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Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

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Re: Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

#242

We initially used Skype on our team to communicate with others. However, the software was horribly buggy on OSX. Slack has become part of our main toolchain. It works, has the basic features you need and doesn't get in our way. The integrations are great and we'll continue to use them. Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up, I don't see us leaving Slack for it. They had their chance, and they dropped the b…

"Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up" This. This exactly. Is it really unbelievable to assume Microsoft wouldn't attempt to build their own IRC+ clone and save a few billion while they are at it? I do agree with you, Slack is much better than Skype, but I would add that Lync is just as good. I went from Lync to Slack (after changing jobs) and I would say that Lync not only works just as well but has mor…

You want to really torture yourself? You want to stare into the abyss? Try making a Lync bot. Anyone who was tried will understand what I say when I say it's the worst thing you can possibly experience as a programmer.

Re: Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

#244
post #232
post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to know what people think developing something like Slack should cost, and why MS thought $8e9 was a potentially reasonable valuation.

Keep in mind that the acquisition value is not just the code. There's also the brand, the userbase, the engineers, and not having to actually do it themselves.

[deleted]

Re: Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

#245
post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LOL, "lync.exe" a.k.a. "Skype for Business". 1. The worst brand management this side of 1984. "Skype for Business" has nothing to do with Skype and the .exe is still called "lync.exe" 2. SDK: Trying to use the C# SDK for even simple tasks leaves your app deadlocking or spinning 100% CPU in threads you didn't create or throwing native exceptions that doesn't make any sense as they are referencing raw hex 0x12345678 po…

Microsoft products are filled with references left behind by what I can only assume to be developers who were just hoping to get on a different product team after their next review. SharePoint's virtual path for its SOAP services is "_vti_bin". VTI = Vermeer Technologies Incorporated, the makers of FrontPage and the FrontPage Server Extensions. Then there was Groove (brought in Ray Ozzie's luggage) that was renamed S…

I knew OneDrive was going to be the punchline -_- So much wasted time.

Re: Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

#247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Unless Microsoft rebuilds Skype for the ground up" This. This exactly. Is it really unbelievable to assume Microsoft wouldn't attempt to build their own IRC+ clone and save a few billion while they are at it? I do agree with you, Slack is much better than Skype, but I would add that Lync is just as good. I went from Lync to Slack (after changing jobs) and I would say that Lync not only works just as well but has mor…

I've used and help maintain Lync and OCS, its predecessor. Both were significantly more bloated, difficult to navigate and laggy than Slack is. Additionally, you need SO MUCH infrastructure to support a proper Lync deployment, especially if you want video, voice and PBX. (Yes, Lync comes with its own PBX.) Lync 2013 was even worse! The message window was laggy in typing words out of the box and every UI animation was…

I'm curious about how you found yourself in a position of both hating a piece of software and having to defend the decision to use it.

Why did you have to defend something you hated? Where I work if something doesnt have an advocate, it stops being a product offering.

Re: Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

#248

All my enterprise clients are MSFT shops. They will make due with whatever collaboration tools that MSFT provides. Also, they would never use a product from a company named "Slack".

Why wouldn't they?

doesn't sound "enterprisey"

Re: Source: Microsoft mulled an $8B bid for Slack, will focus on Skype instead

#250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lync actually starts for you? Mine just segfaults on startup. I've given up on it entirely.

Adium has a plugin available (OCS) that lets you connect. No video or audio, but if you just need IM to work, this'll do the job.

Fortunately we have irc, lync is more used by managers to find out when people are available.

I'll have a look though thanks!

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