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Facebook Purchases 650 AOL Patents From Microsoft
eldavojohn writes "Not two weeks after Microsoft purchased 925 patents and patent applications plus licenses to AOL's portfolio for $1 billion, Facebook has now acquired 650 of said patents and patent applications for $550 million to which Microsoft retains a license. So, was Microsoft's $450 million worth it? According to their press release: 'Upon closing of this transaction with Facebook, Microsoft will retain ownership of approximately 275 AOL patents and applications; a license to the approximately 650 AOL patents and applications that will now be owned by Facebook; and a license to approximately 300 patents that AOL did not sell in its auction.' Will the patent-go-round continue, or has Facebook loaded up for a good old-fashion Mexican standoff?"
Now facebook can monitor you even more effectively.
To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
This is not terribly different from different countries on the map lining up with either the US or the Soviets... or going non-aligned.
It's a good old fashioned "military alliance"... just with patents and lawyers instead of nuclear warheads.
The problem with socialism is that they always run out of other people's money. - Margaret Thatcher
Making a product a priority and betting the companies future on a product are not the same thing. I very much doubt they will get significant revenue from G+ anytime soon.
Facebook, it's the new AOL!
come on fhqwhgads
I'm sure AOL (for all its failings) never did a single thing in its entire existence that was patent-able while it ran (held captive?), for a time, nearly the entire online world.