Microsoft to takeover Yahoo!

[InsightGoalie]

Originally Posted by Walshie

Yahoo is rapidly declining in visits, and Microsoft wants to pay like 44 Billion for it? Hell, Youtube gets 10x as many visits yet Google only paid like 3 Billion.

Alexa Top 500*Sites

Actually Yahoo! has the highest traffic... Of course Yahoo, Youtube, and Google are always shifting in the top 3.

Still I don't see how you guys can say Microsoft is a monopoly. Name one market where they have no real competition.

[Power666]

Originally Posted by InsightGoalie

Still I don't see how you guys can say Microsoft is a monopoly. Name one market where they have no real competition.

I can name a few markets where MS's competitors are entirely ineffective due to MS's monopoly powers. Hell, MS has been trying to get some of their file formats for documents certified as an ISO standard. That is monopoly power.

[Deathmonkey7]

Microsoft is alright, really. The only big company I'm pissed about, and continue to get pissed about is Electronic Arts and their 'acquisitions'.

Though I seriously doubt they'll ever outdo Google.

[superslug]

Microsoft have a better than 90% share of desktop OS's which is their monopoly.

The reason this takeover is considered scary is that in the past microsoft have used their monopoly to shut down possible competitors e.g. netscape.
However Google is so firmly entrenched and with firefox actually having a reasonable portion of the browser market share I don't think MS will be able to dominate like it has.

Competition drives innovation so I think this should improve both companies.

[InsightGoalie]

Originally Posted by Power666

I can name a few markets where MS's competitors are entirely ineffective due to MS's monopoly powers. Hell, MS has been trying to get some of their file formats for documents certified as an ISO standard. That is monopoly power.

They sound like markets that aren't main stream. I've never been effected. Of course that doesn't mean it's not harmful.

[E6600]

Originally Posted by InsightGoalie

They sound like markets that aren't main stream. I've never been effected. Of course that doesn't mean it's not harmful.

OSes aren't mainstream? Office applications aren't mainstream? Web browsers aren't mainstream?
They've used their monopoly to push Netscape out of business. They've used their monopoly to push all other Office suites into obscurity.

Isn't it bad enough that we still have some sites that will only open in IE.


BTW, check out this:
Google: Microsoft Deal Bad for Internet
This deal is going to be very bad for the Internet.

[fiasco8]

We are all definitely in trouble. :Turret:

[InsightGoalie]

Originally Posted by E6600

OSes aren't mainstream? Office applications aren't mainstream? Web browsers aren't mainstream?
They've used their monopoly to push Netscape out of business. They've used their monopoly to push all other Office suites into obscurity.

Isn't it bad enough that we still have some sites that will only open in IE.


BTW, check out this:
Google: Microsoft Deal Bad for Internet
This deal is going to be very bad for the Internet.

Oh yeah because you don't have a choice of OSes... And your using linux right? Tell me are you using Microsoft Office? No, you're not because there is an alternative... Sure the Netscape thing was legitimate and guess what? Microsoft got taken to court and forced to stop what they were doing.

It really is the Microsoft just had a very good, greedy way of getting people used to their OSes. Now most don't want to leave it because of familiarity, not because of lack of options. Hell, everyone knows Mac is a viable option and is gaining in popularity.

[E6600]

How is Windows not a monopoly when they've got 90% of the market?
Never in the history of humanity one compay controlled this much market share.
I'm not sure if AT&T was as big as Microsoft today and it got broken into 4 or so companies, and AT&T actually contributed to technology with dozens of inventions. What did M$ bring us? BSoD and RRoD

[InsightGoalie]

I'm pretty sure that there is still competition out there. And it's gaining ground on MS from what I understand. I'm telling you, it was there brilliant marketing. People are reluctant to switch because it's what they know. Hell, thats the reason I don't switch.