Microsoft in negotiations to buy Skype for $7-$8 *BILLION* USD

[Shagbark Hickory]

Yes, that's right, they want to buy a company that lost $7 million dollars last year and doesn't really have much of revenue stream for more than they ever paid for any other company.

Kinda makes you wonder why. I guess they're eager to make Skype suck.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576313932659388852.html

[Goblinmonger]

1. I'm sure they will do well at making it suck. n/t

[hobbit709]

2. Well now there's another reason not to use it.

[Dappleganger]

3. Oh crap...

now they will ruin it.

[onehandle]

4. Bill Gates' college roommate is destroying Microsoft.

And Google is benefiting from his stupidity and becoming the new Microsoft.

[emulatorloo]

11. I agree. At least Gates had some vision. Ballmer, not so much

[Politicalboi]

17. Is that Mel Brook's Frankenstein?

LOL!

[originalpckelly]

5. It's just like when NewsCorpse bought MySpace.

They didn't keep it in good competition with Facebook, they didn't deal with the whole crapping up your page with useless shit, and it died on the vine.

And now Microsoft has purchased fucking Skype, this is horrible. It could not be worse.

Facebook or Google should have bought the motherfuckers.

Facebook would do good now to develop it's own VoIP technology to replace Skype when Microsoft runs it into the ground.

[Shagbark Hickory]

6. Google already has it's own p2p chat/video/voice service.

It's called Talk
google.com/talk

[AlabamaLibrul]

19. And Google Voice for phones and phone numbers

I got a super-relevant phonetic phone number (had to get a New York area code, but it's worth it) that's coming in handy and dials straight through to my cell.

Talk is the one designed to be more like Skype, it took me a while to figure that out.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

21. I need to look into that... WAAAH FUCK.

Google Voice is not available in your country.
Thanks for visiting Google Voice. We're not yet open for users outside the US, but are planning to expand our service to additional countries in the future.

[Bryan Buchan]

7. Say it isn't so!

They will screw up a good thing...nooooo!

[SpiralHawk]

8. Republicon Family MicroScrew Values (R) will mess Skype up big time

Hasta la vista Skype...it's the Corporate Cesspool (R) for you...

[meegbear]

9. At least it's not Apple

[emulatorloo]

10. LOL. More likely MS is wanting to put out a "Me Too" version of Apple's iChat and Facetime

Balmer is a bit of a dud, they aren't really innovating as much in house as far as I can tell.

I am sure the iPad commercials with FaceTime are getting on his nerves.

iChat has been around for years on OS X. Under OS 9 there was a similar product in the Clinton era, I think it was called Apple Video Conferencing.

They were all developed in house at Apple. MS doesn't seem to be doing much innovation in-house these days.

[vroomvroom]

12. Recall that eBay bought this Revenue Stinker for $4.1 Billion way back

It has never turned a profit and my guess is eBay wanted to figure out a way to get its money it tossed out to the two founders some 5 years ago. Microsoft is the lucky sucker. So eBay makes a $3.9 billion profit on the sale

[MilesColtrane]

13. It all makes so much sense.

A perfectly sane decision from a shrewd, level-headed guy.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1274983729713522403#

[Shagbark Hickory]

14. +! Everyone should watch that video. HEY EVERYONE, watch ^^ this video ^^

[kick-ass-bob]

15. I love that he thought he was a rock star

and not some balding middle aged suit that no one likes.

[BREMPRO]

16. LMAO!! he's like Kevin from "The Office" doing the Dean scream lol!!!

AWKWARD!!!!

[Politicalboi]

18. So how does one cancel Skype?

They play games on their site, and you end up chasing yourself.

[jp11]

20. Oh well so much for ever using that again.