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Microsoft Eyeing AOL?
meriksen writes "This article on the CNN website suggests that Microsoft is looking to acquire AOL. What are the chances and do /. readers think this will ever happen?" The NY Post story is slightly more informative.
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Besides having to sell over Netscape (I think I have $10 here...) wouldn't there be a problem with Microsoft's existing deals with Comcast?
Well, when they deny like that, what additional proof does anyone need that this is pretty much a done deal?
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
AOL is an albatross... Steve Case has been managing an incredibly corrupt firm.
In addition, I think that a merger of this type would have extreme trouble getting through the SEC. This has "monopoly suit" written all over it.
... hi bingo
That's because you only watch American television. Try getting some news from more internationally-based sources (like the BBC), and you will see just how biased the American media actually is.
It's not that they taint the truth they are reporting, but they just seem to leave out the other side of the story a little too often..
(1)Why would Microsoft, who has a failing ISP, want to buy AOL, who is a failing ISP? (2)AOL are in competition with Microsoft.
1) for millions AOL is the internet. and with millions of new subscibers, they direct HUGE traffic towards their sites. remember the smart tags in office. think AOL keywords. bingo.
2) and, you buy them. ain't like microsoft has never done this before.
remember, they are no longer, if they ever were, an innovation company. they have a US market share at which the only direction is down. their foreign share is tenuous at best with the rise of linux and gov't's, etc., becoming increasingly wary of microsoft. the biggest part fo their angst regarding linux is they can't buy it. they can't stop it. and they're not happy. aol just solidifes their hold on US market.
My problem? I was perfectly gruntled, until some numbnuts came by and dissed me.
Don't forget AIM and ICQ. With this deal MS would control all 3 client bases. The move to interoperability could be nice, but at the same time yahoo and whoever else are left out in the cold, and this provides a HUGE userbase for MS in the instant messageing arena.
I suspect the biggest benefit for Microsoft buying AOL will be to compete against Google for search market share. Currently the market is split between Google, MSN and Yahoo. If MSN take AOL's share from Google they might be able to claim a majority of the search market when they launch their upcoming search engine.
However, there's a chance this will be another case of the European Union blocking a merger that American anti-trust law OKs?