Skype news - Oh dear !

Question

Microsoft has confirmed that it has agreed to buy internet phone service Skype.

The deal will see Microsoft pay $8.5bn (£5.2bn) for Skype, making it Microsoft's largest acquisition.

Luxembourg-based Skype has 663 million global users. In August last year it announced plans for a share flotation, but this was subsequently put on hold.

Qué pena!

Maybe the most stable and useful site on the internet is now going to be "Microsofted" !

I can´t wait for Skype Vista then 7and 8 and 9 etc. Oh, I forgot Skype Olympic 2012 next year of course.

I just had to add this comment from an "expert" (not me)

The hitch:

Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer will have to work hard to integrate Skype, to ensure the voice/video-over-the-internet company is not strangled by his firm's notorious bureaucracy.

God help us.

They got us addicted to the product and now they can charge any amount and we'll pay it! - --Mariana--, May 10, 2011

I'd much rather suffer withdrawal than give any of my money to a Microsoft-owned program. - Azabache, May 10, 2011

I think Microsoft have learned their lesson about charging people for software, google will just come along and offer i for free. I just hope this doesn't mean they stop letting us download Mac and Linux versions! - rabbitwho, May 10, 2011

omgwtflmao! ;-P - DJ_Huero, May 10, 2011

Skype was great while it lasted! - 005faa61, May 10, 2011

Answer 1

Maybe it will ship free with Windows, and won't run on anything but the latest, Activated version of Windows. And you won't be able to uninstall it.

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Ah, yes, I have so much trash that I cannot get rid of, and none of it works, either. sigh. - Lector_Constante, May 10, 2011

Nice way to work Edvard Munch into this! :-) - cristalino, May 10, 2011

Hope you don't mind the modification pesta. - ian-hill, May 10, 2011

Thanks, Ian - just what I was thinking... :) - pesta, May 10, 2011

Answer 2

I guess we won't get Skype for free any more now.

I wonder why the largest computer software suppliers produce the least functional products.

The new American business strategy for large companies is to buy their competitors (i.e. "if you can't beat them, buy them"). After that, they will retire the product or place it within a product of their own. Most of these strategies are successful, but leave the consumer with less than they had in the beginning.

Many of us can remember Digital Equipment Corporation with the VAX operating system that was actually functional, or the CPM operating system of the early '80s. Others might recall PeopleSoft which was merged into an Oracle product, or VAX RDB that was retired because it was reliable. Many may have other opinions, but we lost a great deal with each acquisition.

I'm glad I'm retired. Sorry for the rant, but this business strategy is deplorable.

DEC. Wow. Haven't thought about that in a long, long time. :-) - babs_irish, May 10, 2011

I used to program on DEC - a delightful system. - pesta, May 10, 2011

Of course, it was DEC's leader, Ken Olson, who famously once said, "I can't see why everyone would want their own computer" :) - pesta, May 10, 2011

And IBM's founder said the world market for big computers was about 5 Five ! - ian-hill, May 10, 2011

Answer 3

Noooooooooooooooo! They can't do that! I neeeeeeeeeed skype and I need a skype that works! Nooooooooooooooooooo! And I neeeeeeeeeeed it to be free, I'd spend soo much money otherwise. Waaaaaaaaaaaah!

Answer 4

You folks do know that Google offers internet phone service (I use an iGoogle page as my home page) and it will be free throughout this year.

I'm not so worried about now - I am worried about the future though. - ian-hill, May 10, 2011

Well, you must be young. 8-) - Lector_Constante, May 10, 2011

I wish ! - sometimes :) - ian-hill, May 11, 2011

Answer 5

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Nooooooooooooooooooo!!! I knew it was too good to last.

Answer 6

Wow, that's super news!.. I can't wait to meet Skype's version of "Clippy"

I'm not as pleased as Clippy. - pesta, May 10, 2011

That's Señor Sujetapapeles to you and me now! :) - cristalino, May 10, 2011

Answer 7

I really hope this doesn't happen... I enjoy Skyping very much; it's a great way for me to keep in touch with my friends and family...

I also enjoy a free Skype and a Skype that actually works. But if Microsoft takes over it, both will no longer be true.

Answer 8

Yeah, guess you could say for Microsoft, the "Sky"-pe is the limit... Dogwood probably hit the nail on the head... it will join the compressed air we used to get at no charge down at the service station....

That really is kind of messed up how they charge for air..I definitely remember that being free as a kid and watching my dad and brother service the car. - Charlius, May 10, 2011

I can remember when you could get compressed air for free - that was quite long ago. - pesta, May 10, 2011

Answer 9

I hope it doesn't change! i love skype.

Answer 10

That's it!

We'll do it!

Answer 11

I think they will intergrate with Windows Live Messenger which I use more.

Gosh, I think you're the only person I've ever heard of who uses the Windows messenger. I though Yahoo and AOL had a lock on messaging systems. - babs_irish, May 10, 2011

Answer 12

Wow Microsoft va a tener los TODO pronto ... De hecho, me gusta usar Skype! Lo utilicé el otro día para hablar con mi hermana en Nueva York