates and achieve something noteworthy and brand-value building. Just because no one else has been able to accomplish this is no reason to ignore an opportunity with this much potential. Why should you be the ones kicking yourselves when someone else gets there.

One additional observation. Instead of viewing your existing user-base through an internal-to-Yahoo! backwards compatibility lens, help your user base see the internet through a potentiality lens. This can only be achieved through effective internal leadership. Facets to be managed include organizational structure, education and training, compensation/reward systems and division specific missions. Just my 2 cent donation to an organization I have high hopes for.