First: Google stealing an exec from Microsoft isn't as funny as some may think. I have a lot of experience with non-competition agreements and the courts are vicious in enforcing them. We once had a guy who left with a bunch of Dunn and Bradstreet leads and we went after him balls out---and won. He couldn't even so much as call a name from the D&B list for two years after he left and his new company's new accounts were literally under our monitor for six months. Google has lost some reputation here because overtly stealing an inside exec from another company just ain't done without permission. I'm betting that this deal hurts their stock. Non-compete contracts are not meant to be violated. Running a public company is a lot different than running a private little shop. And starting yesterday, no company anywhere is going to trust Google and nobody is going to take their calls.