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Microsoft-Skype Deal Poised To Win EU Approval
Pigskin-Referee wrote in with a story about the EU's approval of Microsoft acquiring Skype. The article reads: "Microsoft's proposed $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype has earned the approval of the European Union, the Financial Times reported Thursday. The European Commissioner for Competition, Joaquin Almunia, is expected to rule that the acquisition won't harm competition or turn Skype into a Microsoft-exclusive platform. The decision ignores accusations that Microsoft is simply bundling services on Windows to drown out smaller competitors, as argued by Italian Skype rival Messagenet last week. Messagenet also urged the Commission to require Microsoft to unbundle Skype from its Windows Office Suite. The FT reports that Microsoft 'promised' the Commission it would keep Skype interoperable and supported on rival operating systems."
You don't think that microsoft is actually going to use the skype brand in office? No! They already have an IM/voice suite previously known as office communicator, now Lync. What microsoft is going to do is continue to produce Skype skinned IM clients for the masses (powered by Lync), while gutting the IP and integrating skype's P2P voice pathing (and other goodness) in its own products.
It their promise in writing? Or are those just empty words?
That Linux will not supported in the near future? The mac version will be there and that will be the coverage for their promise. But now I do not care at all. Google+ and Hanghout does have all the feature I need: share screen, multi-conference...
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." -dna
Developer: "Sir, I have fixed the issue that I could not manage to compile try-catch clausules on Linux". Interoperability is not something MS is good at: it works perfect on Windows, works ok on other systems. Sends us back to the era where Linux-users got sold cars with 3 wheels and the conversation with the salesman became sort of funny. As probably mentioned by others, the latest release of Skype isn't that stable and I have a clue the word "keep" in "keep interoperable" will be a nagging word in the future of Linux-releases.
More worried about MS screwing it up somehow, just like the cliche that every new manager needs to put his "mark" on his new team? I'm worried about paperclips asking me questions, pop up windows asking if I'm "sure you want to really write that IM?", do you "really trust your wife" calling you, and the blue phone of death.
(Did I miss any?)
Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
Not that I dislike the use of the ribbon in the Office productivity tools, but considering MS is bringing it into Windows 8, I wonder if they'll introduce it into Skype? Although one has to wonder, would the functionality / UI warrant the inclusion of it? Somehow, I don't think so.
... only engage the ones who believe them ...
Do the authorities know the difference? When Microsoft decides to discontinue skype, after it has completely been integrated into office of course, will this guy recognize it still exists?
Having to work for a living is the root of all evil.
It must suck to buy a car in Europe.
You have to buy the radio separately. The tires come separate too. They don't even come with seats ... you get to choose the seats from a catalog of producers.
Pretty soon you will have to buy all the car parts, engine, transmission, little nuts & bolts, from various suppliers and build it yourself.
Microsoft, the backdoor to innovation everywhere.
MS switched the Comissioner?
This one just believes is MS says it will do that or not do that. Or does not really believe but does not want to say no to MS, for some reason...
Why , with all the open source software, open standards and all the VOIP shit we got available there is no real competition for skype.
I think that the best idea will be to have voice calls as a service like POP, SMTP, HTTP, etc..So every ISP or company can have their own voice servicer under their domain just like they have their own mail server. And each finally replace the phone numbers with the email id.... and kill two birds with one shot... skype and the pay-by-minute telephony. ...about voice spam??? uhm.. captcha before making the call??
About "...turn Skype into a Microsoft-exclusive platform." I doubt about it, but with MS you never known. If you checked MS openess strategy, MS on software on premise has the same single-OS strategy. But on Cloud services, MS is allowing a lot of open source software to have more customer base potential running on their cloud. ...even that the message remains the same (Open Source software is good for MS if it runs on MS platform), for cloud services like Skype, I think they will prefer to have the variety of platforms only if they are attached to the MS "sucking money cloud".
