With Microsoft now walking away from its unsolicited bid for Yahoo, new details are emerging as to just how bizarre these negotiations -- or lack thereof -- have been since Microsoft first made the deal public three months ago.

For now, it seems Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has kept his passionate side in check in choosing to walk away from ahostile Yahoo offer.

A chronology of events leading to Microsoft's  decision to abandon its offer for Web search and advertising competitor Yahoo:

The following is the letter sent by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang

"We continue to believe that our proposed acquisition made sense for Microsoft, Yahoo! and the market as a whole," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Microsoft is re-evaluating its $31-a-share offer for Yahoo in light of worsening market conditions, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC on Friday.

Amid the news that Microsoft spacer won't raise its bid, and therefore Yahoo spacer won't discuss a deal, there's word now that Microsoft may walk from the deal all together. Hmmmm, can you say saber rattling? The suggestion of a Microsoft walk-away made headlines...

Microsoft sees no reason to increase its bid for Yahoo, two months after it made a $44.6 billion offer to buy the Internet company, people familiar with Microsoft's plans said on Monday.

Microsoft stock is heading south with the market, but it's also under pressure because the street clearly expects it to up the ante in its bidding for Yahoo! Yahoo! today didn't slam the door on a Microsoft deal when it issued a terse release on the offer

This is a negotiation. Think about it: if you were selling your house, would you take the first offer? This is much the same, with six or seven extra zeroes.

Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Yahoo would marry the world's biggest software maker with a leading Internet media company, shaking up the online market.

One of the first questions that Jerry Yang and his top lieutenants pondered after he became chief executive of Yahoo last summer was whether the company could remain independent.

Much like Microsoft's attempt to scuttle Google's bid for DoubleClick last year, Google is preparing a team of lobbyists to block or delay Microsoft's planned buyout of Yahoo.

The real clash of the titans is unfolding -- not on the gridiron, but online. It's not David vs. Goliath, more like Goliath vs. Goliath.

Google Inc fired back Sunday at Microsoft's $44.6 billion bid to acquire Yahoo, accusing Microsoft of seeking to extend its computer software monopoly deeper into the Internet realm.

Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Yahoo would marry the world's biggest software maker with a leading Internet media company, shaking up the online market.

Let the campaigning begin: Microsoft hosted a conference call with the Street and media this morning to talk over its $45 billion dollar hostile bid for Yahoo, making its case not just to Microsoft and Yahoo investors, but to Yahoo employees who might feel tempted to make a bee-line for the exits.

I've gotten ahold of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's internal memo he emailed to the troops this morning about his plans to spend $45 billion in a hostile bid for struggling search stalwart Yahoo. (Thanks for sending. You know who you are!)

Microsoft's take-out play for Yahoo is a stunning move by the world's largest software maker, even though rumors of a deal have been swirling for the better part of a year.