It's not as big as Microsoft's previous attempt to buy Yahoo for nearly $45 billion, but the 10-year search and advertising partnership announced by the companies this morning is generating plenty of interest on blogs and in the mainstream media. Here are some of the most interesting stories, posts and tweets we've encountered.

ReadWriteWeb: "It's Official: Microsoft and Yahoo Announce Search Deal." Frederic Lardinois writes that Yahoo "has given up on its search engine business" and asks what it means for the Silicon Valley company's investments in the BOSS and Search Monkey, which let people build on the Yahoo search technology.

CNet News.com's Ina Fried quotes Microsoft executive Yusuf Mehdi saying that the company likes Yahoo's approach with BOSS and Search Monkey, and is open to incorporating technologies such as that as part of the integration.

Associated Press: "Microsoft, Yahoo team up to ding Google with Bing." The AP has reaction from Google, whose spokesman says: "There has traditionally been a lot of competition online, and our experience is that competition brings about great things for users."

PaidContent.org: Bartz On Microsoft Deal: ‘Boatload Of Cash Is Us Preserving Our Revenue Line’ Joe Tartakoff has highlights from the Microsoft and Yahoo CEOs discussing the deal in a conference call with analysts.

ZDNet: "Microsoft-Yahoo: Gauging the IT integration risks."  Larry Dignan says the "real work will be the 24 month technology integration once the deal closes in early 2010."

Wall Street Journal: "Yahoo Microsoft Deal: Where are the 'Boatloads of Money'?" Market Beat notes Yahoo shares are down and says analysts are disappointed with the fact that the "deal announced this morning doesn’t come with an upfront payment."

Jason Calacanis: "Yahoo commited seppuku today." Mahalo CEO and Internet rabble rouser Calacanis writes: "The once proud warrior of the internet space laid down its sword, knelt at the feet of Microsoft and gutted itself today. There was no honor in this death, it was one brought by the shame of losing to Google and a lack of faith in one’s ability to compete in the space they created. To be clear, Yahoo didn’t need to do this deal,  Microsoft did. Ultimately Yahoo will look back at this moment as the second–and perhaps fatal–mistake in their epic history."

Our very own Todd Bishop was on NPR's "To the Point" today discussing the deal: Listen to the seven minute interview here.

@slseveral: "Heard on npr about microsoft/yahoo deal: 'two chimps taking swipes at a gorilla.' "

@Neografo:  "When Microsoft is interested in a space it is a clear sign that you should be investing in it--not selling it." J. Calacanis.

@cmhicks: "Microsoft once again BUYS search share instead of building it themself :)"

@RobGlaser: "Search & Rescue, or Search & Destroy? Only time will tell."