Report: Bill Gates Encouraged Skype Takeover Deal

[exfileme]

Bill Gates pushed the other board members into purchasing Skype for $8.5 billion.

Report: Bill Gates Encouraged Skype Takeover Deal : Read more

 

[fyasko]

why is bill gates always throwing gang signs? he is boss man player but still...

 

[bison88]

I think people just look into the numbers game a little too much. Such as when Intel purchased McAfee out of nowhere for something like $2 billion? At the end of the day nobody buys companies just to end them anymore. That worked back in the 80's and 90's but no longer in this world. Companies have assets and a lead in the field. Microsoft (hopefully out to) have a plan. Ebay didn't, or didn't know WTF they were doing just saw potential and let it sit. This can do something for MS if you think outside the box, on the other hand it can bring an end of VOIP to 150 million people and be a waste of $8.5 billion + hundreds of millions more supporting it if MS fails to be successful. At the end of the day nobody really loses. Skypes gone to crap in the past couple years, each version getting progressively worse. Really, Microsoft can't do much more to make that unstable service worse paying customer or not.

 

[fyasko]

Bill Gates - "I do not know what to do with my hands..."

 

[angelraiter]

hum... I thought he was supposed to be one of the smartest people around.. Guess retirement made him soft.. This deal was just terribad. Both for MS and for Skype.. Particularly, it was a terribad deal for Skype users cause now we are all gonna have to be milked for the 8.5b + profit. Kinda worried about this actually, cause I use skype for work every single day, both the free chat and for international calls..

 

[Guest]

Microsoft + Skype...===== Micro-Pee???

 

[back_by_demand]

Bill Gates has been underestimated for the last 25 years, if he had a say in the Skype deal then there must be something important and long term involved with it.

 

[beta tester]

Ballmer has a poor memory...

Microsoft has no track record of supporting other platforms.

Internet Explorer on Mac was a dog. Windows Media Player on Mac lacked the Windows codecs. MSN Messenger on Mac didn't support video, but the Windows version did.

The list goes on and on. When Microsoft says it "supports" other platforms, take that to mean it will let Skype on other platforms wither on the vine.

As soon as I can find a Skype alternative, I will leave it.

 

[back_by_demand]

[citation][nom]beta tester[/nom]Ballmer has a poor memory...Microsoft has no track record of supporting other platforms.Internet Explorer on Mac was a dog. Windows Media Player on Mac lacked the Windows codecs. MSN Messenger on Mac didn't support video, but the Windows version did.The list goes on and on. When Microsoft says it "supports" other platforms, take that to mean it will let Skype on other platforms wither on the vine.As soon as I can find a Skype alternative, I will leave it.[/citation]
Is that the fault of MS or Apple?
You can't answer that honestly and neither can anyone else apart from Jobs or Gates and who ever does tell the truth will be derided by the opposition fanbois.
If you own a Mac and want to use MS products you should just buy a PC and have done with it.

 

[Guest]

[citation][nom]beta tester[/nom]Ballmer has a poor memory...Microsoft has no track record of supporting other platforms.Internet Explorer on Mac was a dog. Windows Media Player on Mac lacked the Windows codecs. MSN Messenger on Mac didn't support video, but the Windows version did.The list goes on and on. When Microsoft says it "supports" other platforms, take that to mean it will let Skype on other platforms wither on the vine.As soon as I can find a Skype alternative, I will leave it.[/citation]

HAHAHAHA, why would you want to use any windows product on a MAC! That is just stupid!

Windows +Skype is going to be the future, get used to it, and get excited, I am looking forward to it!

 

[eddieroolz]

Gates still holds influence at Microsoft, obviously. At least he isn't some suffocating overlord *cough* Jobs *cough*.

But hey, as long as Microsoft can keep Skype free, and do something good and productive with it - why not. Microsoft today is open and embracing even on competitors' platforms (i.e. OS X and iOS).

 

[Guest]

I don't read Linux anywhere....

 

[zak_mckraken]

Hmmm Skype + .Net... Skynet??

 

[alextheblue]

[citation][nom]juanchotazo[/nom]I don't read Linux anywhere....[/citation]That would fall under non-Microsoft platforms, would it not? Skype is all over, and since more users = more potential revenue, I doubt they'll change that.

 

[virtualban]

I hope the alternatives satisfy the void that will be created when skype gets full integration with windows and full disintegration everywhere else.

 

[fir_ser]

Bill Gates had a hand in it! So he still has influence in the company.