Don Dodge (Director of Business Development for Microsoft's Emerging Business Team) has posted some insights on the validity of such claims on his blog. While this is his personal opinion, I think Microsoft might still listen to him. :-)

His conclusion:

DoubleClick could be a good strategic fit for Microsoft's AdCenter and online business. At some price it makes sense. The numbers have to work. Heck, Microsoft can even overpay a little and make it work in the long run. But, at $2 billion...I would pass.

good for double-click... but good for us (advertisers/publishers)?

Excellent point - if either Google or MS bought DoubleClick, it would put all that advertiser and publisher data in the hands of one of the biggest online ad operators in the world. That can't be good for the market.

Someone's about to purchase a huge PPA farm. If Google buys, I wonder if it will replace their current PPA ideas?

(Or maybe their original PPA idea was to include DoubleClick?)

I personally want it to go MS way , there is so much gravity with google on internet advertising at the moment , and thats whats not very good although the product of G is far far better then any of its competitor

Seems like there need to be a little more separation between media seller and media buyer than their would be if any of these companies bought DCLK. If it's going to be sold, I'd rather see YHOO, AOL or IAC get it than either MSFT or GOOG.

Like skibum, I would rather see DoubleClick go to someone other than Microsoft or Google. But if it has to be between the two, I would rather it go to Microsoft - Google has enough influence in the online advertising market.

If Google buys DoubleClick, they've gone over to the dark side.

Lol. I was gonna post about "do no evil" and you beat me!

I would defiantly prefer MS to get this one.

Maybe they will clean up doubleclick?