Microsoft buys Skype for 8.5bil

Quillz said:
I disagree. They're all equally untrustworthy. Google and Apple only appear friendly on the surface.
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Since the days of Amiga, I never liked or trusted Microsoft.

Today, I rather see Microsoft make such acquisitions than Facebook or Google. How the times have changed for me, :eek:
 
Crazyfruitbat said:
I can imagine the mac version being ground into the floor now. Time to start looking at that google chat thingy. Shame, I loved skype.
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And one of the major investors in Apple would be?

Deathstarr I hit the not being able to change thread titles issue as well, slightly irritating but can see why they don't allow that.

I'm not yet hitting the Skype panic button like some others, waiting to see what strategy M$ might have for the purchase.
 
Skype is a nice service when you start calling land lines and such cause its cheaper calling the UK that way, But Skype is geared toward young adult and older adults for usage. I think Microsoft being M$ will try to change it into a software for businesses which already have 20 services to choose from. I don't think Microsoft understand the value of Niches and how to master and concentrate on that niche. They have had power since 1979 and they try to make each service they owner better then any on the market and that is where they tend to make thing fail. They should focus on user as individuals and not business.

This is just my thoughts I do not know if they will change it that way but thats what I think.

Gtalk is not that bad and it integrates nice with AIM, MSN is nice as long as you have messenger 8.5 or older. YIM is just crap, AIM is crap.

You could always use Pidgin which puts all of them together but its easier sometimes.
 
I think it will be a good thing for Skype overall... lets face facts... IE is the worst browser on the market, yet because it comes with the largest OS in the world, the worst browser is the most used browser. Now MS can put their product, Skype, directly into their OS via updates selling more cheap phone calls to users by putting it in front of them.
 
Anthony Parsons said:
I think it will be a good thing for Skype overall... lets face facts... IE is the worst browser on the market, yet because it comes with the largest OS in the world, the worst browser is the most used browser. Now MS can put their product, Skype, directly into their OS via updates selling more cheap phone calls to users by putting it in front of them.
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I don't think IE9 is the worst browser at all.

But I don't think Microsoft would get away with bundling Skype into Windows, they'd probably get hit with another anti-trust suit.
 
lazer said:
I couldn't believe it when I read Microsoft paid $8Bn for Skype. I downloaded it for free.....
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Not sure I follow your argument, are you saying that just because you received the software for free the business isn't worth the money?
 
Deathstarr said:
Skype is a nice service when you start calling land lines and such cause its cheaper calling the UK that way, But Skype is geared toward young adult and older adults for usage. I think Microsoft being M$ will try to change it into a software for businesses which already have 20 services to choose from. I don't think Microsoft understand the value of Niches and how to master and concentrate on that niche. They have had power since 1979 and they try to make each service they owner better then any on the market and that is where they tend to make thing fail. They should focus on user as individuals and not business.
This is just my thoughts I do not know if they will change it that way but thats what I think.
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Skype actually already has skype business edition and have had it for a while, I know as I use it. I can also use my skype business panel to send other skype users skype credit and do group video calls which I think you can do without the business version but you need a paid account. At any rate it has and will always be a business thing...in fact the product being geared for business communications actually pushes the product's development as they don't have to fix a bug as fast if people (businesses) are not losing money because of them. Because there is a lot of paying customers and actual businesses using skype, it ensures the application stays updated. The fact that skype can tie directly into an IP-PBX system says that it has been a real business software for a while...because of them we get the app for free.
http://shop.skype.com/phones/pbx-systems/grandstream-gxe5024/
 
grant sarver said:
I give up.
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From Apple's 2003 SEC filing:

"In August 1997, the Company and Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) entered into patent cross license and technology agreements. In addition, Microsoft purchased 150,000 shares of Apple Series A nonvoting convertible preferred stock ("preferred stock") for $150 million. These shares were convertible by Microsoft after August 5, 2000, into shares of the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $8.25 per share. During 2000, 74,250 shares of preferred stock were converted to 9 million shares of the Company's common stock. During 2001, the remaining 75,750 preferred shares were converted into 9.2 million shares of the Company's common stock."

It should be noted the investment from MS came at a time when Apple were in serious financial problems, which clearly they no longer are.

Just pointing out the ongoing investment by M$ in Apple in terms of development of software alone would indicate nothing is as clear cut as the Geeks seem to think it is. Similar Big Blue have a huge investment in Linux, while they also have their own AIX operating system. Strange world huh?
 
From ARS Technica:

All told, Microsoft spent a little over $151 million to acquire 18.2 million shares of Apple stock, for roughly $8.31 per share. Microsoft confirmed that it sold all of its AAPL holdings some time ago, and likely did so at a healthy profit—after all, AAPL has traded significantly higher than $8 for many years. But what if Microsoft had held on to that investment just a little longer?
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Microsoft has no "ongoing" investment and are not currently listed as having a holding in Apple. Their "investment" in Apple was part of a settlement over the Quicktime infringement lawsuit. For $150 million they received (what was at the time) nearly worthless stock. See ---> Stop the lies! The day that Microsoft 'saved' Apple

Edit: Sorry, missed your "ongoing" referred to development. This was also part of the 1997 settlement stipulation.
 
grant sarver said:
From ARS Technica:

Microsoft has no "ongoing" investment and are not currently listed as having a holding in Apple. Their "investment" in Apple was part of a settlement over the Quicktime infringement lawsuit. For $150 million they received (what was at the time) nearly worthless stock. See ---> Stop the lies! The day that Microsoft 'saved' Apple
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Frack me, history as Apple wrote it. Yeah that's how it happened, regardless of the dozens of books written on the subject. Still continue on, the Apple legend continues against the evil MS empire.

This software have ignore functions yet?
 
Apple needed money, Microsoft wanted the lawsuit settled, it was a win-win. I've actually never owned an Apple product.

I did enjoy seeing Apple shoot past MS in market cap last year. And Steve Ballmer Saying " yeah, but we made more profit and that's what counts". They had 4 billion vs 3 billion for Apple during that quarter. This year Apple posted 6.6 billion for the quarter. It's all just interesting.
 
lazer said:
I couldn't believe it when I read Microsoft paid $8Bn for Skype. I downloaded it for free.....
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Its not about how much revenue a company makes. Its all about the brand, and the brand perception.

Skype's a great service, I am one of the millions of members. Recently, I was chatting with a friend of mine, from my computer, to his iPhone. He had AIM and Skype running at the same time, so I could chat with him, and he could use his iPhone to record what's going on. Yes, Windows Live messenger failed, but the technology is there, and its good. I applaud M$ for that. But they want a better chat program that already has millions of users worldwide.

This would actually mean that Skype would keep its existing technology, but put it in more devices - they said Windows Phone, Xbox 360/Xbox Live, and others.

Imagine you're on the computer and you want to chat with your friend with your headset, while he's playing Gears of War on Xbox Live, he can pick up your call, and boom, you're talking. Windows Messenger gave you the opportunity to chat to an xboxlive user. I know because I tried it with the same friend I talked about.

More or less, Microsoft is trying to expand its integrated technologies.

What gets me is why they haven't tried buying AOL at all.
 
Sometimes I wonder how they come up with such a number... are they sitting around a table and pitching numbers??? ... 1 billion.. no 4 billion.... no 10 ... ok, let's agree on 8.5 billion...
 
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