Microsoft to Acquire Skype for $8.5 Billion

[AppleScruff1]

I don't know about Wiki's veracity from day to day, but your quote supports my comments.

Haven't heard anything about it in 14 years, either.

Oh, the patent agreement may have been the biggest dollar amount in the deal, actually. But I don't know.

How does my post support your comments? Apple lost almost every point in the lawsuit, and all of the major ones, they lost the appeal and the Supreme Court wouldn't hear the case. There's more information out there than Wiki.

I merely brought it up as a point to all the anti Microsoft crowd to show that Microsoft wasn't all bad for Apple. Remember that Gates said at the time that he didn't want Apple to go under. He always speaks respectfully of Apple and Jobs. Too bad you can't say the same about Steve.

Let's not freak out, guys. In five to ten years, Microsoft will go bankrupt and Google will buy them.

Hey, you never know.

Well, that's it for Skype. What we can say is it was good while it lasted. I'm sure in a few months from today everything about Skype will have a price$$$

And if Apple bought it would be free.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-gb) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/8C148)



Really?

And what did Microsoft get in exchange?

If you read my next post after the one you quoted, you would see.

 

[TheSideshow]

Great, Microsoft officially bought Skype, that means you'll need a Windows Live ID to install the MS Skype download manager to install on your computer that will let you download and install MS Skype, in which it will also install MS Messenger, MS Messenger Helper, Bing Toolbar and who knows what other garbage.

Oh, and don't forget the "Windows Genuine Advantage" checks!

I think Apple is much worse at installing junk you dont want on your computer.


iTunes+Quicktime+Bonjour+iTunesHelper+Safari+Apple Software Updater

Anything else that comes with iTunes?

Also instead of a free Live ID they want an Apple ID + Credit Card

 

[AppleScruff1]

I think Apple is much worse at installing junk you dont want on your computer.


iTunes+Quicktime+Bonjour+iTunesHelper+Safari+Apple Software Updater

Anything else that comes with iTunes?

But you're forgetting that it's ok because Apple is doing it and they know what is best for you. All the Apple weenies are just afraid because it's Microsoft.

 

[LagunaSol]

Thankfully, Windows 7 has solved everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p_q9sh95pw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vUqiIzifko

Shhh, BSOD in Windows 7 is a myth. A MYTH!!!

*blithely takes another swig of Microsoft swill*

 

[MacNewsFix]

*blithely takes another swig of Microsoft swill*

Be careful! That stuff will kill you. Or at least your productivity level.

 

[MattInOz]

Maybe there's to be some Nokia/Microsoft/Skype epic...

Add LTE coming on line (sometime) so the main connection to the phone is just a big IP pipe with the voice mobile connection being relegated to back up service. embeded sim phones will just move themselves automatically to the cheapest or fattest pipe to suit your needs, mobile "phones" will follow landlines are just a conduit for pure data.

Then your @hotmail or similar address becomes your primary phone/contact number. I'm sure Microsoft and Apple and the phone companies realize there will be no "number porting" when your contact is tied to an email address. Full and complete vendor lock in.

Well at least they hope that's the case.

 

[Loudwater]

No wonder the new interface from last Skype's update is so ugly...

 

[Dr McKay]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)



thankfully I am not an XBox360Live blah,blah,blah drone...Microsoft loves the fact that adults and their drooling offspring are content to play mindless games, watch mindless movies, and now make mindless phone calls all within the comfort of your couch-within reach of fattening snacks and sugary pop and energy drinks. sink lower into your furniture and deeper into diabetes compliments of the MSFT mindcontrolbox. Thank goodness me and love to be outside riding bikes (stay fixed!)-wow, that was genuinely cathartic!

Maybe they will rebrand the zune and bring it back with a skype focus?

LOL

This makes so little sense, that I dont even know where to begin, why would they bring out a line of discontinued hardware, just to add a Skype App, when they already have a very good one on Windows Phone 7.

Maybe Apple will rebrand the Xserve with a Facetime focus?

LOL

To stop the lawsuit.

M$ lovers always forget that part. M$ bought off Apple to get them to stop suing over Windows. The financial trouble is what made the sum so paltry. What would it have been if this took place in 2007?

Did you also forget that Apple lost that lawsuit?

Badly.

Sky Genuine Advantage Notice:

You must activate the Skype Premier Home and Student Edition XP within the next 17 minutes and 42 seconds, otherwise the outgoing call function will be limited.

