Microsoft in Talks To Acquire Ebay 235
thatedeguy writes "The NY Post is reporting that Microsoft and Ebay are in talks for the online auction house to join the Microsoft family." That said, the talks aren't going that well at the moment. From the article: " Sources indicate that the talks, while still active, have cooled somewhat in the last two weeks as executives considered antitrust issues. It is unclear what the full impact of yesterday's advertising and search alliance between Yahoo! and eBay will be for talks between MSN and eBay. One source close to the matter suggested the Yahoo-eBay tie-up would not stop Microsoft from pursuing the online auctioneer."
mmmm monopolies... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Really? What precisely is google doing now that Microsoft was sued for?
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:5, Interesting)
Does Google have a monopoly in ANY sphere ?
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2, Informative)
40% tops of anything is no where near a monopoly.
That's much different than 90% of the key technologies that drive the computer and information access.
Re:mmmm monopolies... Just goes to show (Score:2)
I mean, look at it: rather than create or improve a home-built portal to online buying, they go and BUY up one, and then obtain ALL the patents eBay obtained (whether these are ALL legit or who many are illegit is not my point), and then we ALL get to see our personal details, sales activities and more in mshaft's warchest.
I REALLY hot the anti-trust units resoundingly "nay" this. I'm pretty sure the EU will condemn it and not let it fly. If the EU unit
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Tell me, what evil thing are they doing, and what non-evil thing could they do to fix it?
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:3, Insightful)
Obviously Gmail uses the content of your e-mail to select context-sensitive advertisements; I don't see anything evil about that. What kind of data mining are you talking about? Mining data by itself isn't inherently evil; it's what you do with the data you've collected that's important (e.g. sell it to other companies).
Google Toolbar - Spyware/ stop doing it
The Google Toolbar includes an optional feature which can only operate by "phoning home" with every URL
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:3, Insightful)
You missed the part where it doesn't do this by default, and there's no way for this particular feature (displaying Google's PakeRank score for each web page you visit) to work without phoning home. Other features like the spell checker send a query when you use them; of course you could make a similar feature using a local dictionary, but Google's spellcheck is based on popular words
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:4, Insightful)
That said, I agree with the underlying sentiment of your post - which basically boils down to "Google is in a position of great power." We all know that, and there are no laws against corporations being in positions of great power. This should not (in and of itself) be a cause for concern, because it is the nature of the market.
In the same vein,the reason Microsoft is such an issue for so many people is assuredly not because they have power. No, if that were the only problem, I would have no concern at all. The problem with Microsoft is that they abuse their power in one sphere to gain an unfair advantage in many other spheres, often stifling innovation (crushing smaller companies) in the process. The examples are numerous - the most obvious is IE's dominance purely due to it's inclusion with Windows.
I do not see this with Google. First off, Google doesn't even have a 50% share of the global searches. So your arguments about it being like Microsoft are premature to say the least. There is no indication that they will ever be a monopoly...it is simply too easy to switch search engines. If Google does something I don't like, switching is as simple as typing "yahoo.com" in the address bar of Firefox I would be very interested to hear any argument from anyone on this site regarding how Google would ever become a monopoly in the search market.
How long before google has to start opening up the algo for us to see or has to stat giving us the option to use some other search engines results?
Well, how about never? Why should Google open up their algorithm? It doesn't matter, the results are the results. If for some reason people believe that they unfairly favor some sites over others and the results are therefore less valid than Yahoo's, MSN's, Ask's or anyone else's, they'll just switch to some other engine. As for Google offering the option to see other engine's results? They already do: it's called DogPile [dogpile.com].
Now, Google is in more markets than just search - as you pointed out, they provide free downloadable software. You characterized it as "unfair" for Google to bundle software and release it free. Umm, why? I assume you're referring to RealPlayer, and my reaction is "So what?" RealPlayer was already available free. They're not forcing anyone to download their software...it's not bundled with some other product their selling, and most of all, each piece is available individually. Besides, when installing their bundle, it gives you the option to only install certain parts of the bundle! I'm really not sure where you were going with that argument.
Google is quickly becoming a search monopoly...
