Microsoft Eyeing AOL?

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Posted by ryuzaki0 on Friday March 19, 2004 @05:35AM from the come-here-sweetie-and-give-daddy-a-kiss dept.

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.

22 of 449 comments (clear)

Those who can, do. Those who can't, buy. by ackthpt · 2004-03-19 05:35 · Score: 5, Insightful

According to the report, Time Warner lawyers have also been analyzing possible antitrust issues from such a deal

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?
The Post quoted Time Warner spokesman Ed Adler as saying "such speculation is silly and pointless." Microsoft declined to comment on the matter, the report said.

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 a Dog? by dolo666 · 2004-03-19 05:35 · Score: 5, Interesting

Microsoft eyeing AOL? Sounds like they would make strange bedpartners for a few reasons I can think of; The Microsoft Butterfly seems to market directly to the AOL mentality, which many of you know to be among those who use "The Internet" to find out things, download music and chat ("The Internet" being the AOL homepage!)...

While I may think AOL is too big for Microsoft to acquire and manage properly, that's just my opinion and it's likely incorrect, as Bill Gates is an iron leader of a huge corporate empire, with the Midas touch, and elite backing that gives anyone with that much money a guarantee of acquiring even more. What is more interesting than all the market'spaek, is that Time/Warner wants to dump AOL... and for this I am not surprised, while the article is more along the lines of Microsoft wanting to get their greedy hands on AOL, any objective observation would lead one to ponder if AOL is having trouble, or projected trouble? Whenever I have ever sold a car, it wasn't because I wanted some schmo from the public to get my super amazing car and benefit from it; it was because the car was old and I didn't want it anymore. :-)
1. Re:AOL a Dog? by EnderWiggnz · 2004-03-19 05:38 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  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 ...
2. Re:AOL a Dog? by mattkinabrewmindspri · 2004-03-19 05:47 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  What would happen when the new version of Windows would only set up an internet connection through an approved MS/AOL online service?
  Mass suicides?
  
  --
  Albuquerque PC
3. Re:AOL a Dog? by somethinghollow · 2004-03-19 05:48 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  I think the real question is: Why would Microsoft, who has a failing ISP, want to buy AOL, who is a failing ISP? AOL are in competition with Microsoft. It seems like their business strategy could incorporate buying all the competition and dissolving them. While ignorant AOL users don't realize it, Microsoft is offering a better service (e.g. the REAL Internet). In short, I don't think Microsoft can learn anything from AOL.
  
  Despite the fact that AOL/Netscape has fired most (if not all?) of the Mozilla developers, I'm sure (assuming Netscape was part of the aquisition) Microsoft would jump and the slap-in-the-face it could give the OSS community at large.
  
  And AOL owns Nullsoft. Assuming that is part of the Aquisition, it would be another interesting sping.
  
  I'm sure the list could go on if I got bored. But it's all based on assumptions about what Microsoft would get with the purchase.
4. Re:AOL a Dog? by b17bmbr · 2004-03-19 05:58 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  (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.
5. Re:AOL a Dog? by Cheeko · 2004-03-19 06:23 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  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.
6. Re:AOL a Dog? by BlueWonder · 2004-03-19 06:53 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I think the real question is: Why would Microsoft, who has a failing ISP, want to buy AOL, who is a failing ISP?
  
  I think they want to extend their monopoly to the market of failing ISPs...
You've Got Patch!!! by Vexler · 2004-03-19 05:36 · Score: 5, Funny

'Nuff said.
MS+AOL=love? by jester42 · 2004-03-19 05:38 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh what a great couple that would make. I always knew there was something strange about this spring time...
On the other hand, this might also have its advantages. We wouldn't have to be anti MS AND anti AOL anymore because it would be just one thing or one enemy less.
Great by lordmoose · 2004-03-19 05:38 · Score: 5, Funny

Now I'll get viruses on a disc through the mail.
Where's the content? by LostCluster · 2004-03-19 05:41 · Score: 5, Interesting

One of AOL's greatest strengths at the moment is the fact that it has easy access to the TV, movie, music, and magazine content empire that is Time Warner. Microsoft just doesn't have as large of a content machine.

This is important because AOL's not really just an ISP anymore. Many people who have a fully functional ISP connection are still paying AOL just for it's boatload of exclusive content. AOL without the Time Warner content base would look something like MSN, and just not have as many members as it has now.

Any MS-AOL would need to license more content than it would have in house. AOL's worth more inside a media company than it is inside Microsoft, I can't see how this deal makes sense.
Bling... by warpSpeed · 2004-03-19 05:41 · Score: 5, Funny

"You've got screwed"
Talking about it for years... by nyc_paladin · 2004-03-19 05:44 · Score: 5, Interesting

I've done business with AOL for the past few years. Everytime I visit the AOL campus there is always talks of micro$oft buying them out. There were even talking about it when they merged with Time Warner. Stating that TW would spin off AOL for auction. Nothing really has changed much over the past few months to really push this deal through anytime soon.

--
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. --Edmund Burke
Great Idea!! by bfg9000 · 2004-03-19 05:48 · Score: 5, Funny

Let's just consolidate evil in one spot.

Bill G pretty much already owns SCO -- if MS and AOL merge, Slashdot will just need one "It's Evil. Laugh" icon for all three.

Hmm.... then we can put Apple, Java, and BSD under one "Yup, It's STILL dying" icon.

--
I'm not normally an irrational zealous dickhead, but I figure "When in Rome..."
Re:Those who can, do. Those who can't, buy. by pilgrim23 · 2004-03-19 05:48 · Score: 5, Funny

I note the EU had a disagreement with Microsoft. Does this mean an eventual purchase of Europe by the Redmond Conglomerate? So when is Bill Gates getting his reserved seat on the UN Security Council?

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- Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum.
Re:No chance. by leerpm · 2004-03-19 05:51 · Score: 5, Insightful

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..
cliche in action by ccnull · 2004-03-19 05:54 · Score: 5, Funny

If it happens, we'll be able to find out once and for all if two wrongs really do make a right.

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filmcritic.com - Movie reviews on Internet time
The FTC will never allow it.... by ConceptJunkie · 2004-03-19 05:57 · Score: 5, Funny

...because of anti-trust reasons. It would be a monopoly on "sucks".

--
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
Why? by RGautier · 2004-03-19 06:03 · Score: 5, Funny

Why would the Borg want to buy The Teletubbies?
Re:AOL and "the real internet" by Short+Circuit · 2004-03-19 06:36 · Score: 5, Funny

*sniff*

I'm going to miss those free coasters and DVD cases.

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Real benefit will be search market by WampagingWabbits · 2004-03-19 06:49 · Score: 5, Insightful

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?