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Microsoft to buy Skype -- consequences?

by Joe118
38 replies
Hi gang

Seems like a buy-out of Skype by Microsoft is in the works:

Microsoft to buy Skype for $8.5 billion - latimes.com

I critically depend on Skype for my business, and I'm not sure what to think of this.

What do y'all think about such a deal?

--Joe
#buy #consequences #microsoft #skype
  • Profile picture of the author xMarkPro
    I highly doubt it'll change Skype's service whatsoever. At most, you'll probably see additional integration into things like MSN Messenger, Hotmail, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author Joe118
    Radical (?) prediction: if MS buys Skype they will try to cut off the long distance companies air supply like they did to Netscape. The skype-out service will become FREE and they'll use this to capture a huge chunk of the long distance and international call market.
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    • Profile picture of the author paulie888
      Originally Posted by Joe118 View Post

      Radical (?) prediction: if MS buys Skype they will try to cut off the long distance companies air supply like they did to Netscape. The skype-out service will become FREE and they'll use this to capture a huge chunk of the long distance and international call market.
      Joe, this is my prediction as well. By doing this, they will not only strategically position themselves as a great free alternative to fixed landline service, they'll also become a more viable competitor to Google Voice, which has offered free inbound and outbound calling in the US and Canada for quite a while now.

      Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author vansterdam420
    I think they would only improve upon skype and use it to expand their userbase. They're not likely to overhaul things too much and cause any problems for existing users. By buying skype, they are buying the facetime of every existing skype user. Perhaps it will evolve into something like what google envisioned with wave.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ralf Skirr
      I like the idea, as I'm a happy user of Windows as well as Skype.

      Short term I wouldn't expect much change. In the long run: what about integrating skype into windows?

      Wouldn't it make sense to have communication built in into operating systems? The different types of communication might converge into single user interfaces managing all your communication. Ah, well, that's probably really long term thinking.

      Ralf

      Ralf
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      • Profile picture of the author TPFLegionaire
        Originally Posted by Ralf Skirr View Post

        I like the idea, as I'm a happy user of Windows as well as Skype.

        Short term I wouldn't expect much change. In the long run: what about integrating skype into windows?

        Wouldn't it make sense to have communication built in into operating systems? The different types of communication might converge into single user interfaces managing all your communication. Ah, well, that's probably really long term thinking.

        Ralf

        Ralf

        I tell you what would be another great idea : why don't they integrate an internet browser into the operating system and use their dominant OS position to kill the browser competition ...

        ...wait a second...
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  • Profile picture of the author vansterdam420
    What about the possibility of skype being integrated into all windows based cellphones and tablets?
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  • Profile picture of the author ronywilliam
    Well this is a HUGE deal, surely they will improvise skype. And integreting skype into windows sounds amazing.
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    • Profile picture of the author awkwardgenius
      Say goodbye to the linux version :-(
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      I am not a survivor.

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  • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
    They will probably rename it something dumb like Microsoft Internet Phone Service (MIPS), Microsoft Calls, or Microsoft Operator Bob Here, How May I Direct Your Call?
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    They'll put out a brand new untested version that will only work with a couple of serious, monster patches.
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  • Profile picture of the author DomainSky
    I really hope quality of Skype won't decrease, I am not a fan of Microsoft products myself.

    So far nothing has changed obviously, but I wouldn't be surprised if they started to throw ads around Skype.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Wilkinson
    This will be a disaster. Microsoft is the least consumer responsive company in America. Steve Ballmer is one of the most destructive people in the computing world. As usual, it will all about them and nothing about their customers.

    Thomas
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  • Profile picture of the author Flouster
    I agree Skype will suddenly not work and somehow cost you> So, alternatives, are looking better now. China has some free systems that work very well and are widely used. There is a great opportunity in that simply because Microsoft will make it difficult
    to use and it will cost you somehow.
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  • Profile picture of the author chaddo
    i DREAD to see this, But I will hate if I am getting updates for skype also every half an hour...
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  • Profile picture of the author Coach Louisa
    It is a concern as many depends on Skype. Get ready with alternatives though, finally setting up my G Talk
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  • Profile picture of the author MonopolyMan
    They'll use it to boost Bing as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mohsin Rasool
    Skype was good as it is

    Mohsin
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
    LOL at all the MS hate and paranoia. Least consumer responsive company? xbox, Office suite (still the most polished on the planet), Visual Studio (Still kicks rear to any other development IDE I have seen.)