Really? I don't see that. I'd like to see evidence anywhere that this is the case. As I said, almost by definition, there will be no search monopoly because the cost of switching is almost zero to the end user. One search engine may one day dominate in the manner of Microsoft with Windows, but the opportunity to abuse that dominance will be very small. The moment people even have the slightest distaste for either the results of their searches or the business practices of the company, they will simply use a competitor. This is clearly not the case with Windows - many people dislike Windows, but they have so much invested in it that it makes it almost impossible to switch for non-geeks, and annoying even for the technically saavy.
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:4, Informative)
It wouldn't have anything to do with Netscape's browser sucking balls or Netscape trying its hand at the portal business at the wrong time or IE actually being BETTER at that time. You ignore alot of facts to supplement your own perceptions.
I do not see this with Google. First off, Google doesn't even have a 50% share of the global searches.
They have a little over 65% global. [hitslink.com] Your stats are for US.
You said a lot of things, but I'm I didn't get any actual critcism out of it.
That's because I didn't criticize. I merely pointed out that Google is well on its way to being the defacto search monopoly. I also gave parallels to what happened to Microsoft and what will happen to google.
There is no indication that they will ever be a monopoly
Its called a trend. [hitslink.com]
it is simply too easy to switch search engines.
It's simply too easy to buy an Apple or get a free Linux distro. The barrier to entry isn't the issue here, its the tendency of the user. The user doesn't want to switch search engines. Do you really think Joe enduser can tell bad search results from good? He is unmoitivated to switch.
As for Google offering the option to see other engine's results? They already do: it's called DogPile.
Google doesn't offer this, InfoSpace does. "They" is innappropriate here as it isn't Google doing it. Now, is there an option, yes. In the same way I have OS options, doesn't make MS any less of a Monopoly. Please don't try to blur the lines with semantics.
As I said, almost by definition, there will be no search monopoly because the cost of switching is almost zero to the end user.
And I said barrier to entry is not the defining point of monopoly, marketshare is. Googles trend since its launch has been increased market share every year. You assume the end user will know that there is a monopoly or will care. Thats alot of assuming to do. A monopoly in this case would be most relevant to the businesses involved with online components, not the end user.
Here's the thing, the end user you keep touting is Googles PRODUCT. Google uses search results to get the users and sell them to advertisers. You get a monopoly on that, there are serious issues that need to be discussed.
This is clearly not the case with Windows - many people dislike Windows, but they have so much invested in it that it makes it almost impossible to switch for non-geeks, and annoying even for the technically saavy.
This is only true of businesses, and that is quickly coming to an end with web standards used for integration.
The end user has less than $500 invested in Windows and plenty of options for Operating Systems. The problem is that they don't want to switch. They don't want to learn how to do something another way. That is a tendency of people, not any business practice.
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
I can get ANY of the people working in my office up and running FreeBSD with Firefox & Thunderbird & Gaim for communication and some sort of office suite. That covers most of the working lives of the office personnel I have come into contact with.
Then one will hear : "Person X has sent me a (powerpoint presentation) | (excel spreadsheet) | (word document) | (wmv file) and I can't view it".
That's the point at which confidence breaks down. One file unopened can scupper the wi
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
The difference is that a company has to act differently when they have a monopoly position in a marketspace. Google does not have a monopoly position, Microsoft does.
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft have a de facto monopoly in the operating systems market. If Microsoft bindles a 'free'[1] web browser with their operating system, then they make it much harder for other browsers to compete. This is anti-competitive behaviour. It would have been acceptable for them to produce a web browser as a free download (since Netscape already offered a browser free for non-commercial use) and even for OEMs to bundle Microsoft's browser with their computers. It was not acceptable for Microsoft to penalise OEMs who bundled Netscape's browser.
Likewise, Microsoft now have a de facto monopoly in the web browser market. If they make their search engine the default in their browser, bundled with their OS, then they are using their monopoly position in two markets to attempt to gain a monopoly in a third. This is anti-competitive behaviour and should be criticised. Sure, the user can change it, in the same way that they can change the default browser. The point is that it is much easier for them not to, and the ability to do this is only available for the monopolist, not other members of the market.