You can come from this conclusion by watching this MS presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu-FrK2E1Nc
BOLGIAS 8 AND 9, Seattle, Tuesday (NTN) — Microsoft remains on the bleeding edge of innovation with its completely new-from-the-ground-up Windows Bing Voice Internet phone platform, formerly known as Skype.
Windows Bing Voice was developed entirely in-house at an acquisition cost of only $8.5 billion. “Our developer teams know the meaning of confidentiality,” said Steve Ballmer. “Heck, even they didn’t know it was Skype until today. That’s how, uh, stealth we are.”
The new Windows Bing Voice client will be included with Windows Phone 7, Office 365, Kin and Zune. “Microsoft will continue to invest in and support Skype clients on non-Microsoft platforms! On a case by case time and availability basis, of course. We’ll give our Mac Business Unit developer details for Windows Bing Voice 2011 Ultimate Edition by 2013, for sure.”
Service is expected to remain “at 100%” as the server infrastructure is moved from Linux to Windows, though Microsoft has not specified what that will be 100% of. The peer-to-peer functionality of Skype will also be harnessed to distribute Windows updates and Windows Genuine Advantage serial number blacklists.
Google said that the Google Voice servers were “holding up well” under the influx of new users.
http://rocknerd.co.uk
Why are all the comments about MS bundling/integrating Skype into office? That will never happen. Skype is oinly a useful service because it's ubiquitous: everyone and their. Grandmother (esp their grandmother) has Skype.
MS's competitors are Google and Apple. After many attempts at phones and tablets, Ms is loosing big to both Android and iOS. Skype will be leveraged as an alternative to Google Voice on tablets and Phones. Skype's existing market penetration on these platforms makes it attractive. Expect to see a MS Samsung or MS Verizon deal to bundle Skype on phones or as part of the existing service. MS won't pull Skype from Android or iPhones, though. That would shrink its userbase and lower its value. MS may try to use it to sell phones, but if they can get people using it for call completion and voice. Mail on Android and iPhone, they still win... just not quite as big.
How long will it be before Microsoft decides the Linux version isn't profitable and removes it entirely?
... and there goes any faint lingering hope of getting it onto the PS3 as well.
I wonder what they plan to do about Skype on the PSP (& successors)...
Microsoft 'promised' the Commission it would keep Skype interoperable and supported on rival operating systems.
"we did too keep our promise! there just isn't anything that rivals windows."
i await the Linux port that will never come.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
If there ever was a time to finally open up the FaceTime specifications like Steve promised us, it's now.
but you'll need both a unique/valid serial key for both MSwindows and an MSoffice to create a new MSN_Skype account. Then won't actually need to be using MSwindows as long as you've bought a licence.... "freedom" Microsoft style :)
Looks like some idiot mod forgot to take his meds again.
If you bundle more stuff in windows people scream antitrust, if you bundle less stuff the linux fanboys claim windows doesn't come with any software. Its quite a tight-rope dance for MS because of their past history.
How the hell is it anything like that? Did Windows not allow you to connect to mozilla/opera/google's website and download what you want? Why should microsoft be forced to advertise their competition? Or should a government now decide what features a software should have? Maye the entire world should become a socialist hellhole. EU as usual just *LOVES* punishing successful American corporations. Microsoft is not alone in this .. even Google was attacked by the EU for pointless crap.
Considering the crappy adware shit that gets bundled with OEM machines, any browser maker could get their stuff bundled with PCs by signing deals with OEMs. There are no contracts between OEMs and Microsoft that prevent any vendor from doing so in the last decade or so. Show me hard proof (i.e. actual contract or something similar.. not rumors by anti-ms trolls) if you have any.
The FT reports that Microsoft 'promised' the Commission it would keep Skype interoperable and supported on rival operating systems."
Is that promised as in "they mentioned it during the talks" or promised as in "they made a binding commitment in writing" ?
Because the former, with corporations in general and with MS in particular, is worth exactly 0.00 â.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org