To activate your copy of Sky Premier Home and Student Edition XP, please find the 25 digits product key at the back of the CD case. Thank you for using the Skype Genuine Advantage service.

Why are you guys so staunchly against the Product Activation? It takes all of 15 seconds to type in during the installation of Windows?

I had to have my iPhone activated, and that took 10 minutes. Heck, when I first bought my iPhone 2G when it first launched, it took almost 2 days. Not such an improvement. I guess you get in a rage when you buy a new game or software suite like photoshop and have to type in a validation code?

As Windows is the most pirated OS out there, they need measures to reduce the %. Taking 15 seconds to type a validation code if you genuinely bought the software is nothing.

lol agreed.... plus with microsoft you can expect adverts now appearing...

As opposed to iAds if Apple had bought them?

 

[pdjudd]

Did you also forget that Apple lost that lawsuit?

Badly.

If you are referring to the Microsoft suit, they actually settled - I don’t believe that any judgment was ever made.

 

[Dr McKay]

If you are referring to the Microsoft suit, they actually settled - I don’t believe that any judgment was ever made.

The court ruled that, "Apple cannot get patent-like protection for the idea of a graphical user interface, or the idea of a desktop metaphor [under copyright law]..."

Apple lost all claims in the Microsoft suit except for the ruling that the trash can icon and file folder icons from Hewlett-Packard's NewWave windows application were infringing. The lawsuit was filed in 1988 and lasted four years; the decision was affirmed on appeal in 1994, and Apple's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied.

 

[pdjudd]

The court ruled that, "Apple cannot get patent-like protection for the idea of a graphical user interface, or the idea of a desktop metaphor [under copyright law]..."

Apple lost all claims in the Microsoft suit except for the ruling that the trash can icon and file folder icons from Hewlett-Packard's NewWave windows application were infringing. The lawsuit was filed in 1988 and lasted four years; the decision was affirmed on appeal in 1994, and Apple's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was denied.

Sorry I was thinking of another lawsuit there - not the "look and feel" lawsuit.

 

[Dr McKay]

Sorry I was thinking of another lawsuit there - not the "look and feel" lawsuit.

Have I thought of completely the wrong lawsuit here lol?

 

[AppleScruff1]

Have I thought of completely the wrong lawsuit here lol?

You're quoting the same one I posted earlier. That was the one with the $150 million stock purchase.

 

[Minimoose 360]

Holy ****. Who cares, nobody I know even uses Skype

 

[AppleScruff1]

Holy ****. Who cares, nobody I know even uses Skype

Image

Do you know any iPhone users?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Holy ****. Who cares, nobody I know even uses Skype

Image

because no one you know uses sky does not mean there are not tons of skype users. I use it every now and then and it is a great tool for video chatting. Hell normally with my friends I use it will it will get minimized and I will just talk with them as I work on something else. We have had several of us working on our own projects just chatting away.

 

[Glideslope]

I think Apple is much worse at installing junk you dont want on your computer.


iTunes+Quicktime+Bonjour+iTunesHelper+Safari+Apple Software Updater

Anything else that comes with iTunes?

Also instead of a free Live ID they want an Apple ID + Credit Card

LOL, dude, what are you smoking?

 

[ModerateFKR]

On the very day Apple is announced as the most valuable brand on the planet, Ballmer has to spend $8.5 billion... on a BRAND!

Okay, there's some IP and a user list - that definitely decreased somewhat when this announcement was made, but don't they already have an VOIP service?

The lengths some people will go to - just to prove a point. What point? That they can afford to spend much more than Skype is worth just to stop Google etc from getting them.

There will be a signature here soon. It will explain what a ModerateFKR is...

 

[chrono1081]

I think Apple is much worse at installing junk you dont want on your computer.


iTunes+Quicktime+Bonjour+iTunesHelper+Safari+Apple Software Updater

Anything else that comes with iTunes?

Also instead of a free Live ID they want an Apple ID + Credit Card

An Apple ID isn't the same thing as a Live ID, not even close. Live ID's are completely unnecessary and pop up in the most random of places and don't often work with old hotmail IDs like they were supposed to.

Not to mention iTunes doesn't install that stuff when you are on a Mac, yes, it does it for windows but you can easily uncheck it. As for MS Software, it installs all that garbage even though its on its own operating system which is ridiculous.