Google's page defaults to Google's services, and that's fine. Why? Because Google (as of November 2005 - I can't find any more recent statistics) has 46.3% of the search engine market. While this is more than any of their competitors, it is nothing like a monopoly. If they had 80% or so, then it might be seen as anticompetitive behaviour to encourage Google users to use gmail and Google Talk. Well, except for the fact that these both use open standards and so anyone can interoperate with them.
[1] Free is quoted here since the cost is included in the OS, rather than it being truly zero-cost.
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Finally, someone who gets it. At this point, they may not be considered a Monopoly, but they are well on their way.
The numbers you show are for the US. Here are the globals for 2006 [hitslink.com] (so far). Now, the part I find interesting is that google is list
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2, Insightful)
This is entirely true; however...
This is anti-competitive behaviour.
While it hurt the competition, I honestly think that bundling a web browser with their OS was an improvement to their product. Think about it: people want to browse the web. People expect the default install of an operating system to includ
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:3, Insightful)
Your post was great until here. Google's page defaulting to Google's services is fine even if Google has 99% of the search engine share. This is because Google won't have control over where users go to search on the internet no matter how much share Google has. Users are choosing to go to Google and competitors are free to
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Yes you can [webhop.net].
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2, Insightful)
Lots of people are getting all "aww poor Microsoft, getting bullied just for a few dozen Sherman AntiTrust Violations! Is big bad Google/Apple trying to eat your pie?" What you're missing is that Microsoft is just as evil as ever (They NEVER stopped Antitrust violations!) And none of their competitors has ev
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Back to Reading Comprehension 101 for you!
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:5, Informative)
An auction has a legal definition, which eBay doesn't meet - that is : goods have to be available for physical visual inspection for at least 24 hours prior to auction time.
Auctions were used to return or disperse recovered stolen property (or just stolen). Once offered at auction, stolen property is not automatically returned to its owner should it be proven stolen later, unlike other stolen property.
This is why eBay describes itself as : "eBay, the world's largest online marketplace!"
and
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2, Funny)
But how will I sell my fabulous Xena: Warrior Princess merchandise now?
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:3, Insightful)
I just woke up, so I may be missing something bleedingly obvious, but I don't see what sort of anti-trust issues exist here. Microsoft is the worlds biggest software company, and one of the webs top 5 or so search companies. Ebay is the worlds biggest auction house (online or otherwise), and owns one of the world's biggest VOIP services (Skype) and online payment systems (Payp
Re:mmmm monopolies... (Score:2)
and
Skype be?
Would they kill Skype to let MSN Messenger take over the IM world, or would they harness the Skype technology and incorporate it into their own IM?
Would they make Skype anti-Linux too?
Obligatory Joke (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:2, Funny)
Does Microsoft actually have positive feedback?
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:2)
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:2, Insightful)
. .
KFG
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:2, Funny)
I really want to buy this item and i need a seller who is ready to sell,i
will be paying 750euro for this item and you will ship it to my client in
Nigeria.
(1)I will be paying you by western Union Auction Payment(Bidpay).
(2)You will ship the item by FEDEX,DHL,UPS,EMS.
(3)You will ship the item to my client immediately you recieve my payment
approval from the western union.
If you agree with these stated terms,send me your full name and address so
that i can go to the western union office immeidately
Re:Obligatory Joke (Score:3, Funny)
doesn't make sense (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:doesn't make sense (Score:5, Insightful)
ummm (Score:2)
Amazon tried to use their success in ecommerce to promote their search engine and yet people didn't leave Google and flock to A9..making your brand name mean one thing is often better than making it many things.
Sure, making MSN the default search on ebay will certainly make a proportion of
Re:ummm (Score:3, Insightful)
With a different admin, I would give MS zero chance of being able to even partner with e-bay, let alone buy them. But this admin does not care about legal or moral issues. I suspect that MS
Re:ummm (Score:4, Insightful)
Has there really ever been an administration that did?
