Another Good Thing Gone -- Microsoft Is Buying Skype

[imjjss 0]

Sad story-

Microsoft is reported to announce a deal to buy Skype as it battles to stay relevant online world dominated by Google and Apple.

According to Technology website All Things Digital, an unnamed sources saying Microsoft would reveal the acquisition early Tuesday.

The deal was estimated to have a price tag of dollar 8.5 billion, that would be Microsoft's most expensive acquisition to date.

I won't be suprised if Skype will be no longer freely available if MS checks in. If Bill feels generate, it might be still free, but surely user's privacy gone.

[mahesh2k 0]

I don't think they'll drop freemium model of skype. Because if they do that then other companies will rise above it and will make skype history. Current freemium model seems to be working for skype and other messaging companies. Microsoft purchased it only because they wish to make more money the ads which can be geotargeted on skype window. Also dealing with government is easy for microsoft. I don't think this deal has any negative effect, unless ofcourse microsoft drops freemium model. Another thing, billl gates is no more operating as employee or in board of directors at microsoft. He gave resignation so it has nothing to do with him now. So let's cut out the negativity. Do you see MS's involvement in Yahoo made any negative issues ? Well, they wanted to break delicious but as it proved to be revenue source, they stopped it from going down. So in my opinion it's not as bad as people portray about microsoft. Afterall it's just another business and wants to survive by making decisions that makes money.

[gerrard13100 0]

Microsoft have always been very successful and they wouldn't buy Skype without planning it first, So I think microsoft have a plan and lets hope their plan is successful and wont lose their customers.My hopes are for Skype to remain as it is, but if Microsoft buys them and makes Skype better then I will really like microsoft lol.

[mahesh2k 0]

We need to know few things here about microsoft and skype. First of all there is no alternative for skype when it comes image and video processing. The software is simply superior and there is no open source alternative of this software. There is no paid alternative of this software as well. Though some commercial software do offer similar service but in short there is no alternative for it. Microsoft is taking advantage of this facility and wants to use this service for their messenger. You know windows live messenger ? that messenger is being used by users from around the world. It is still as easy to use like yahoo messenger. In case of skype and microsoft merger. I think skype will be integrated by their software and they will use it on more of their softwares. Besides that linux and mac versions are likely to be there. But i guess they will revise their charging plans to recover their cost of operation of skype. I don't know how cheap or expensive skype will be in future. But microsoft is responding to middle-class market which is actively buying services on internet. So you should think about that as well.

[manuleka 0]

We need to know few things here about microsoft and skype. First of all there is no alternative for skype when it comes image and video processing. The software is simply superior and there is no open source alternative of this software. There is no paid alternative of this software as well. Though some commercial software do offer similar service but in short there is no alternative for it.

i thought there's quite a few alternatives to skype, just not as popular... i thought skype is dominant due to it's readily established number of clients (or users)...

there's Gtalk, Jajah, VBuzzer to name a few...

but i hope Microsofts intentions for Microsoft-Skype will be a success in all platforms

[Xamire 0]

Sad story-

Microsoft is reported to announce a deal to buy Skype as it battles to stay relevant online world dominated by Google and Apple.

According to Technology website All Things Digital, an unnamed sources saying Microsoft would reveal the acquisition early Tuesday.

The deal was estimated to have a price tag of dollar 8.5 billion, that would be Microsoft's most expensive acquisition to date.

I won't be suprised if Skype will be no longer freely available if MS checks in. If Bill feels generate, it might be still free, but surely user's privacy gone.

I think Microsoft is finally getting their-selves in gear, and you can see that with windows 7. I, personally never used skype, because there's already several
other systems that do the same exact thing. It would be nice to finally have something built into windows for all this, now normal, technology. They're probably
not going to just leave skype how it is, but instead upgrade the system, and integrate it into windows from now on. I really don't think they will infringe too much
on privacy.. as they generally ask your permission (they have to by law) before doing anything like that. You can simply opt out, if you want. What they do send, without
your permission, is what parts are inside your computer. They need this though, so they can put their operating systems together faster, and better, and have less problems.