But you're forgetting that it's ok because Apple is doing it and they know what is best for you. All the Apple weenies are just afraid because it's Microsoft.

Why do people say such dumb things? Not one person thinks this way and its simply the same BS that pops up on the engadget forums.

The problem here is MS screws up its own software with its own software. I can' tell you how many times some random feature in Excel doesnt work and I have to go into the About menu of all places and re-enable some random thing that MS Messenger does that Excel disabled. It's a daily occurrence at work.

Not to mention with most MS software (and Adobe lately) I have to download a download and install manager. Why is that step even there? Just let users download the file and open it.

 

[AppleScruff1]

An Apple ID isn't the same thing as a Live ID, not even close. Live ID's are completely unnecessary and pop up in the most random of places and don't often work with old hotmail IDs like they were supposed to.

Not to mention iTunes doesn't install that stuff when you are on a Mac, yes, it does it for windows but you can easily uncheck it. As for MS Software, it installs all that garbage even though its on its own operating system which is ridiculous.



Why do people say such dumb things? Not one person thinks this way and its simply the same BS that pops up on the engadget forums.

The problem here is MS screws up its own software with its own software. I can' tell you how many times some random feature in Excel doesnt work and I have to go into the About menu of all places and re-enable some random thing that MS Messenger does that Excel disabled. It's a daily occurrence at work.

Not to mention with most MS software (and Adobe lately) I have to download a download and install manager. Why is that step even there? Just let users download the file and open it.

Here are other views of the Skype purchase:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4296705.../t/microsoft-lands-skype-investors-skeptical/

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/05/10/microsoft.skype.users/index.html?hpt=C1

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...14854222820260.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

Why are all the hard core Apple fanatics in such an uproar? Since they are all so positive that Microsoft just wasted $8.5 billion, they should be ecstatic. They can high five each other since this helps Apple. They are afraid of Microsoft, that's all. And if this was Apple buying Skype Uncle Steve would be a genius. Maybe you can all celebrate if it turns out to be a flop, who knows, it might be a disaster. Time will tell.

Why use Microsoft products since they are so bad? Stick with Apple then.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Personally, I say good riddance. Skype has poor video chat quality and is lacking features that other chat apps have. Too bad Apple made Facetime a paid app, or they could take this opportunity to capture the inevitable fallout when Microsoft screws up Skype and everyone looks for a better solution. Instead people will just look elsewhere for one of the many other free solutions.

Until Apple makes Facetime multi-platform, it's just a toy. While iOS has a relatively large user base relative to smart phones, the Mac is a drop in the ocean compared to Windows based PCs. Apple won't support Linux for absolutely anything (Safari, iTunes). Skype is available for many platforms, both desktop and mobile and mobile smart phone and thus the user base is closer to a billion+, not a mere 30-60 million. I've used Skype on my iPod Touch to talk to family members that have Windows7. I haven't been able to use Facetime with ANYONE yet because everyone I know either has an older iPhone (e.g. 3GS) that doesn't have a forward facing camera or uses Windows and/or some other brand of smart phone. Plus you have to pay to get Facetime for the Mac (older Macs need not apply either). Skype (up until the most recent revision) even works on my PowerMac (PPC) Mac.

What it comes down to is Apple is about selling more hardware every year and uses software to prop up hardware sales while companies like Skype (and Microsoft) are about selling software to as many people as possible. The former is good for making corporate profits, but isn't doing anyone else any favors. Businesses aren't going to use Facetime. Apple has little interest in businesses anyway. Microsoft knows where its bread is buttered (business and platform gaming) and Skype can help them with both. I wouldn't count on them pressing versions for every odd platform anymore, though. Microsoft has a disdain for Linux too just like Apple and you can be sure that if Microsoft decides cutting off other mobile platforms benefits them, they won't hesitate too much to do so (i.e. their own smart phone OS isn't doing too well).

 

[tmofee]

Until Apple makes Facetime multi-platform, it's just a toy. While iOS has a relatively large user base relative to smart phones, the Mac is a drop in the ocean compared to Windows based PCs. Apple won't support Linux for absolutely anything (Safari, iTunes). Skype is available for many platforms, both desktop and mobile and mobile smart phone and thus the user base is closer to a billion+, not a mere 30-60 million. I've used Skype on my iPod Touch to talk to family members that have Windows7. I haven't been able to use Facetime with ANYONE yet because everyone I know either has an older iPhone (e.g. 3GS) that doesn't have a forward facing camera or uses Windows and/or some other brand of smart phone. Plus you have to pay to get Facetime for the Mac (older Macs need not apply either). Skype (up until the most recent revision) even works on my PowerMac (PPC) Mac.