    Its just a company people and Skype will be just fine.
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    • Profile picture of the author JamieSEO
      Based on Microsoft's history - will make some minor improvements, offer some whacky deal to kill competition, bundle it with every OS, then hike up the price and start screwing around with coding so you have to upgrade both your PC and the software every few months...

      Not that I am bitter or anything....
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael D Forbes
    No more Skype for Android, etc...

    Do you really think MS could botch up Skype any more than Yahoo botches the products they buy?
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  • Profile picture of the author JayWeir
    If there are any major changes that I do not like with Skype, I will just switch over to Google talk which has video. So I'm not too worried.
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  • Profile picture of the author ronywilliam
    MAJOR CHANGE-
    Skype is just going to be integrated with facebook.. Just imagine....
    These people have great minds!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author ronc0011
      In the long run it will only improve Skype. Let's face it MS already has the platform for it. I think it's called Microsoft Communication Server, or something like that. If you want to look at it you might try having a look at Microsoft Office 365 Office 365 for Small Business - Hosted Productivity Software
      Very cool stuff but ultimately aimed at the corporate market. Heads up MS is making a monster push for the cloud computing environment.

      When something like Skype get taken up by someone like MS it instantly gives them the resources and people needed to standardize the product. That's one of the things I don't like about Linux. It's always going in different directions because there all these disconnected people developing for it. So your version of Linux may not support that implementation of any given protocol or technology. Purely annoying. And talk about upgrades, Linux distros are horrible about that. At least with MS they make every effort to keep things backward compatible.


      Skype will stay the same for some time to come but eventually MS will start integrating it into their architecture. Expect to see improved performance.
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      • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
        Originally Posted by ronc0011 View Post

        Heads up MS is making a monster push for the cloud computing environment.
        Chances are most of you are already using a massively scaled Microsoft cloud service without realising it.

        So... how many of you have an XBox Live account?

        Incidentally, those who said "yes" are all Zune users whether you know it or not. You always have been.

        So I just think it's so funny when people question whether Microsoft can reliably operate a cloud-based service.
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  • Profile picture of the author zoobie
    Originally Posted by Ken_Caudill View Post

    Security holes will magically appear and you will be inundated with upgrades every 20 minutes.

    I like that . LOL
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Consequences?

      The version you currently have is the LAST one you'll be able to safely rely
      on to work without turning your life into a total disaster.
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  • Profile picture of the author DFM
    its going to integrated into windows i guess or may be worst MSN/skype hybrid lol
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    • Profile picture of the author Sandor Verebi
      Interesting thoughts.

      My reflectionss are at this moment:


      - Microsoft bought the list of users, what they will use on versatile ways in the future

      - M. is tapping the market of long-distance calls

      - if Skype service remain free, then it will be full with advertisements

      - you must pay for the service (in addition to the present)


      Anyway, there are smart people who decide the issue. Time will tell what benefits the user will take out of that acquisition.

      Sandor
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  • Profile picture of the author mavmav
    Skype isn't gonna change and will work the way it always has. Maybe they are just preempting a move from google to buy it.
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    Until now, the Skype company has been managed somewhat effectively...

    Going into the future, it will be effectively mismanaged.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sandor Verebi
      Originally Posted by tpw View Post

      Until now, the Skype company has been managed somewhat effectively...

      Going into the future, it will be effectively mismanaged.
      Bill, you are hilarious. However, that used to be right, generally.

      Cheers,

      Sandor
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  • Profile picture of the author celente
    sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes a bad thing. I had a software company over here buy my dad out, they had horrible support and wrecked everything from day one.

    Just goes to show you the little guy is sometimes the best. My dad regrets selling it, but what can you do right.
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  • Profile picture of the author xxxJamesxxx
    Ah you've got nothing to worry about. When Microsoft on the job this is the kinda quality you can expect:

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