Re:ummm (Score:5, Insightful)
Almost all companies they bought have been startups with a really cool product ( Hilgreave, WebTV, Bungie...). As far as I know, Microsoft has never bought a Novell or a Lotus or a Compaq, they kill competition with hard work and/or unfair practices, but not with company acquisitions.
So when you see Microsoft thinking of buying eBay instead of developing an alternative and slowly increasing their market share( like they did with IE) you know they are very desparate and afraid of Google.
Sorry, Bungie was not a startup (Score:2)
As a matter of fact Bungie was bought specifically for the Halo franchise. What made the Halo franchise so alluring was Bungie's previous track record along with the tech demos they had been showing off. Microsoft bought them to make Halo an Xbox exclusive at launch.
Re:Sorry, Bungie was not a startup (Score:2)
Will they replace the IBM infrastructure? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Will they replace the IBM infrastructure? (Score:2)
When did that change? (Score:2)
Re:doesn't make sense (Score:2)
But this would make eBay a content company (which, in my opinion, it actually is), and
D
Re:doesn't make sense (Score:2)
Re:doesn't make sense (Score:2)
So I think of it as a content company, of sorts.
D
Oh, wonderful. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Oh, wonderful. (Score:2)
Is this this company you want running PayPal? Isn't PayPal screwed up enough already?
Reminds me of HotMail (Score:5, Funny)
no kidding (Score:2, Insightful)
Hotmail, Frontpage and Visio were all excellent, lightweight products until MS added tons of links and toolbars and menus and images and made everything crawl.
Prepare for slower uglier eBay & Paypal.
Re:no kidding (Score:4, Funny)
I'm sorry, but I REALLY dont think that is possible.
Re:Reminds me of HotMail (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Reminds me of HotMail (Score:2)
MS will forget to renew the ebay domain name.
Vista Presence? (was Re:Reminds me of HotMail) (Score:3, Interesting)
flagship product.
It is not outside the realm of rational thought that Microsoft will be desperate to have
some highly visible enterprise to demonstrate the successful adoption of MS Vista OS,
even if they have to buy the company in order for that to happen. Vista is far behind
schedule, and this only after shedding 90% of the new "gotta-have" features they were
touting. Many, many corporations will be unmoved to migrate to Wi
When did eBay ditch MS? (Score:3, Informative)
not according to Netcraft (Score:3, Informative)
Re:not according to Netcraft (Score:2)
Re:Reminds me of HotMail (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Reminds me of HotMail (Score:2, Insightful)
Yeah, which is a *nix. Just like the parent said.
Re:Reminds me of HotMail (Score:2)
Investors would freak (Score:4, Insightful)
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce COMPETITION (Score:5, Insightful)
1) It gives Google _more_ of an incentive to develop GPay and Googles Ebay (G-Bay?).
2) Now all 3 companies that we love to hate are all in one convient package (Pay-Pal, Ebay, MS)
This is Scary because:
Given the excellent security record that Microsoft OSs' have do we really want pay-pal tied into the OS? OR even worse if Microsoft thinks* you are not using a "Geniune" copy of it's OS, will it put a lock you your paypal account and/or deduct the amount straight from your account.
AND EVEN WORSE: This will make it _very_ easy for MS to start charging $xx/(day/week/month) for using Windows.
OMG the sky is falling! =)
Should make for interesting times.
(The Chinese proverb: "May you live in Interesting Times" is apt I think)
Microsoft already charges $xxx/mo (Score:5, Informative)
That fee includes free upgrades, so if I sell you a Windows license at $5/mo., you would automatically get Vista when it comes out. It's actually a very reasonable program, or at least it appears to be.
Re:Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce COMPETIT (Score:2)
That explains this new category (Score:5, Funny)
Re:That explains this new category (Score:3, Funny)
wow, although if you looked a little harder though you would have found versions for sale right now...
PayPal? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:PayPal? (Score:2)
Wow, I misread that... (Score:4, Funny)
I need some coffee.
Ebay is a Sun Solaris site (Score:3, Insightful)
We all remember (don't we) how long it took MS to convert Hotmail?
So either MS runs a Solaris based service for the forseeable future or breaks Ebay for months while they try to get it right.
