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Microsoft Planning to Buy Open Source Companies?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the dabbling-in-everything dept.

mjasay writes "At the Web 2.0 Summit, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer admitted that Microsoft 'will do some buying of companies that are built around open-source products,' suggesting that to avoid open-source companies would 'take us out of the acquisition market quite dramatically.' Ballmer has apparently come a long way since dubbing Linux a 'cancer.' The real question, however, is which open-source companies make sense within the Microsoft product portfolio, both from a technology and philosophy perspective. Novell? 37Signals? Jive? SugarCRM? And, equally importantly, which companies could look their communities in the eye after selling to Microsoft?"

7 of 276 comments (clear)

  1. Through Money tinted glasses by brewstate · · Score: 4, Funny

    "which companies could look their communities in the eye after selling to Microsoft?" ALL OF THEM.

    1. Re:Through Money tinted glasses by rootofevil · · Score: 3, Funny


      Microsoft could easily buy the two largest open-source companies on the planet without denting their reserves. If Microsoft ever suspects Linux is a significant threat, they'll just buy out the largest players. Let's face it... that's how #1^H^Hmonopolies companies remain #1^H^Hmonopolies.

      FTFY.

      --
      turn up the jukebox and tell me a lie
  2. Well.. by Reece400 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sounds familier to me... http://imdb.com/title/tt0218817/

  3. Re:Evolution of strategy by laejoh · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Microsoft" est-elle une firme française?

  4. Re:Be realistic.. by TubeSteak · · Score: 3, Funny

    Methinks the founders will be too busy cruising around on their shiny new megayachts to worry about such things.. and why not? And why not?
    Because everyone knows that submarines are the new megayacht.
    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
  5. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  6. Clippy by dintech · · Score: 3, Funny

    It looks like you're planning an acquisition...

    Would you like help?

    * Crush the life and soul out of the idea and shelve it.
    * Use your new acquisition's IP to bludgeon the competition.
    * Add bloatware to Vista.