Overall, I'd have to say this is a step forward for Microsoft, and skype is not going to die, or be a paid service. I honestly doubt that they will ask for money period, since they can simply
put a small ad on the program, that will pay for it ten-fold.

[manuleka 0]

Overall, I'd have to say this is a step forward for Microsoft, and skype is not going to die, or be a paid service. I honestly doubt that they will ask for money period, since they can simplyput a small ad on the program, that will pay for it ten-fold.

now that Microsoft has accrued Skype, now we'll wait and see how the results of this...

i've always wondered why gtalk and google voice (although it's still less than 5 years old) were still not as popular as skype even though google's gmail is one of the most popular email service in the world!

[mahesh2k 0]

I can see that they're making changes to their network and installations. Most of the time skype is broken and is not usable. their forum says it is problem in their network which appears regularly and with IPV6 this will be resolved soon. I have seen some members claiming brazil and uk not accessible at all. I'm sure it is not yet resolved for sure and they'll take more than 1 week or so to fix that. One more thing is that as i said earlier they're going to announce .NET integration or messenger integration of the skype services. they'll also flash ads of skype across their network. So i guess this is the way they're working hard on new company to sustain. I don't know why skype got sold and what was the reason to get sold to microsoft. Anyway, new blog of skype is updated and you can see most of the blog post are related to support. If you're having issues with skype then check. Heartbeat.skype.com for more information on network health of skype.

[manuleka 0]

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

i always thought skype tend to have issues regularly... well for the little time i've used skype a few years back i always end up with hungup calls and audio issues... unstable connections! but then it could be todo with my network although i was on broadband already so don't seem to see why it did that...

anyways microsoft hasn't acquired Skype yet.. but seems like the Microsoft effect has started already lol...

[mahesh2k 0]

I don't think we have to blame them for downtime. I mean isn't that necessary ? once you acquire the company then chances are there that you integrate the new company with your products. Almost every company is doing that these days and i'm sure microsoft did no different for that. Take case of google and apple, even they ruined some of the good analytics and blogging platform and integrated with their own products. I have seen blogger under downtime more than any other site. I know that google has more fanbois to defend than microsoft but we're un-necessarily blaming it as if it's crime. It's not. I'm just thinking about people who bought subscription of skype. I guess these guys are going to suffer a lot. They lost few money and time in their business for sure. I mean guys who do podcasting or conference are likely to be affected more. Hope their phone or other service are doing good.

[manuleka 0]

just read this article: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386595,00.asp

all the bill-gate haters will start pointing fingers at Microsoft

[mahesh2k 0]

I don't think there was any valid discussion on that article. Instead it was more of rant against microsoft. I know for one that when writers can't make any valid point then they dug something from the past to accuse any company. I wonder why they don't call apple deceptive company ? Besides many of their actions are purely ridiculous and hardly ever make sense. Apple ruined many good products as well and they started flame war against adobe.Current state of Skype could be because of the staff layoff and other stuff. Most of the developers are likely to be in the team. But i guess they're cutting costs by laying off the staff and channelizing the staff in their department. So that could be one reason behind their slow progress. Not going to blame microsoft for this because skype had such downtimes regularly if we open old blog posts.

[Quatrux 4]

Well, I think Microsoft has plans with Skype, especially on smartphones and etc.But as it was said, if it will crash a lot, won't work as good as it does now or alternatives, if it will be not a free service, people will find other alternatives, even though Skype seems to be like Facebook, it has millions of users, even though other chat and video calling services are out there, there are plenty of social networks too, but with less number of users...It's a pain, when Skype does not work for a day I usually am connected with my colleagues with Skype at work, who sit in a different office.

[gudence 0]

I think that MS won't repat the mistakes from previous years and will make Skype even better coz there is lot's of money in it. The PC telephony is the future!