Microsoft Acquires Skype for $8.4 Billion

[mcd023]

i think it'd be cool to see how microsoft incorporates it into windows 8 et al

 

[Bolbi]

I wonder how Windows Live Messenger and Skype will work alongside each other since much of their functionality is duplicated. Might they be merged into one product? Or maybe the WLM brand will be used for all free services and Skype for all paid services? It'll be interesting to watch this develop in the next year or two.

 

[mihaimm]

That's good news. Now I can finally ditch Skype completely and push in a new direction. It's not gonna be around for long so... we'd better switch now... looking for alternatives...

 

[rohitbaran]

it seems Redmond is excited to mix the service up with existing products and services.

Doomed.

 

[rpgplayer]

well sh*t there goes my Skype Linux support

 

[rohitbaran]

[citation][nom]sseyler[/nom]I'm ready... I think.[/citation]
For what? You have a company to be acquired?

 

[captaincharisma]

i can see skype messenger being canned and all MS products will now have a "powered by skype" handle on all there software they use it on

 

[ravewulf]

This could either be really good or bad for Skype (but hopefully good). I'm just going to wait and see.

 

[fir_ser]

I hope Microsoft doesn’t kill Skype after few years and integrate its technologies in other Microsoft products.

 

[scuba dave]

[citation][nom]amk-aka-phantom[/nom]What a bunch of ignorant BS! Microsoft CREATED PC experience! Without them, we'd be all running Mac OS or Linux. I don't care whom their ruined (whom, by the way?) as long as it contributed towards keeping Windows alive. WE NEED Windows. No Windows - no PC gaming. When was the last time you've used Windows? I haven't seen a single virus or bug in my system ever since I got XP SP2, period. And I've done a lot of crazy stuff to it. Messing with the registry, partitions, third-party software... Vista doesn't count, it was a testing ground for Windows 7. And the latter is at least as good as XP, no problems whatsoever.But even taking that into account, it is sad that Skype was bought by MS. MS provided great OS, but their programs sucked (IE, Live Messenger, Outlook, WMP, you name it) and it was always great that they could be replaced by third-party software (FF, Skype, Thunderbird, K-Lite, you name it). Now it's gonna be one less.Hey, maybe it's not gonna be so bad? Maybe they'll just integrate it into Windows setup and call it "MS Skype" without pulling Linux/Mac/Android support... wait, now I'm dreaming.The best would be if MS will just let Skype development team work on their own, only supplying them with resources and taking the profits... but somehow I doubt MS will let that happen. I hope they'll at least keep support for older Skype versions - 3.8 was the fastest ever...[/citation]

I really hate using the "fanboi" comment, but I gotta admit, after seeing "WE NEED Windows" "Microsoft Created PC Gaming", its kinda burning to be let out..

Microsoft didn't create PC Gaming. They made a decent platform that was comfortable for a very wide variaty of people, while using horrible ethics and business practices to kill off the competition.. Yeah. I don't need that. The market created PC Gaming. Guys and girls out there that had ideas and vision, and only used Windows as a creative venue to express that idea. I guarentee you their minds could, and would, have been able to realize their ideas on Linux, or Mac, or any other platform that might have been, had Windows not been allowed to destroy everything. To think otherwise, is very narrow-minded.

Personally, I think we need Windows as much as we need x86. Not in the slightest.

[citation][nom]eldesconocido[/nom]The government mostly has Linux-based servers.[/citation]

Umm... No we do not.

 

[poppasmurf]

Balmer's thoughts ....Ahhh its good to be the King!

 

[molo9000]

Does this mean they are going to cripple non-Windows versions of Skype? Most likely....
This could be bad....

[citation][nom]amk-aka-phantom[/nom]WE NEED Windows. No Windows - no PC gaming. [/citation]
eh? Games are simply developed for the most widely used OS.
If it weren't for proprietary DirectX, we'd see a lot more multi-platform games, but Microsoft isn't going to give up it's monopoly that easily.

We don't need Windows. We need more competition on the desktop OS market!

 

[joebob2000]

In November of 2009, the online auction site sold Skype for approximately $1.9 billion in cash and a note from the buyer, Silver Lake Partners, in the principal amount of $125 million.

They should have used a higher reserve price... Duh. And the principal note? That's how they get you. You think what you bought was so cheap until you see the principal note.

 

[fir_ser]

Microsoft is happy to acquire Skype before Google and Facebook, and that’s for just $8.4B.

 

[tsnorquist]

I'd rather MS own skype than FaceBook.

Google has Voice already... somewhat similar.

I think MS will do some good with this. Good acquisition for them.

 

[Horhe]

Well, it was Microsoft's Windows that contributed to the wide PC adoption, not Apple's Mac, and most certainly not Unix.

On the subject: I don't think Microsoft will ruin Skype, especially because it's the same team that will develop it.

 

[keith_d]

I'm also hoping that Microsoft will let the Skype development team have the final say over what happens with Skype.

I don't think that MS will run Skype into the ground. It seems they just wanted to purchase it because Google and Facebook began showing interest.

 

[aaron88_7]

And to think I was worried Facebook would gobble this up and destroy it.....MS will do an even better job at that!

 

[aaron88_7]

[citation][nom]Horhe[/nom]Well, it was Microsoft's Windows that contributed to the wide PC adoption, not Apple's Mac, and most certainly not Unix.On the subject: I don't think Microsoft will ruin Skype, especially because it's the same team that will develop it.[/citation]
That was when it had sound management running the company, Balmer took over long after Microsoft secured their place in the PC market. Since then the company has missed every major opportunity that has come by in the tech world.......and they are still trying to push their horrendous version of a tablet PC, bleh!!

We must remember the PC market that Microsoft does well in is dying. They have no real tablet strategy and their mobile phone venture will at best prove to be minimally successful.

I find expensive purchases like this a sign of great weakness. If history has taught me anything this will just be another expensive buyout from MS that goes nowhere.

 

[pale paladin]

I don't know if this will be good or bad. Microsoft does have a habit of taking an idea and blowing it up.

Not to defend them entirely but I will say that many devices developed by M$ have failed because of social stigma not because of quality or function. there is a popular idea that younger people and people who believe themselves to be cool and relavent techies have that all Microsoft products are garbage. and while I won't deny that some M$ products I have worked on over the years as a IT professional haven't caused me stress, overall M$ keeps the world turning. I don't prefer them because I have some loyalty complex or I refuse to be associated with the sudo stereotypical MaC user. I use it because for the most part it works. Every day. And when it has issues , paid professionals like myself fix it. and then it works again. There is no mystery, or mystical allure to it. I don't need to take it somewhere or contact some uppity teenager at the Mac store. It is a tool I and many others use to do business. It is not a statement of who I am.

I have an equal respect for linux. I actually use it more. but i digress...

btw I am a Apple Cert Tech along with many other certs.