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Its Microsoft. They can do whatever they want. They can buy their way out of anything legal or otherwise.

you're just jealous

The same implication of market damage existed when AOL and Time Warner originally merged. AOL Time Warner was going to control the Internet or something like that. The real harm there turned out to be to Time Warner.

There are lot of ISPs and there are a lot of web portals. More damage in the U.S. is probably done to the consumer because of government-granted monopolies to telecommunications companies influencing the cost and service of broadband than any Microsoft stake in AOL will manifest. How about attempts to ban municipal broadband by those same telecommunications companies? In contrast, what does owning a stake in AOL really get Microsoft that's so bothersome to the consumer?

"In contrast, what does owning a stake in AOL really get Microsoft that's so bothersome to the consumer?"

It gets their foot in the door of Time Warner. One of the largest cable providers. It sets up all kinds of scenarios of IM integration with AIM and ICQ. Those are just a couple of "issues". There are many others.

>It gets their foot in the door of Time Warner. One of the largest cable providers<

this is the part that is scary.

I don't want MS snooping in my business..... and Microsoft would LOOOOOVE to have a full view of all the traffic on the net.

Microsoft doesn't care about you. If they wanted to have "full view of all of thr traffic on the net," their desktop monopoly already places them at the best place to accomplish the largest piece of that.

Buying a stake in Time Warner's AOL assets has rather little to do with Time Warner's cable assets. As for IM integration, that would be a good thing for consumers. If you don't need a half-dozen protocols for every IM client, everyone's life is all the easier.

It might not be allowed. Remember that MS has been ruled a monopoly. Any acquisition would have to be cleared by the FEC.

Remember that MS has been ruled a monopoly. Any acquisition would have to be cleared by the FEC.

NOPE

2 different markets, if they did but a stake in AOL... or even a controlling stake in Tie Warner itself, it is stiff far removed from its own market. Therefore, it does not matter if it is a monopoly or not. Companies are still allowed growth in other sectors.

That is the question of the day? If M$ does buy Netscape, will they be allowed to pull back Navigator/Communicator code?

All rights to the Mozilla.org code have been transfered to Mozilla Foundation two years ago.

And even if they hadn't been - the code is under the MPL/GPL/LGPL triple license, and "once MPL'ed - always MPL'ed". The same applies to the other two licenses.

Yes, but what about Winamp ?

That also means that the Netscape trademark will belongs to MS.

Actually it means that Microsoft and Time Warner will own AOL's assets jointly. Who knows what it will mean for Winamp, or any other AOL product. If Nullsoft actually makes any money for AOL, you shouldn't expect Microsoft's tendrils to change that. If it doesn't, maybe it will be put out of its misery. Who cares, really?

From what I understand, Winamp has been on life support for a long time now. Most of the original winamp folks really got screwed by AOL and no longer work at nullsoft.

AFAIK theres not much development happening with Winamp lately and there likely wont be any.

Lately I went searching for a better player and found Foobar2k, which fits my bill just fine. Its not sexy but its got a lot of features.

Probably nothing, unless this stake in AOL (a stake is not 100% for those that are confused) includes applicable Time-Warner trademarks and such (doubtful).

Isn't ICQ owned by AOL ?

This one could also means the end of ICQ and AIM, merged into MSN Messenger.

That will left Microsoft with few competition, mainly from Yahoo Messenger.

Internet Explorer is very stagnant now.

There is a possibility that Microsoft rebrand it's IE to "Microsoft Netscape" and adopt a new interface inspired by Netscape/Firefox one.

They also could simply put down Winamp, or make it a skin for Windows Media Player and integrate the visualisation plugin system to WMP.

It can be the end of a great and popular media player (Winamp).

Microsoft isn't going to come to your house and uninstall Winamp on you.

There is a possibility that Microsoft rebrand it's IE to "Microsoft Netscape" and adopt a new interface inspired by Netscape/Firefox one.

They also could simply put down Winamp, or make it a skin for Windows Media Player and integrate the visualisation plugin system to WMP.

Come on...

You're caught in a huge RDF if you really think MS gives a shit about Netscape and Nullsoft !
All they want is the AIM/ICQ network in order to become the IM worldwide leaders. Maybe they'll merge other AOL activities with MSN but i'm not sure that they want to become a provider again.

They'll just kill Netscape and Winamp or sell them if they fear a phone call from the DoJ. But i don't think they will need it. Those softs and brands don't worth anything but in some geeks fantasies.
MS got somewhat stronger competitors in the browser and media player markets, these days...

Microsoft just want to own and lead in every area. They wont be happy until everything everybody does goes through or via them.

IF ms get hold of the stake in that company a lot of things will shift and change and MS suddenly become even more powerful than they already are.

Next week MS buy Apple and Intel and AMD.

General Electric has 4 TIMES the amount of CASH in the bank and you don't see them blowing a nut to buy the rest of their competitors out the doors.

IM is a stagnant market and I'm sure MSN is hoping to stay afloat. MSN has been a losing business division since its inception. The same for XBox. The goal is for both to leak less money over time until they stabilize. By then they can extend their profit sector areas over to them and make them all interconnected.

Once interconnected you are for sure dependent on Microsoft, for Microsoft services.

I suggest OS X technologies, Linux technologies and if you have more cash go for Sun technologies, IBM technologies, etc.

Microsoft hasn't adopted its business model to keep up with the pace of its competitors--wanting to own everything creates too many holes in the hull of your ever growing ship.

Like the Spanish Armada, the smaller, more agile enemy ships eventually won the seas.

The Sea, like the Internet is open with new standards being supported by the smaller ships that continue to trade back and forth. If the trading stopped, then its time to blow it up.