Re:Ebay is a Sun Solaris site (Score:2)
Things are far more complicated that than. EBay also runs primarily on Java - it is one of the most successful and high-performance server-side Java sites in the world.
In other words, almost every aspect of the way EBay works uses the opposite strategy to those suggested by Microsoft.
Re:Ebay is a Sun Solaris site (Score:2)
I read somewhere that they still had BSD, but that the servers were
configured to lie about running a MS OS.
Hi cost to stop illegal MS Windows sales on ebay (Score:3, Funny)
BSOD (Score:4, Funny)
In the new Vista, after a crash, you have to have the winning bid before getting your crash dump.
Hey, it's in the New York Post.... (Score:2)
Chris Mattern
Microsoft has too much money (Score:2, Informative)
Later,
-Slashdot Junky
You can... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:You can... (Score:2)
Could be, but let that not get in the way of a nice reference.
MS-Ebay (Score:2)
Skype on alternative platforms (Score:2)
And no, I will NOT install Windows.
Re:Skype on alternative platforms (Score:2)
And the first thing MS will do... (Score:2)
...is track down anyone trying to resell Windows or selling pirated copies of Windows. Once they eliminate that threat, they can safely declare victory.
Too bad (Score:2, Interesting)
Never happen (Score:4, Interesting)
$45 per share in cash
or
2.5 MSFT shares per 1 ebay share
Which means Microsoft is either going to have to issue $30 billion in debt and spend all their existing cash, or relinquish 30%+ of the ownership of the combined company to eBay shareholders.
I find it hard to believe they're willing to do either.
Now, if they want to buy Skype from us or something, that's a different matter.
Consider the source (Score:2, Informative)
It would be fitting (Score:2)
There's a definite plus side to the buyout.... (Score:2)
The problem will really come when Microsoft tries to port eBay into
The sale will go something like (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I will stop (Score:2)
And should I ever sell anything I'll list it both places, just to raise the profile of the competitor system against a MS system.
Re:I will stop (Score:2)
And as far as the IRS, I have no choice there - I *do* have a choice when it comes to eBay/PayPal.
Re:I will stop (Score:5, Insightful)
Show me where in PayPal's user agreement it shows that your money is FDIC insured? Their ridiculous "FDIC passthrough protection" doesn't count because it doesn't protect you in the case of PayPal becoming insolvent, only the bank they invested your money in. Believe me, if PayPal declares bankruptcy you'll be the LAST person with a claim on getting your money out of those bank accounts. Don't be a fool.. if you have more than $50 (or some small amount you're willing to lose) in a PayPal account you're asking for trouble. I even unlinked my checking account from them a few days ago because I am simply not comfortable with such a fucked up company being able to drain any of my "real" money. The only thing I allow as a source of funds now is a credit card so I can fight fraud charges through the CC company. Sure, this mean's I'm "unverified", which is ridiculous since they verified my account via my bank account once, it should stay verified no matter what payment method I choose to use.
Re:I will stop (Score:2)
MS may make major mistakes, but they roll out so much PR they get away with it. Most people think MS = good quality and something they can trust. Most don't even have the concept of MS being evil, the same way untill recently super markets (in the UK at least), weren't thought as evil.
Untill Mum and pops stuff starts to get stream rolled by MS in a visible way (aka little shops closing and huge super markets all over the place), they won't even notice it. I'd love to see MS
Alternatives? (Score:2)
The auction format is not really very well sui
No they aren't (Score:5, Insightful)
Google doesn't make an Operating System. Google doesn't make an office productivity suite. Google doesn't make a game console.
Under Ballmer's lead Microsoft is starting to fall apart. It's losing direction because of obsessions with beating Google for whatever reason. So what if Google has taken some of Microsoft's talent. That's the way it is in business. Particularly when employees smell the rot that is starting to consume Microsoft.
Either rate, Google isn't the needle to Microsoft's balloon, Ballmer's obsession with Google is.
Re:And how long would it be (Score:2)
Re:They deserve each other (Score:2)
Like it or not, both companies' business practices are highly questionable.