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General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: Simulated on 01/02/2008 23:19:41

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Simulated on 01/02/2008 23:19:41

That's crazy. 44.6 or .8 i don't remember BILLION dollars.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: another_someone on 01/02/2008 23:58:08

I am guessing you are talking about their offer to buy Yahoo?

Unfortunately, it is the way of the IT business at the present.  There is ever less room for innovative companies to find their own niche, so the business is coalescing into ever fewer massive conglomerates.  Everybody is racing to be the biggest fish in the sea, lest someone else gets even bigger and gobbles them up.

Yahoo is just not big enough to survive on its own, so someone has to buy it up, and Microsoft is having difficulty in the search engine sector taking on Google, so it hopes that buying in talent from Yahoo will help it in that (and at least if it does not help Microsoft, it will be preventing any of its competitors from taking advantage of Yahoos market position and technical skills).

From what I read, it is $44.6bn, but that is a mix of cash and shares, and I don't know how much of that is actually cash.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Simulated on 02/02/2008 00:22:18

I think It's great!

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: another_someone on 02/02/2008 00:47:34

Quote from: Simulated on 02/02/2008 00:22:18

I think It's great!

Why do you think it is great?

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Simulated on 02/02/2008 01:03:01

Idk. I'm a 14 year old. I just think lots of things are great. I'd just like to see what happens if they say yes.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: JimBob on 02/02/2008 01:08:13

Microsoft is seeing so much of their business going to Google that they are getting desperate and making an offer that is really more than the company is probably worth. At least this is what the analysts on CNBC were saying today.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: another_someone on 02/02/2008 01:18:26

Quote from: Simulated on 02/02/2008 01:03:01

Idk. I'm a 14 year old. I just think lots of things are great. I'd just like to see what happens if they say yes.

That's a cop out - don't hide behind your youth [:)]

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Simulated on 02/02/2008 01:34:36

Oh well :)

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 02/02/2008 08:59:50

Google has become such a household name that other search engines hardly get a look in. It has even become a verb. We use it as such here. How many times have you seen replies here telling the poster to "Google it"? You don't hear people saying "Yahoo it".

In the free mail dept, Yahoo doesn't fare too well either; which is a shame as it is superior to MSN mail. But even in that department, Google comes out top (in my opinion).

As for MS buying Yahoo, hmmm.. My aversion to all things Microsoft makes me very dubious about it. From what I gather, MS is offering about 30% more than the estimated value of Yahoo. I doubt there are many companies in a position to buy Yahoo who would actually be interested in buying it. I doubt Google would want it, and who else but MS could afford it?

That makes me wonder why they have offered so much. What is their agenda? I don't trust Microsoft's motives in anything.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: another_someone on 02/02/2008 12:48:20

The question is not whether Google would want Yahoo (Google might well want Yahoo for exactly the same reason the MS want it - to reduce competition in a market with a shrinking number of players, and to make sure the other competitors did not get their hands on it); but I would think that Google would have even more serious anti-competition issues with gobbling up Yahoo than MS would, and it probably lacks the cash.

The only other 'white knight' I could imagine would be IBM, or maybe a telecoms company such as BT.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: JimBob on 02/02/2008 18:49:53

I must agree with the flat tailed one. I trust nothing Microsoft does. Just waiting for a GOOD virtual Windows XP machine on Linux.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 02/02/2008 20:19:46

Quote from: JimBob on 02/02/2008 18:49:53

Just waiting for a GOOD virtual Windows XP machine on Linux.

What on Earth for? (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fclueless%2F1.gif&hash=ba6e884e2ac18d739c0e89967c82862b)

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: neilep on 02/02/2008 20:45:08

Do you think Microsoft would be interested in my belly button fluff collection ?

They can have it for half of their offer to purchase Yahoo....plus my belly button fluff has many uses.

If they do buy it off me...I'll make sure to let you all know.

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Karen W. on 02/02/2008 20:50:59

It could make some LUffly Stationary they could print their letterhead or their logo on.. and your belly button fluff would become part of an historical first!

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Simulated on 02/02/2008 20:54:43

Karen if they come togheter make one!

Title: What does everyone think of this Microsoft Offer!
Post by: Karen W. on 02/02/2008 20:56:41

Neily will have to make it.. LOL...its his belly button fluff!!