What it comes down to is Apple is about selling more hardware every year and uses software to prop up hardware sales while companies like Skype (and Microsoft) are about selling software to as many people as possible. The former is good for making corporate profits, but isn't doing anyone else any favors. Businesses aren't going to use Facetime. Apple has little interest in businesses anyway. Microsoft knows where its bread is buttered (business and platform gaming) and Skype can help them with both. I wouldn't count on them pressing versions for every odd platform anymore, though. Microsoft has a disdain for Linux too just like Apple and you can be sure that if Microsoft decides cutting off other mobile platforms benefits them, they won't hesitate too much to do so (i.e. their own smart phone OS isn't doing too well).

That's it. Someone speaks some sense. Thank you!

 

[DocNYz]

Holy ****. Who cares, nobody I know even uses Skype

Image

Clearly you don't know anyone outside the US or that uses an iPod Touch for calls.

 

[DocNYz]

An Apple ID isn't the same thing as a Live ID, not even close. Live ID's are completely unnecessary and pop up in the most random of places and don't often work with old hotmail IDs like they were supposed to.

Not to mention iTunes doesn't install that stuff when you are on a Mac, yes, it does it for windows but you can easily uncheck it. As for MS Software, it installs all that garbage even though its on its own operating system which is ridiculous.



Why do people say such dumb things? Not one person thinks this way and its simply the same BS that pops up on the engadget forums.

The problem here is MS screws up its own software with its own software. I can' tell you how many times some random feature in Excel doesnt work and I have to go into the About menu of all places and re-enable some random thing that MS Messenger does that Excel disabled. It's a daily occurrence at work.

Not to mention with most MS software (and Adobe lately) I have to download a download and install manager. Why is that step even there? Just let users download the file and open it.

Seriously. Apple updates make things work better, Windows updates stop things from working. I have over 12 computers, windows is on 4 of them (all different versions) and their redundancy and inefficiency is astonishing. It took me an hour to set up Snow Leopard Server on one machine and 4 days to get WHS working on a PC it didn't come pre installed in. I had to download more than 5 drivers just to connect to the hard-wired network and any time I allowed windows a "mandatory" update, the server went offline and I couldn't even access it remotely and had to go directly in to it with a monitor, keyboard, mouse, etc which is not how a designated server is supposed to function. If you think "solving problems" when you're using your computer is fun go ahead and use windows, if you want your computer to work so you can use it to get things done while you or your IT department lives in whatever decade XP came out in, don't complain about OS X.

 

[ModerateFKR]

Why are all the hard core Apple fanatics in such an uproar? Since they are all so positive that Microsoft just wasted $8.5 billion, they should be ecstatic. They can high five each other since this helps Apple. They are afraid of Microsoft, that's all. And if this was Apple buying Skype Uncle Steve would be a genius. Maybe you can all celebrate if it turns out to be a flop, who knows, it might be a disaster. Time will tell.

Why use Microsoft products since they are so bad? Stick with Apple then.

You're missing the point. We're not afraid of MS in the way one might be afraid of a scary dog, we're afraid in the way one would be of a rabid dog. A scary dog might bight you. But a rabid dog could kill a lot of people.

Microsoft has within its DNA a destructive gene. It has a history of destroying companies. There are very few partnerships with smaller companies, from which a smaller company has done well. There are many were smaller companies have been utterly ruined.

Skype is and always was a clever idea. Selling to ebay was a disaster. ebay is not even in the right sector and has no interests or intentions in that direction. What followed was a worse disaster beyond ether the founders' or any potentially present VC presence.

But they began life in 2003 as a Luxembourg company with 44% of its employees situated in Estonia. Now, I'm sure the people of Luxembourg are very nice and I've got nothing against Estonia or Estonians. I'm equally sure there were decent commercial reasons for the location and the staff displacement. But did anyone really ever think Skype was actually going anywhere? It's only ever lost money - forever.

Eight years is long enough to find a money maker and do an IPO. But that never happened. So now the Lame Duck Vacuum Cleaner of Olde Redmond Town has Hoovered them up. And there they sit - with Yahoo and Facebook and Nokia.

What have all these companies got in common? They're either dead, dying or have a poisonous heart.